Eating a balanced diet during pregnancy will not only nourish your fast-growing baby, it will also help you manage weight gain, keep constipation at bay and boost those flagging energy levels.
You don’t need to overanalyse it though – eating a varied diet, avoiding risky foods and preparing food safely is a good start. Here’s a quick guide to the basics:
- Fruit and veg - eating five portions a day will give you a much-needed dose of vitamin, minerals and fibre. Just remember to boost your intake of folic acid and Vitamin D, with supplements.
- Starchy foods – bread, pasta, rice and potatoes will fill you up without adding too many extra calories, so make sure you include them in every meal
- Protein – great sources include meat, fish, poultry, eggs, beans, pulses and nuts
- Dairy – get your daily dose of calcium by eating two to three portions of cheese, yoghurt or milk
- Fish – tuck into two portions a week, including one portion of oily fish
- Regular snacks – boost your energy levels by eating snacks, but avoid anything that’s high in sugar or fat, opting for healthy options like fruit, yogurt or nuts instead.
Don't 'eat for two' You don’t need to 'eat for two' - it will just pile on unnecessary weight.
You probably will need extra calories in the final trimester, but even then the extra is only equivalent to an extra slice of toast and spread!