Did you know that eating poorly while you are pregnant leaves your baby less able to properly store fats later in life? According to recent research, this means that your baby will be at a higher risk of diabetes. It is very important to maintain a balanced diet during your pregnancy, not only for you, but also for your baby. Did you know you should be consuming about 300 more calories to maintain your unborn baby?

Below are some foods you should include in your diet, and foods you should avoid eating.

Foods to include:

• Fiber: Make sure to eat plenty food with fiber like cereal, whole-grain bread, pastas, rice, fruits and vegetables.
• Avocado: Did you know that avocados are loaded with folic acid, potassium, vitamin C and vitamin B6. These ingredients are all vital to forming your baby’s brain and nervous system. Spread some ripe avocado on your whole grain roll!
• Vitamin C: Bet you didn’t know you should be getting about 70mg of vitamin C on a daily basis! Grapefruit, oranges, strawberries, cauliflowers and broccoli are all good sources of vitamin C.

Foods to avoid:

• Soft cheese: Feta, Brie, Camembert, and Mexican-style cheese are often unpasteurized, which means they can easily cause bacterial disease.
• Caffeine: You should really limit the amount of caffeine you intake to no more than 300mg a day. Grocery list items with high levels of caffeine include coffee, tea and chocolate.
• Alcohol: It is extremely important to avoid drinking alcohol during your pregnancy. It seems obvious enough, but many people don’t realize that alcohol has been proven to cause premature births, low birth weights and even mental retardation.

Whether you are home or at a restaurant, think before you eat. Make sure it is healthy for you and the newest member of family.

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