VITAL NUTRIENTS NEEDED IN PREGNANCY                                                Back


You, shouldn't need to go on overeating food, the only thing is you have to be aware of the nutrients present in the foods you choose to eat.

PROTEIN :
Your protein requirements increase by 50% so you will need to increase the high protein foods in your diet.

CALORIES :
You will need about 500 more calories a day than the usual requirement of 2000 - 2500

FIBER :
As pregnancy progresses there is a tendency to develop constipation you can help to overcome this by giving your intestines plenty of rough age to work on.

FLUIDS :
You should not regulate your fluid intake during pregnancy, except to watch calorie content of the drinks you take. Water is the best drink, which helps to avoid constipation and to keep your kidneys working well.

VITAMINS :
The volume of a varied and balanced diet of wholesome foods is that you will take in high levels of vitamins without resorting to vitamin supplements.
Research has shown that multivitamins supplements if taken before conception and during the first trimester can prevent neural tube defects.

MINERALS :
If you eat a good diet you are not likely to be deficient in minerals

CALCIUM :
A sufficient quantity of about twice your prepregnant intake is important from the time of conception since your baby's teeth and bones begin to form from weeks 4 to 6.

IRON :
The large increase in blood volume means that extra iron is needed to make haemoglobin for increased number of blood cells. The more haemoglobin the blood contains, the more haemoglobin the blood contains, the more of oxygen it can carry to the various tissues including placenta.

FOLIC ACID :
This is essential for the supply of nucleic acids needed by the rapidly durding cells of the embryo.

SALT :
Ordinarily most of us take in too much sodium but during pregnancy you need more or less no salt since the amount of salt in your blood is diluted by the increase in body fluids.