Eating well is important because it has very positive effects on our health. Eating well is even more important during pregnancy because how you eat now, won’t only affect you but your baby too. Your baby gets all the nutrients it needs for its development through your blood. Eating well doesn’t mean eating for two, it means sticking to a healthy and well-balanced diet during your pregnancy.

What is a balanced diet?

A balanced diet for you and your baby is one that includes foods from the main food groups and the right servings of each. One way to understand how these portions and foods are distributed is by using the food pyramid. This pyramid highlights how many servings of different types of foods you should eat every day for a healthy diet. The United States Government posts a food pyramid in which you can find a lot of information in Spanish

*The main food groups are carbohydrates, proteins and fats. For example, oil, butter, mayonnaise etc. are considered fats. Meat, fish and eggs are proteins and breads, cereals, grains etc. are carbohydrates. Although there may be carbohydrates which also contain protein or fats, foods are classified according to which of the 3 components it has the highest percentage of.

A good way to find out about foods is by using a chart that you can find in any book store. Check some of the books in the food and nutrition section, to see which one you find the easiest to follow. 

What should an expectant mom’s diet look like?

The recommended daily calorie intake for a pregnant woman is between 1,800 and 2,200. These calories may be divided as follows:

• 7-9 servings of legumes, cereals, grains, starches, and bread 

• 3-5 servings of vegetables (3 servings of which must be vegetables rich in vitamin A) 

• 2-3 servings of fruits (2 of which must be vegetables rich in vitamins A or C) 

• 4 servings of dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese etc.)

• 3-4 servings of meat, fish, eggs etc.

• 2-3 servings of fats: oil, butter or mayonnaise

• 6-8 servings of liquids (drinking no more than a soda a day) 

You should vary the distribution of these servings as much as possible every day. For example, if you eat legumes one day choose two servings of beans, the next day add rice and the next potatoes. Bellow you will find a list with simple examples of each food group.

Don’t forget to have snacks between meals. During pregnancy you must try to maintain the sugar level in your blood constant to feel well. Besides, three light meals and three snacks between meals will help avoid the nausea associated with an empty stomach.

What is a serving? 

It’s as important to eat from all the food groups as it is the right portion sizes. The easiest way to measure a serving size is with measuring cups or by comparing them to everyday objects that we know the size of. For example, a serving of raw vegetables is a cupful and a serving of fish the size of a checkbook. A piece of bread is the size of a bar of soap. Here you have a chart to compare serving sizes: 

To make measurements easier and more accurate, you can buy a plastic measuring cup, which clearly marks the size of a cup.

Example of a 1,800 calorie diet.

Ask your doctor what the recommended daily calories for you are according to your weight and build and how active you are. An example of a 1,800 calorie diet would be as follows:

Breakfast:

• 1 cup of milk

• 1 piece of a medium-sized fruit

• 1 slice of whole-wheat bread

• 1 tablespoon of butter

• 1 scrambled egg

Snack:

• ½ a medium sized piece of fruit

• 3 crackers

Lunch:

• 1 cup of salad

• 1 tablespoon of salad dressing

• 1 corn or flour tortilla

• 3 oz meat or fish

• 1 cup of beans

Snack:

• 1 yogurt

• ½ a piece of fruit

Dinner:

• 1 cup boiled vegetables

• 1 egg

• 1 oz cheese

• ½ a cup of rice

• 1 medium-sized potato

Snack:

• 1 glass of milk

• ½ a cup of low sugar cereal

You can distribute these foods throughout the day as you please, but remember to include three snacks between meals. You may have sweets occasionally, but they are high in calories and generally lack essential nutrients.

List of foods

These are examples of the foods amongst which you can chose:

Vegetables: squash, tomatoes, peppers, spinach, green beans, lettuce etc.

Starchy vegetables: potatoes, peas, pumpkin, etc.

Fruits: apricots, peaches, strawberries, orange juice, mango, papaya etc.

Meats and fish: lean chicken and beef, all types of fish and sea food. Avoid eating raw fish or meat and fish as mackerel, sword fish and sardines since they have high mercury content. Tuna is to be eaten sparingly, no more than twice a week.

Legumes: beans, corn, garbanzo beans, peas etc.

Cereals: rice, breakfast cereals low in sugar, flour etc.

Dairy: fat-free milk, yogurt and low fat cheese. Try to avoid certain Latin American cheeses: “queso blanco, fresco, de hoja, crema and asadero” and others like Brie, Camembert, Roquefort or Blue Cheese because they may contain the listeria bacteria, which is very harmful during pregnancy. To be able to eat them you must boil the cheese until it is bubbling.