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While it is always important to eat a well-balanced, nutritious diet, when you are pregnant it takes on a whole new significance. You’re not only eating for your own well being now, but you’re also consuming enough food to sustain the growing fetus inside of you; what you eat will effect his or her development.

The Value of Food

Eating a variety of nutritious foods will help ensure that you consume enough calories for you and your baby. How many calories a day do you need? Well, that depends on your age and sex as well as your current height, weight and physical activity level. For the average person, the caloric intake ranges from 1,600 to 2,400 calories a day. When you’re pregnant, you will need to consume an extra 300 calories a day. That may seem like a lot but really it is the equivalent of about two extra slices of a plain cheese pizza a day. If you were underweight or overweight at the start of your pregnancy, or if you are having a multiple birth, you caloric and dietary needs will be different.

Eating a healthy diet during pregnancy has been found to significantly aid in fetal development. Good maternal health and diet has been found to decrease the risk of miscarriage and premature labor as well as minimize the baby’s risk of illnesses. In fact, a recent study done at the University of California, Berkeley found that women who ate a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and protein lowered their offspring’s risk of developing leukemia.

Variety is the Key

Unfortunately, far too often people think "boring" when they hear that they have to eat healthy. But eating well doesn’t have to mean depriving yourself of certain foods. You can still have a cookie after dinner if you want, just don’t eat the whole the bag. All foods can be a part of a healthy diet as long as you consume things in moderation.

Easy ways of consuming healthier foods is to include lots of raw or steamed fruits and vegetables in your diet. Also, choose foods that are made with whole grains and that haven’t been processed too much. In the supermarket, look for foods that are labeled as "low-fat", "fat-free" or "low calorie" and don’t forget to read the nutrition labels.

Ideally, you should try and spread out your meals. Have small meals and snacks throughout the day instead of just three big meals a day. Remember, what you eat is more important than how much you eat (although you should strive to consume the right amount of calories). Also, try to eat foods that are rich in protein, iron or calcium, all of which you and your baby need for healthy development.

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