A healthy and balanced diet is of great importance in women who are pregnant, so the famous "goodies or snacks" that can lead to obesity, should be replaced by the nutritional recommendations of your obstetrician. This is to avoid complications that may endanger your life and your baby.

Pregnancy is a stage that is associated with a number of important anatomical and functional changes, which include the increased requirements of some nutrients that are important for the proper development of your baby.

Therefore, it is very important to take preventive measures to ensure the best possible health for you and your baby. So, one of the most important considerations is to have a healthy pregnancy diet.

It is important to meet the nutritional requirements recommended during pregnancy, since the specific deficiency of certain elements can cause major complications to your pregnancy.

Some nutrients of vital importance during pregnancy are:

FOLIC ACID

Folic acid deficiency, for example, is associated significantly with certain birth defects in your baby, so it is of vital importance to increase its consumption, even before starting the pregnancy. The recommended intake must be increased to 147% to prevent the defects associated with deficiency.

VITAMINS C and B12

During pregnancy the levels of vitamins C and B12 decrease gradually. That is why the recommended intake of these vitamins must be increased by 67 and 40% respectively.

IRON

Iron deficiency is a major cause of anemia that can occur during pregnancy.

Healthy Food Choices:

Tell yourself that making smart eating choices is non-negotiable. You have to eat healthy food. End of discussion!

There are some foods where you can find the nutrients needed for your pregnancy and are important for maintaining a balanced diet. These foods are based on vegetables, fruits, legumes, grains, protein (milk, fresh cheese, red meat-preferably fat-free as chicken and fish), and reduce the intake of sugars and fats.

The deficiency of vital foods during pregnancy may have important consequences, either because of the loss of nutrients, or because they are not consumed in the proper amount to satisfy the demand of your pregnancy.

Healthy food is essential to avoid gaining massive amounts of weight during pregnancy. If you do, you are putting your baby at risk and setting yourself up for a long road of dieting after the baby is born.

Tell yourself that you and your baby are worth it, so you have to go to the store and stock up on healthy food.

Here you have a basic guide of foods for your pregnancy:

• Fruit (2-4 servings): Remember that a serving is half cup of cut fruit, one medium fruit (like a pear or apple) or three plums.

• Cereals (6-11 servings): one serving equals one slice of bread, 150 gr. cereal or 100 gr. rice or pasta.

• Dairy (3-4 servings): A serving is a glass of milk, two yoghurts, 150 gr. of cheese or a pudding.

• Meats (2-3 servings): A serving is a fillet of beef, chicken, fish, or two eggs.

• Vegetables (3-5 servings): one cup of raw vegetables or half a cup of cooked vegetable.