What you eat now can mean a lifetime of good health for your child.

Carrying a baby is an astounding human processes. From a single cell, your body is building a human being complete with arms and legs, a brain and a heart. The whole phenomenon requires so much from a mother’s body – vast amounts of energy, nutrients and resources. And of course, if you’re pregnant, you have to be protected form harmful toxins.

You basically need a balanced diet with some extra protein and folic acid thrown in. But advice on what you can and can’t eat while pregnant can be confusing. Read on for our quick, simple guide on healthy eating for two.

Eat Well

• Indulge in fresh fruits and vegetables. Citrus fruits and dark leafy greens contain folic acid that is essential to a healthy pregnancy.
• Whole grain carbohydrates like multi-grain bread, whole wheat pasta, sweet potatoes and healthy cereals. Fruit Loops and the sugary ones don’t count, okay?
• Dairy products like milk, yoghurt and cheese – choose low fat options when possible.
• Lean meat (well-cooked) and fish high in essential fatty acids.
• Beans and pulses are great as they are a good source of protein and vitamins plus they are rich in fiber (helps with pregnancy constipation).
• Eggs, nuts and dried fruit like raisins and prunes are surprisingly good, yummy sources of much-needed iron.

Eat Safe

• Avoid mould-ripened soft cheeses such as blue cheese, camembert or brie. These are potential listeria-carriers.
• Same goes for pate.
• Drink only pasteurized or UHT milk to steer clear of bacteria.
• Avoid rare cooked meat. Ditto with the smoked and processed varieties.
• Eggs must be well cooked – hard boiled or scrambled to avoid salmonella.
• Limit tuna, swordfish and marlin as these fish contain mercury. About two tuna steaks a week tops should be safe.
• Make sure your fresh, uncooked vegetable salads have been washed properly. While you’re pregnant you may even want to skip restaurant salads and just prepare your own to make sure those greens are bacteria free.
• Steer clear of raw foods for now. You can have that big sushi and sashimi dinner once baby is out.

Sugar, Caffeine and Alcohol

You can have your coffee, but limit to two cups a day at the most to avoid too much caffeine which at high doses has been linked to miscarriage. Caffeine is also a diuretic – and too much can affect nutrient absorption. Do note that sodas, teas and chocolates also contain the stimulant. Balance your caffeine dose.

Skip the alcohol all together. How alcohol affects you is exactly how it will affect your fetus. Although if you had a glass or two of wine sometime during your pregnancy you should be fine.

You also have to take it easy on the sugar. Craving for something sweet? Reach for the fruit instead of those cookies. You will not only up your chances of gestational diabetes, you may be affecting your child’s future health.

Recent research shows that healthy eating and living during pregnancy is more crucial than we ever thought. There is growing evidence that a mother’s nutrition during pregnancy affects her child’s health, metabolism and risks of developing chronic diseases later in life – including diabetes.

Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby

All the healthy eating is not just for baby – it’s for you too. If mother and fetus have to compete for nutrients, it’s usually baby who’ll win.You’ll be the one to end up with deficiencies first. Besides, you need to be strong, energetic and healthy to start taking care of that new addition to the family!

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