Eating Well for Mums

Trying for a Baby

When you're trying for a baby, as at other times, you should try to eat a healthy and varied diet.

This means trying to eat a variety of foods including:

** plenty of fruit and vegetables (fresh, frozen, tinned, dried or a glass of juice). Aim for at least five portions a day
** plenty of starchy foods such as bread, pasta, rice and potatoes - try to choose wholegrain options
** protein such as lean meat and chicken, fish, eggs and pulses (beans and lentils). These foods will also supply you with iron (see below)
** try to eat fish at least twice a week including some oily fish. But don't have more than two portions of oily fish a week. This includes fresh tuna (not canned tuna, which does not count as oily fish), mackerel, sardines and trout
** dairy foods such as milk, cheese and yoghurt, which contain calcium

You should cut down on foods containing fat and sugar such as cakes and biscuits. This will help you to keep your weight under control.

Healthier snacks you might want to choose include sandwiches or pitta bread filled with chicken, cottage cheese or lean ham; low-fat yoghurts; vegetable and bean soups or fruit including fresh, canned in juice or dried fruit such as raisins or apricots.

Pregnant women can become deficient in iron so make sure you have plenty of iron-rich foods to build up your iron stores. Have some food or drink containing vitamin C, such as fruit or vegetables, or a glass of fruit juice, with any iron-rich meals because this might help your body absorb the iron.

Good sources of iron:
** red meat
** pulses
** dried fruit
** bread
** green vegetables
** fortified breakfast cereals

For more information regarding what to eat and what to avoid eating before pregnancy, please visit EatWell.gov.uk, the Food Standard Agency's web site.

When you're Pregnant

During pregnancy you need to make sure that your diet is providing you with enough energy and nutrients for the baby to grow and develop, and for your body to deal with the changes taking place.

What to Eat

It's important to try to eat a variety of foods including:

** plenty of fruit and vegetables (fresh, frozen, tinned, dried or a glass of juice). Aim for at least five portions of a variety each day
** plenty of starchy foods such as bread, pasta, rice and potatoes - try to choose wholegrain options
** foods rich in protein such as lean meat and chicken, fish (aim for at least two servings of fish a week, including one of oily fish), eggs and pulses (such as beans and lentils). These foods are also good sources of iron (see 'Do I need extra iron?' below)
** plenty of fibre. This helps prevent constipation and is found in wholegrain bread, pasta, rice, pulses and fruit and vegetables
** dairy foods such as milk, cheese and yoghurt, which contain calcium

It's also a good idea to cut down on foods such as cakes and biscuits, because these are high in fat and sugar. This can also help you to avoid putting on too much weight during pregnancy.

Healthy snacks to have instead include malt loaf; currant buns without icing; sandwiches or pitta bread filled with cottage cheese, chicken or lean ham; low-fat yoghurts; vegetable and bean soups; and fruit including fresh, tinned in juice or dried fruit such as raisins or apricots.

For more information regarding what to eat and what to avoid eating during pregnancy, please visit EatWell.gov.uk, the Food Standard Agency's web site.

Eating Well for Women

What to eat

A healthy balanced diet contains a variety of foods including plenty of fruit and vegetables, plenty of starchy foods such as wholegrain bread, pasta and rice, some protein-rich foods such as meat, fish, eggs and lentils and some milk and dairy foods. It should also be low in fat, salt and sugar.

Try to follow these tips:

** Eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day.
** Eat more starchy foods such as pasta, rice, cereals and pulses (such as beans, peas and lentils). These should make up about a third of your diet.
** Try to eat fish at least twice a week. If you might have a baby one day, you should eat no more than two portions of oily fish a week, this includes fish such as mackerel, sardines and trout. Otherwise you can eat up to four portions of oily fish a week.
** Grill, bake, poach, boil, steam or microwave instead of frying or roasting. Or you could try 'dry roasting' without adding any fat.
** Cut down on food that is high in saturated fat Choose lower fat options such as semi-skimmed milk or reduced-fat cheese. You should also choose lean meat, and trim off the fat and any skin.
** Reduce the sugar in your diet.
** Don't add salt to your food when cooking and at the table and be more aware of the salt content of pre-prepared foods.
** You can drink up to two to three units of alcohol (equivalent to three small glasses of wine) a day without significant risk to your health.
** Try to drink at least 6-8 cups of water a day or more if you exercise.

How much we should be eating changes over the years.

During teenage years the body is still growing and combined with the active lifestyle of a teenager means we need to take in enough to meet our energy needs.

But at the end of the teenage years, on average, energy requirements are likely to be less and start to decline as we age. Eating more than our body needs will obviously lead to gaining weight.

Before the menopause, when a woman gains weight she is likely to carry the excess weight in the hip and thigh area which is referred to as a 'pear shape'.

Then following the menopause women tend to gain weight in and around the abdominal area (central obesity) commonly referred to as an 'apple' shape.

Carrying excess weight in this area increases your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes and breast and endometrial cancer.

Severe obesity can cause bone joint problems, as carrying the excess weight can place immense strain on joints such as the knees.

Throughout your life you should adjust your overall intake of food according to how physically active you are.

But although you may have to adjust your overall intake of food, it is always important to ensure that your diet remains balanced right throughout life.

This means eating a wide variety of foods and ensuring you eat a balance of carbohydrates, protein, fat, fibre and vitamins and minerals.

African-Caribbean and Asian women (Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi) appear to have an increased risk of developing diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure and this may be related to a tendency to carry any excess weight in the stomach area.

For more information regarding what to eat and what to avoid eating in general for women, please visit EatWell.gov.uk, the Food Standard Agency's web site.