HEALTHY FOODS DURING PREGNANCY

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Fruit and vegetables in pregnancy  Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables because these provide vitamins and minerals, as well as fibre, which helps digestion and can help prevent constipation.   Eat at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables a day – these can be fresh, frozen, canned, dried or juiced. Always wash them carefully.   Find out what counts as a portion of fruit or vegetables  

 STARCHY FOOD
 Starchy foods (carbohydrates) in pregnancy  Starchy foods are an important source of energy, vitamins and fibre, and are satisfying without containing too many calories. They include bread, potatoes, breakfast cereals, rice, pasta, noodles, maize, millet, oats, sweet potatoes, yams and cornmeal.  These foods should be the main part of every meal. Choose wholemeal instead of processed (white) varieties, or potatoes with their skins on, when you can as they contain more fibre.

 PROTEIN FOODS
 Protein in pregnancy  Eat some proteiFOOD foods every day. Sources of protein include: meat (but avoid liver)  fish  poultry  eggs  beans  pulses  nuts   Choose lean meat, remove the skin from poultry, and try not to add extra fat or oil when cooking meat. Read more about eating meat in a healthy way.  Make sure eggs, poultry, burgers, sausages and whole cuts of meat such as lamb, beef and pork are cooked all the way through. Check that there is no pink meat, and that juices have no pink or red in them.   Try to eat two portions of fish a week, one of which should be oily fish such as salmon, sardines or mackerel. Find out about the health benefits of fish and shellfish. There are some types of fish you should avoid in pregnancy. For more information, see Foods to avoid in pregnancy.

DAIRY FOODS
  Dairy in pregnancy  Dairy foods such as milk, cheese, fromage frais and yoghurt are important in pregnancy, because they contain calcium and other nutrients that your baby needs.   Choose low-fat varieties wherever possible, such as semi-skimmed or skimmed milk, low-fat lower-sugar yoghurt and reduced-fat hard cheese. Aim for two to three portions a day.   For more information, read about the nutritional benefits of milk and dairy foods.   There are some cheeses you should avoid in pregnancy. To find out which ones, see Foods to avoid in pregnancy.

 FAT FOODS
  Foods that are high in fat, sugar or both  This includes: all spreading fats (such as butter)  oils  salad dressings  cream  chocolate  crisps  biscuits  pastries  ice cream  cake  puddings  fizzy drinks   You should only eat a small amount of these foods.   Sugary foods and drinks are often high in calories which can contribute to weight gain. Having sugary foods and drinks can also lead to tooth decay.   Fat is very high in calories, so eating too many fatty foods or eating them too often can make you put on weight. Having too much saturated fat can increase the amount of cholesterol in the blood, which increases the chance of developing heart disease. Try to cut down on saturated fat, and have small amounts of foods rich in unsaturated fat instead. Find out about saturated and unsaturated fat.
 SNACKS
 Healthy snacks in pregnancy  If you get hungry between meals, try not to eat snacks that are high in fat and/or sugar, such as sweets, biscuits, crisps or chocolate. Instead, choose something healthier, such as:  sandwiches or pitta bread filled with grated cheese, lean ham, mashed tuna, salmon, or sardines, with salad  salad vegetables, such as carrot, celery or cucumber  low-fat lower-sugar yoghurt or fromage frais with fruit  hummus with wholemeal pitta bread or vegetable sticks  ready-to-eat apricots, figs or prunes  vegetable and bean soups  unsweetened breakfast cereals, or porridge, with milk  milky drinks  fresh fruit  baked beans on toast or a baked potato   Here are some more ideas for healthy food swaps.

 PREPARE YOUR FOOD  SAFELY
Preparing food safely Wash fruit, vegetables and salads to remove all traces of soil, which may contain toxoplasma, a parasite that can cause toxoplasmosis – which can harm your unborn baby.  Wash all surfaces and utensils, and your hands, after preparing raw meat – this will help to avoid toxoplasmosis.    Make sure that raw foods are stored separately from ready-to-eat foods, otherwise there's a risk of contamination. This is to avoid other types of food poisoning from meat (such as salmonella, campylobacter and E.coli).  Use a separate chopping board for raw meats.  Heat ready meals until they're piping hot all the way through – this is especially important for meals containing poultry.   You also need to make sure that some foods, such as eggs, poultry, burgers, sausages and whole cuts of meat like lamb, beef and pork are cooked very thoroughly. For tips, read Foods to avoid in pregnancy.