During pregnancy, if we are well nourished, it is good for both ourselves and the fetus. It ensures that the fetus develops well and at the same time we are able to face the delivery with energy. However, deep down we are again trying to find a balance: not to become too bloated and not to congenitally underweight the baby, and at the same time, to maintain our own strength to meet the arrival of our little one tamely. Fortunately, all of these goals can be reconciled perfectly. Of course, the prerequisite is a balanced diet and scientific conditioning. 1.Should I eat double? A If you have a balanced meal and the amount is more reasonable, then you just need to continue to maintain it, there is no need to eat more. In order to ensure better development of the fetus in our bellies, we do need to consume more calories than usual, but it does not mean that we can meet the needs of the fetus if we change our diet. In fact, as women, we have a very good physiological foundation and our genes and body functions are perfectly adapted to the needs of pregnancy. During the first trimester, we start to store energy: enough fat and protein is accumulated (most of it is stored in the muscles). During this time, the fetus gains weight more slowly, and her growth and development is focused on forming and composing organs. However, from the 5th month of pregnancy onwards, our stored energy is utilized, because from this time onwards, the fetus needs enough energy for growth. 2.For weight control, is it better not to eat fat? A It is especially important not to refuse fat during pregnancy, because it is essential for the formation of the fetal nervous system and cell membranes. Next, we have another question. We know that fats are divided into two categories: good fats (unsaturated fatty acids, such as the famous omega-3s) and bad fats (saturated fatty acids, such as those found in butter or full-fat milk products). Should I eat both types of fats during pregnancy? The answer is clear: yes, because the fetus needs all types of fats. If at some point in pregnancy the fetus lacks a certain type of fat that it should have received, it cannot be compensated for later in life. Therefore, pregnant women cannot be vegetarians! Of course, there is one more point to remind: do not ignore the hidden fat, if in the cooking dishes already contain fat, then there is no need to add more fat into it. 3.Do I need to ban sugar? A We should change our misconceptions about sugar! In fact, glucose is indispensable to life. Not only does sugar play a role in providing energy, but sugar also burns fat. During pregnancy, it is definitely not the time to refuse sugar. Because the placenta has a filtering effect on sugar, the result is that the fetus’ blood sugar level is three times lower than the mother’s. If you then deny sugar, the fetus will be hypoglycemic! Like fat, sugar has a distinction between so-called good sugar (slow sugar) and bad sugar (fast sugar). In fact, this distinction is absurd. We should use all types of sugars while simply avoiding sudden increases in blood sugar after digestion. For this reason, when designing recipes, we should choose foods that contain both sugar and protein and lipids, and avoid simply getting sugar from chocolate or drinks with high sugar content. 4.Do I need to eat more dairy products? A Yes. Because the fetus needs to absorb a lot of calcium for its growth and development, thus the blood calcium level of the mother-to-be will also be lowered. At this time, once the parathyroid gland, which is responsible for regulating phosphorus and calcium levels in the mother-to-be’s body, notices this situation, it will secrete a hormone that causes the kidneys to produce vitamin D, thus increasing the intestinal absorption rate of calcium. In this way, the mother’s blood calcium soon returns to normal. Of course, we are not saying that pregnant women can therefore skip dairy products. However, 2 to 3 times a day of dairy products is enough, not 4 times as people usually say that you must eat them. Here is another tip: it is better to choose skimmed or semi-skimmed dairy products rather than full-fat dairy products or cheese, which are rich in saturated acids. 5.Should I take “supplements” regularly? A Vitamin and micronutrient products labeled “for pregnant women” are not essential for pregnant women to take. They are only designed for pregnant women who have a very unbalanced diet. If you are in this situation, it is best to start by correcting your eating habits. In addition, these products are also suitable for mothers-to-be who have problems with intestinal absorption. Despite having a good diet, they are unable to absorb the necessary nutrients. However, in either case, it is important to consult your doctor before taking these products. Your doctor will give you personalized advice according to your situation. Otherwise, if we blindly ingest a certain vitamin or trace element that we don’t need, it may be counterproductive. 6.Some foods can avoid fetal malformation? A It has been proved that folic acid deficiency or vitamin B9 deficiency has the risk of fetal malformation, especially spina bifida, abdominal wall malformation and harelip. Therefore, we strongly advocate the consumption of foods that are rich in folic acid. Folic acid is found in animal liver, egg yolk, and green vegetables such as spinach, beans, bamboo shoots, and celery. It is important to note that we need to start taking folic acid supplements before and during the early stages of pregnancy, as that coincides with the period of embryo formation. 7. I am a vegetarian, will this affect my baby? A There are two possible categories of vegetarians: those who just don’t eat meat and those who don’t eat all animal-related foods. Vegetarians who just don’t eat meat are better off because they can get enough protein from eggs and dairy products. Because protein is the basic component of our cells, it is an indispensable “brick and mortar” for building the child’s organism. However, if you are a true vegetarian, that is, do not eat all animal-related foods, it is difficult to maintain a balanced diet. This time, we need to spend some time to carefully design our recipes. 8. Must I drink 1.5 liters of water every day? A In fact, 1.5 liters of water is just a symbolic number. Different people, different diets, different physical activities and different temperature environments require different amounts of water. So, how do you know if you are drinking enough water? We can observe the amount of urine we pass. If you pass 1.5 liters of urine in 24 hours, it means that you are drinking enough water. However, the problem now is that we cannot measure our own urine volume. Then, we can workaround and observe the number of times we go to the bathroom is also possible. 9.Do I need to drink mineral water? A Depending on the source of extraction and the way the water is treated, the quality of tap water varies greatly. However, tap water is drinkable. If conditions allow, it is best to consult the local water department about the composition of tap water. For example, check if it contains 1.5 mg of fluoride per liter of water (so that babies can be assured of strong teeth) and at least 50 mg of nitrate per liter of water. Then, it’s all about your taste. If you think tap water tastes bad, then you should not hesitate to drink bottled water. Priority can be given to mineral water that is rich in calcium, magnesium or fluoride, and also think about changing brands often so you can absorb the various minerals. One thing to note: many mineral waters contain sodium, and too much intake can cause high blood pressure. However, rest assured that if you drink only 1 liter or 1.5 liters of water a day, you will not be at risk of high blood pressure. 10. Must I not drink any alcohol during pregnancy? A Yes, you absolutely must not drink! This is because alcohol can easily cross the placenta and be absorbed directly by the fetus. When the mother drinks one or two glasses of aperitif and feels excited, the fetus is also drunk. If this happens often, the fetal organism will be damaged: the fetus may be born with low intelligence (according to recent studies, during pregnancy, two glasses of alcohol per day for pregnant women will lower the IQ of the baby), with personality disorders or physical deformities, etc. 11. What are the dangerous foods? It is true that some foods may contain bacteria that are harmful to the fetus. There is Listeria monocytogenes in cooked meat, raw milk and cheese; Toxoplasma gondii in undercooked meat and unwashed vegetables. Certain hygienic measures can significantly reduce the risk of infection: wash your hands before and after cooking; use detergent to clean the refrigerator weekly; wash all kitchen utensils (knives, tabletops) with bleach after cutting raw foods; wash raw vegetables carefully, while taking care to cook meat foods; heat leftovers thoroughly; keep uncooked vegetables, meat and prepared dishes separate in the refrigerator. In fact, spinach does not contain much iron, but a lot of oxalic acid. Oxalic acid can affect the absorption of zinc and calcium. The amount of calcium and zinc in a pregnant woman’s body decreases, affecting the growth and development of the fetus. Chocolate and hawthorn Chocolate and hawthorn too much chocolate will make pregnant women feel full, thus affecting the appetite, the result is a fat body, but the lack of essential nutrients. Pregnant women prefer to eat sour things, so hawthorn becomes the fruit of choice. Hawthorn has a stimulating effect on the uterus, pregnant women can over-eat the uterus contraction, resulting in the possibility of miscarriage, so it should be eaten sparingly. Pork liver Finland and the United States have given advice to pregnant women should eat less pork liver. Because in the modern feed for the rapid fattening of livestock, too much fattening agent is added, which has a high vitamin A content, resulting in a large accumulation of it in the animal’s liver. Pregnant women over-eating pig liver, a large amount of vitamin A will easily enter the body, the fetal development is very harmful, and even teratogenic. Potatoes that have been stored for a long time contain alkaloids, and the longer the potatoes are stored, the higher the alkaloid content. Excessive consumption of such potatoes can affect the normal development of the fetus and lead to fetal malformations. Of course, people are very different and not everyone will have abnormalities after eating them, but it is better for pregnant women not to eat them, especially not to eat long-term storage of potatoes. Hot ingredients pregnant women eat hot ingredients: cumin, star anise, pepper, pepper, cinnamon, five spice powder, etc., easy to consume intestinal water, so that the gastrointestinal secretion is reduced, resulting in intestinal dryness, constipation. After the occurrence of constipation, pregnant women are bound to force to hold their breath to relieve the stool, so that the increase in abdominal pressure, pressure on the fetus in the womb, easy to cause fetal unrest, premature birth and other adverse consequences. MSG The main component of MSG is monosodium glutamate, which is excreted in the urine after the zinc in the blood is combined with it, so excessive intake of MSG will consume a lot of zinc and lead to zinc deficiency in pregnant women. Zinc is essential for fetal growth and development, so pregnant women should eat less. Canned foods Canned foods are made with a certain amount of additives, such as synthetic colors, flavors and preservatives. Although these additives do not have a significant impact on the health of adults, but pregnant women eat too much is not good for health. In addition, the nutritional value of canned food is not high, after high-temperature processing, the vitamins and other nutrients in the food have been damaged to some extent.