Healthy Snacking During Pregnancy

Pregnancy imposes increased nutritional requirements for both maternal and child wellbeing. While period is your (amazing) excuse to eat extra calories (400-500 more per day by the second and third trimesters) it’s more crucial than ever to use those extra calories to fill your body with key nutrients that support the baby’s development — particularly protein, folate, calcium, vitamin D, DHA (omega-3 fatty acid), iodine and iron. Snacking smart is a sure way of achieving the balance for these nutrient needs either with every meal or over a week period. Snacking healthily often means changing the amounts of different foods you eat, so that your diet is varied, rather than cutting out all your favourites.

Here are some snack foods that will help you get the nutrients you need while avoiding less-healthy cravings:

Craving something cold and rich, try a yogurt smoothie. Yogurt is a good source of calcium, which is necessary for the development of your baby’s bones and teeth, as well as heart, nerve and muscle function. If you don’t consume enough calcium, your body will take it from your bones. Yogurt also provides protein — the building block of tissues — as well as probiotics (good bacteria that help you digest food). Just be sure to watch out for additives in the yogurt you choose. Many flavored varieties are loaded with sugar. Also, if you like the tartness, opt for Greek yogurt because it contains more protein.

• Need to boost fiber intake? Fruits and vegetables are good sources of fiber. Along with drinking enough fluid, getting good sources of fiber from fruits and vegetables is a sure way of keeping constipation at bay. They are loaded with substances (antioxidants, phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals) that protect the health of cells and support immune system, which is slightly lowered during pregnancy.

• Want something savory? Eggs are a good choice to go to when the feeling of something savory and filling comes. This is because, the yolks are excellent source of choline, a nutrient that’s vital for your baby’s brain development. Ensure the eggs are well cooked to reduce the risk of foodborne illness.

• Want something crunchy? Go for nuts.

Nuts are excellent snacks during pregnancy.  They are nutrient-dense food that provides healthy fat, minerals protein and fiber. They are also leaded with Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids which are important for foetal brain development.

Foods to limit

• High Fats foods: Fat is very high in calories, so eating too many fatty foods, or eating them too often, can make you put on weight. Eating too much saturated fat can also increase the amount of cholesterol in the blood, which increases one’s chances of developing pregnancy complications |(gestational diabetes mellitus, preeclampsia and preterm delivery). Foods that are high in fat include: all spreading fats (such as butter salad dressings), oils, pastries, cake, cream, chocolate. Try to cut down on saturated fat, and have small amounts of foods rich in unsaturated fat instead, such as vegetable oils, nuts and seeds.

• Foods high in sodium: A staggering 75-80% of our sodium intake is hidden in processed food, ready meals, takeaways and restaurant foods. High sodium intake can have a negative impact on blood pressure. It affects the kidneys, causing the body to retain fluid. Extra fluids result in greater blood volume, which can cause pre-eclampsia. To cut down on sodium intake, check sodium levels on pre-packaged food and aim for less than 600mg per 100g.

• Foods high sugar: Sugary foods and drinks are often high in calories, which can contribute to weight gain. Having sugary foods and drinks can also lead to gestational diabetes.

If you're having foods and drinks that are high in sugar and fat, have these less often and in small amounts.