“How do I have to feed myself while pregnant ?” Is the question that comes to mind as soon as you know that you are in condition and that your diet should change in the next 9 months. In this post and video by Cristina Capella , our nutritionist specialized in pregnancy , lactation and infant nutrition, we explain what foods you cannot eat and what foods we recommend you enhance during this stage:

Prohibited foods during pregnancy

It is not always easy to start a diet and put aside your habits, but when it comes to the health of the future baby, surely this “diet” will be much easier:

• Sausages or cold cuts: we must avoid sausages such as Serrano ham, Iberian ham, fuet, salami, loin, mortadella, etc. The list can be endless because there is a wide variety of sausages that change depending on the city or country you are in.
• Unpasteurized raw milk: to avoid lysterioris poisoning, it is important to avoid consuming unpasteurized milk.
• Cheeses made with fresh unpasteurized milk: as in the case of milk, it is important to check on the label that the dairy has been made with “ pasteurized milk ”.
• Raw, smoked, pickled or marinated fish : if you don’t think you can survive without eating raw fish during these months, you can eat it raw after freezing it at -20 degrees (be careful, many freezers do not reach that temperature) for a minimum of 5 days.
• Patés or meat spreads.
• Fish with mercury content : these are fish such as swordfish, tuna, shark, pike, etc. The consumption of mercury can cause neuronal damage in the fetus.
• Moderate caffeine consumption: 200mg / day max, so at most you could consume two coffees a day. We recommend that you directly substitute the coffees for decaffeinated coffee, which will give you the flavor and aroma of this drink.
• Do not consume alcohol.
• Raw egg or raw egg preparations: preparations such as homemade mayonnaise, carbonara-style sauces, homemade tiramisu, etc.

Healthy foods during pregnancy

During pregnancy there will not only be restrictions. In fact, there are many healthy foods that we recommend promoting at this stage:

• Folic Acid: Folic acid is mainly important in the first trimester of pregnancy . It is present in green leafy vegetables, legumes, fruits and nuts. Fruits must be washed very well before being eaten raw.
• Iodine : present in iodized salt , fish and shellfish, dairy.
• Healthy fats: fats present in olive oil, nuts, salmon, sardines, etc.
• Iron: we find this nutrient in foods such as legumes, fish, mollusks, eggs or red meat.
• Calcium: dairy, enriched vegetable drinks or toasted sesame.
• Fiber: fiber helps prevent constipation that can occur during this stage. Fiber is very present in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes.
• Good protein intake: do not neglect the protein intake, be it of plant origin, introducing legumes, such as those of animal origin, in the case of eggs, fish, meat or dairy products.
• Maintain good hydration: minimum 2L a day, approximately 8 glasses.

If you are looking for a dietician-nutritionist to prepare a nutritional guideline that you can follow during your pregnancy months, in this link you can make an appointment with Cristina Capella.