eat breakfast foods with a high water content, such as most fruits, to help stimulate kidney and bowel function.
•Add a little agave syrup or granules to your healthy tea if you are anxious or highly-strung, as sweet flavours can alleviate anxiety and give you extra energy.
•According to Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, bitter flavours help improve memory, so if you’re struggling with “pregnesia”, drink a cup of plain rooibos tea twice a day.
•If you’re not sure about the safety of your water supply, use a home filter system or boil water before use.
•A bottle filled with water, iced rooibos tea or another healthy beverage will keep you well hydrated and comfortably cool if you sip on it during your work day.
Water is the only liquid that’s essential for humans. Of course, some herbal teas (made with water) will contribute to your enjoyment and healthy hydration levels. It’s important to know which beverages must be reduced or avoided:
✗Avoid all alcohol as there is no proven safe level.
✗Try to drink no more than one cup of coffee a day, and ensure that it is good quality coffee – very few instant coffees are good.
✗Limit herbal teas to no more than three fairly weak cups a day, as these may accumulate in your system and some are associated with discomfort or risk in pregnancy.
✗Gas cooldrinks often contain caffeine and have an unacceptably high sugar content. Artificial sweeteners in diet drinks are often harmful for you and Baby too.
✗Commercial fruit juices are often not pure fruit and may be full of unhealthy preservatives. They also contain large amounts of sugar.
✗Freshly squeezed fruit juice in moderation is healthy, but when juiced, the fruit sugars are released very quickly and may cause a sudden spike of sugar in your system. Fructose release is much slower when eating the whole fruit.
ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS IN PREGNANCY
For those who like to engage their brains more than their instincts when it comes to nutrition, the following section will be a useful guide. It is important to know that many of the most essential nutrients for pregnancy can be found in rich abundance in plant foods, though in pregnancy a good quality supplement is generally advised. These six important nutrients are abundant in plant foods:
✓Iron can be found in green vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, raisins and avocados.
✓Folic acid can be found in green vegetables, avocados, spanspek, green melons, grapefruit, naartjies, oranges, pears, strawberries, almonds, hazelnuts and sunflower seeds.
✓Calcium can be found in figs, gooseberries, avocados, dates, grapes, guavas, kiwi fruit, lemons, mangoes, melons, oranges, pawpaws, pears, prickly pears, prunes, nuts and seeds.
✓Magnesium can be found in bananas, nuts and seeds.
✓Vitamin A can be found in red, orange and green veggies and highly coloured fruits like mangoes (note that mega doses of supplemented vitamin A are not advised, but dietary inclusion is safe and essential).
✓Zinc can be found in nuts, seeds, legumes, soya and grains.
A closer look at nutrients
Many people have a deeper interest in understanding the nutritional value of the food they eat. But resist the urge to over-analyse each mouthful, because if you mostly eat healthily and include plenty of fresh produce, chances are you will have a balanced – and healthy – diet. You may, however, find it helpful to know a little more about macro- and micronutrients, as well as some important minerals in pregnancy.
Macronutrients are proteins, carbohydrates and fats. To stay well nourished, we need to eat these in the correct proportions. To help you achieve this, eat most of number 1 and least of number 8, whether pregnant or not:
1.Raw, whole fruit: Eat fruit that is seasonal and ripe; you can eat it freely, but preferably raw. Eat sweet and acidic fruits separately for optimal digestion.
2.Raw salads: Start or replace each main meal with a mixed salad to help reduce your consumption of unhealthy food and to give you a vitamin and mineral boost.
3.Vegetables: Lightly cooked or steamed ensures the best retention of nutrients.
4.Pulses, legumes and beans: Peas, lentils, chickpeas and most bean varieties supply quality protein, but check that produce has not been genetically modified.
5.Grains: These should be as unrefined as possible so that there is a slow and sustained release of food sugars (foods with a low glycaemic index), rather than unhealthy spikes, and preferably choose grains without chemical additives. You have an array of choices, including barley, millet, rye, wheat, sorghum, maize, rice and many more.
6.Meat, poultry, fish and eggs: Reduce the quantity of these in your diet, choose free-range produce without hormones and avoid processed meats containing additives.
7.Dairy products: Reduce the amount of dairy products in your diet and when you do consume them, choose those that are free of hormones, artificial sweeteners, colourants and preservatives. Milk, cheese, yoghurt, buttermilk, cream and related foods are all dairy products.
8.Fats and oils: Restrict but don’t avoid these completely – make sure you select good quality, virgin, cold-pressed oils.
Micronutrients are the vitamins and minerals our bodies need traces of to develop and function healthily. A deficiency can cause serious health problems. They are found in food in small but sufficient quantities.
Some important vitamins:
•Vitamin A: For the metabolism of essential fatty acids and a healthy digestive tract, lungs and mucous membranes (avoid large doses, which may be associated with birth defects). See Essential nutrients in pregnancy for a list of foods that contain vitamin A.
•Vitamin B2: For energy metabolism, and for growth and development of body tissues in Mom and Baby. Food sources include legumes, nuts, green vegetables, whole grains, dairy and eggs.
•Vitamin B6: For the growth of new body tissues in Mom and Baby, and to help treat nausea. Food sources include whole grains, nuts, dairy and eggs and lean meat.
•Vitamin B12: For division of blood cells and to help prevent anaemia. Food sources include organic fruit and vegetables (not washed with chemicals), lean meat and poultry, dairy and eggs.
•Folic acid: For healthy neural tube development in Baby. See Essential nutrients in pregnancy for a list of foods that contain folic acid.
Some important minerals:
•Iron: For strong body tissues, optimal oxygenation and to counter infections. See Essential nutrients in pregnancy for a list of foods that contain iron.
•Calcium: For healthy muscles, skin, bones and teeth, and the prevention of eclampsia and cardiovascular disease. See Essential nutrients in pregnancy for a list of foods that contain calcium.
•Magnesium: Works with calcium and prevents spasms. See Essential nutrients in pregnancy for a list of foods that contain magnesium.
