BY LESLIE PEPPER
FOR MANY women, seeing a positive
pregnancy test means throwing out all diet
rules. And while eating for two does mean
a few extra daily calories—about 300 during the second trimester and about 450
during the third trimester—that doesn’t
mean you should consume an extra-large
bag of potato chips.
What should you be eating? Here are
recommendations from experts on what to
include in your maternity eating plan.
Go with greens. Leafy greens like spinach, kale, chard and dandelion greens contain folate, a key B vitamin. In early
pregnancy, folate helps prevent neural tube
defects, including spina bifida. Later in
pregnancy, folate can help reduce the risk
of preterm labor or a low-birthweight baby.
Eat this: Think beyond salads. Tear up
pieces of kale, sprinkle them with olive oil
and a bit of sea salt, and roast them at 350 F
for 15 minutes or until crisp, for healthy
kale chips. Throw chard into soups, or
combine spinach, blueberries, almond
milk and Greek yogurt for a delicious
smoothie, suggests registered dietitian
Marina Chaparro, national spokesperson
for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
FOR YOUR HEALTH
for fresh fruit or vegetable sticks. Or make
tomato soup creamier by stirring in a quarter cup of yogurt.
Increase the iron-fortified cereals. You
and your baby both need plenty of iron
during pregnancy. “You need it because
your blood volume doubles,” says Anita
Sadaty, an OB/GYN at Northwell Health in
Manhasset, New York, and a Costco member. “Your baby needs it to develop his
blood supply.” Cereals are also packed with
fiber, which helps your digestion stay regular, and they help to regulate blood sugar,
which may prevent gestational diabetes,
says Chaparro.
Eat this: “Keep in mind, not all cereals
are created equal,” says Chaparro. “Look
for whole-grain cereals with at least 3
grams of dietary fiber and less than 7
grams of sugar per serving. The first three
ingredients should include whole grains
like bro wn rice, oatmeal and whole wheat.”
Eating
for two
Pregnancy
and diet:a
maternity plan
© AFRICA STUDIO / SHUTTERSTOCK
and a Costco member. “The strong, sweet
blueberry flavor will overpower the spinach, I promise!” she says.
Say yes to yogurt. Yogurt is high in calcium, which helps build baby’s bones. But
here’s the rub: When you don’t get enough
calcium, your baby will start to steal yours.
You’ve got to keep your calcium stores
plentiful. Calcium may also help prevent
pre-eclampsia, a serious condition in
which blood pressure rises to dangerous
levels. (In addition to calcium, yogurt is
loaded with friendly bacteria, such as
Lactobacillus acidophilus, that help your
digestive system work properly.)
Eat this: Use plain Greek yogurt instead
of mayonnaise to make chicken, tuna or
pasta salads, suggests Andrea Dunn, a registered dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic
and a Costco member. Use yogurt as a dip
THECOSTCOCONNECTION
Costco offers a wide variety of fresh,
healthful produce, including greens,
plus yogurt, salmon, cereals and eggs.
Costco members will also find vitamins
and supplements at Costco warehouses
and on Costco.com.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 86
DO YOU NEED A
PRENATAL VITAMIN?
THE QUESTION of prenatal vitamins is a
good one to bring up with your health
care provider. Anita Sadaty, OB/GYN at
Northwell Health in Manhasset, New
York, says the goal is to bridge the gap
between what you eat and the nutrients
you need. Look for vitamins that contain
at least 600 micrograms of L-methyl-folate, a high-quality form of folate that
is more easily processed by the body,
and 27 milligrams of iron, says Sadaty.
Also, make sure they contain DHA and
vitamin D, and, if you’re susceptible to
constipation, ask your doctor if your
vitamins should include a stool softener.
To combat any nausea the vitamin
may cause, take it with your biggest meal
of the day, and drink an 8-ounce glass of
water with it to help with absorption and
transit of the supplement, suggests
Andrea Dunn, a registered dietitian at the
Cleveland Clinic.—LP
