Gillian McKeith's Food Bible (43 page)

Whole grains such as rye bread, brown rice, millet, barley, buckwheat noodles, and sugar-free muesli. These foods are good sources of complex carbohydrates that help sustain energy levels and maintain blood-sugar balance. They also contain plenty of fiber, which is important for preventing constipation—a common problem during pregnancy.

Your body requires more protein during pregnancy, so make sure you include some with every meal. Good sources include organic white meat, fish (see notes in the Avoid section), eggs, tofu, beans, peas, lentils, quinoa, and sprouted legumes and seeds. Some plant-based foods contain complete protein similar to animal products (tofu and other soybean products, quinoa, amaranth, and sprouted legumes and seeds) and these are particularly beneficial if you are vegetarian or vegan. In addition, protein absorption from plant-based foods can be increased by combining them in the same meals. So try combining whole grains with legumes or nuts and seeds (for example, lentils with brown rice, healthy baked beans on rye toast, bean burgers with millet risotto, and tahini on rye crackers).

Foods rich in essential fatty acids, especially omega-3 fats, which are important in pregnancy for your baby’s brain, eye, and vision development. Good food sources include oily fish (no more than two portions a week), pumpkin seeds, walnuts, dark leafy green vegetables, and unrefined, cold-pressed seed oils such as flax seed oil or hemp seed oil.

Calcium needs increase during pregnancy. Include calcium-rich foods such as live plain yogurt, dark leafy greens, sea vegetables, tofu, chickpeas, sesame seeds, tahini, almonds, and dried figs. If you are eating dairy products, always opt for organic dairy products and minimize calcium-containing foods that are high in saturated fat such as whole milk, cream, and full-fat cheeses. Vitamin D is needed for proper calcium absorption. Although this vitamin is found only in a small number of foods, the body can produce it naturally from sunlight—so make sure you get outdoors every day.

During pregnancy, your blood volume increases and iron is a major component of red blood cells. Although red meat is high in iron, it can also be high in saturated fat. Healthier iron-containing foods include beans, lentils, chickpeas, millet, eggs, dark green leafy vegetables, poultry, raisins, and prune juice. There is plenty of choice for vegetarians and vegans. To increase your iron absorption, eat foods rich in vitamin C at the same time.

In addition to taking a folic acid supplement, include foods high in this vitamin such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, asparagus, peas, brown rice, and chickpeas.

Healthy snacks to ward off hunger pangs and keep blood-sugar levels balanced: fresh or stewed fruit, dried (unsulphured) fruit with nuts and seeds, rye bread with nut butter, live plain yogurt, vegetable crudités with hummus or olive tapenade.

Drink at least eight glasses of bottled or filtered water daily to help control food cravings and to maintain hydration levels.

Avoid

There are various foods that you should avoid during pregnancy, because they might make you ill or harm your unborn baby. These include:

Foods that may contain bacteria called listeria, such as unpasteurized cheeses (Camembert, Brie, chèvre, and blue cheeses) and meat-based pâtés.

Raw or partially cooked eggs, as they may contain salmonella, which causes food poisoning. Also, foods made using raw eggs such as mayonnaise, salad dressings, and some desserts and ice creams.

Undercooked meats, as they may contain salmonella and other bacteria.