Fruits and vegetables in your diet during pregnancy

Posted on April 17, 2014 by john in Pregnancy

Why are they so important fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are loaded with essential nutrients and fiber, and are an essential part of any healthy diet. So should appear in abundance in your kitchen during pregnancy.

Eat a slice of melon or a few strawberries as a snack or snack and you ‘ll be giving your baby and vitamins important for growth while you stay healthy minerals. Enjoy them with some protein like yogurt or cottage cheese, and you have instant power for the entire afternoon.

Among the essential vitamins that come from this food group are beta-carotene, which your baby needs for the development of cells and tissues, vision and immune system ; vitamin C, crucial for healthy bones and teeth of your child as well as the manufacture of collagen in your connective tissues ; potassium, which helps control blood pressure ; and folic acid, which helps prevent neural tube defects and helps the baby to have a healthy birth weight.

The fiber in fruits and vegetables also bring a number of benefits to the body, including the proper functioning of the intestines. This helps prevent constipation and hemorrhoids, which are two common complaints during pregnancy.
How should eat
Whenever possible, try to eat 2 cups of fruit and 2 1/ 2 to 3 cups of vegetables a day. Here are some examples of what counts as a cup :

1 cup raw or cooked vegetables
2 cups raw salad leaves ( or 1 cup of salad leaves with 1/ 2 cup of other vegetables)
1 cup raw, canned or frozen
2 medium or 1 large banana bananas
1/2 cup dried fruit
1 medium to large fruit (1 large orange, 1 medium pear or grapefruit 2 large plums, 1/2 large apple )
Juice 1 cup containing 100 percent of fruit or vegetables, or a mixture thereof

To get the most out of fruits and vegetables, including many green leafy vegetables, and looking for all varieties of colors, making sure to include dark green (kale, spinach, broccoli ), deep yellow ( or chile pepper, some pumpkins, peach ), orange ( pumpkin, papaya, cantaloupe ), purple ( cabbage and onion, grapes, plums, cherries, blueberries ) and red ( strawberries, raspberries, peppers, tomatoes). Try also include vegetables in your two or three times a week menu. Nothing like fresh fruits and vegetables, but it’s okay to consume frozen or even canned varieties (avoiding, however, very sugary fruit juices). And try to go beyond bananas, apples and oranges. Here are some other possibilities filled with flavor and vitamins.
Great choices of fruits:

apricots (apricots )
blueberries
cantaloupe
cherries and sour cherries
pomelo ( grapefruit ) or grapefruit juice
grapes
guavas
kiwi
mango
papaya
pear
khaki
pineapple (pineapple )
raspberries and blackberries
strawberries
tangerines
watermelon

Great choices of vegetables:

asparagus
avocado
beet
peppers ( chilies )
broccoli
endive or escarole
or fresh peas in pods (peas )
dark green leafy vegetables ( kale, spinach, chard )
parsley
pumpkin
sweet potato ( sweet potato or yam )
tomato

Simple ways to include more fruits and vegetables in your diet

Always have fruit and vegetables washed and ready to eat, so it’s easy to grab a handful as a snack.
Prepare several different dishes that include vegetables, such as stir-fries, omelets and salads (and a fruit salad ).
Broil or grill vegetables on the handle to accentuate their flavor.
Prepare a larger amount of vegetables you are going to serve as a companion and use it as a salad the next day. (Kitchen steamed broccoli, served half as guest for dinner, and eat the other half as a salad the next day. )
Prepare a low-fat dressing to serve with fruit and vegetables, or just mójalas natural yogurt.
Add a special touch to your salad by adding some thinly sliced ​​fruit (apples, pears, oranges, mangoes, strawberries and grapes are very rich ).
Use herbs and spices to enhance the flavor of the vegetables.
Save fruit in sight in the refrigerator, not the background or behind other foods.
Make your fresh fruits breakfast cereal.
Prepare shakes or smoothies with yogurt, fruit juice and fresh or frozen (strawberries, bananas, blueberries, papaya, mango ) fruit.
Be adventurous. Try a new vegetable each time you go to the supermarket.