29 Dec Should I watch my diet this Christmas if I am pregnant?

By Reproclinic Editorial Committee

Celebrations and family gatherings are coming up, where meetings around the table are frequent. These are dates when meals are usually much heavier and more abundant and where it is normal to drink a little more alcohol to toast the new year that is approaching, but where we often do not realise that these excesses can be harmful to our health…and more so, in the case of pregnant women.

During 40 weeks, the feeding is key for the correct development of the baby, so even more in these dates a little control and some limitations are recommended.

Below, we leave you with some special recommendations for this Christmas.

Moderate your diet:

• We should avoid excess sugars and saturated fats typical of meals at this time of year.
• It is important to eat 5 meals a day and maintain a correct and balanced diet.

Choose the foods you are going to eat carefully

• Olive oil provides fatty acids and antioxidants and helps prevent gestational diabetes and intestinal disorders. It also provides nutrients for the correct formation of the foetus.
• Include nuts in your diet. They provide the body with minerals such as calcium or magnesium, as well as vitamin E. It is advisable not to overdo it, because of its high cholesterol levels.
• Try to drink 1.5 litres of water a day. It is very important for good cardiovascular and kidney function, and helps prevent problems such as hypertension or urinary tract infections.
• Legumes are a global food because of their contribution of carbohydrates so they are the best choice for your starters.
• Including oily fish in your diet provides high levels of omega-3 fatty acids and is an excellent natural source of vitamin D and calcium.

In addition, there are a number of foods that, due to their composition, are not recommended for consumption during the Christmas season:

• Dairy products derived from unpasteurised milk should be avoided, as well as pâté, as they can be a source of Listeria infection.
• If you are going to consume meat products, it is better that they have been previously frozen or that they are very cooked.
• It is also advisable to avoid raw foods in general (raw eggs, uncooked products such as smoked, marinated, sausages…)
• Of course, and most importantly, the consumption of alcohol is prohibited because of its effect on foetal development, regardless of the dates in which we are.