Eating healthy food is always important and it becomes even more significant when you’re pregnant. During this time your body needs more of nutrients like iron, protein, calcium and folic acid to keep the foetus nourished at all times. It is commonly said that a pregnant woman should eat for two. While that’s just a misconception, the right way to understand this is that your body will certainly be demanding more calories to support the life that’s developing inside your womb. On an average you need an extra 300 calories per day by means of a proper healthy & balanced diet to ensure a smooth pregnancy. Remember that it is a natural process to put on weight during pregnancy and this process should be gradual and not sudden. The main thing you should make sure of is to source your calories from healthy meals and not from fast foods that carry empty calories.

The following are the nutrients that have to necessarily be part of an expecting mother’s diet:

• Protein – Fish, pork, eggs, soy, dairy products, dried beans, lentils & peanut butter

• Folate – Spinach, orange juice, fortified breakfast cereal, rice, oatmeal, broccoli & strawberries

• Calcium – Whole-grain pastas, breads, cereals, walnuts, almonds, fruits such as apples, kiwi, melons, pears, berries & orange and vegetables such as potatoes, carrots & tomatoes

• Fat- Healthy fat stored in nuts, avocados, olive oil, salmon, sunflower oil & canola oil

The following are the foods you should try staying away from when you’re an expectant mother:

• Unpasteurized milk & juice
• Raw or uncooked meat & seafood
• Alcoholic beverages
• Fast food
• Caffeine (not advisable to consume more than 300 milligrams per day)
• Nitrate-rich foods like hot dogs & bacon
• Eggs & Sushi (as they may contain illness inducing parasites)
• Cheeses made from unpasteurized milk

Pregnancy period can be quite tricky as different people react differently. Keep yourself hydrated and nourished with small meals spread across the day without binge eating.

References:
http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/my-body/nutrition/a-food-guide-for-pregnant-women/
http://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-health/pregnancy-nutrition/