Originally published July 21 2005
Cravings common in pregnant women make good nutrition a challenge
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
A pregnant woman may find herself craving pickles and ice cream, but her body needs nutritious foods, says registered nurse and author Ann Keppler in a Modern Mom article, but it needn't be too much of a challenge if mothers just remember to stay in the outer aisle of grocery stores, where the whole foods are.
Crazy food cravings are a common experience among pregnant women, but having a well nourished baby means more than eating pickles and ice cream in those pre-birth months.
Eating right need not be so difficult, though, says Keppler, who counsels expectant mothers and those with young children about nutrition and feeding problems.
"The best foods are whole foods, so a simple rule to remember is to shop in the outside aisles in the grocery store."
That's because the perimeter of the store is where fresh fruits and vegetables, meat and dairy products can be found, and when it comes to produce, think color.
"You should choose the most colorful vegetables you can find because they have the highest vitamin content," Keppler explains.
For instance, "pink grapefruit is 50 times higher in vitamin A than white grapefruit, and did you know that sweet potatoes have far more nutrition than russet potatoes?"
Foods that are especially important for pregnant women are: - Iron-rich foods: red meats (beef, pork), dark meats (turkey, chicken), and egg yolks - Foods with some iron: prunes, beans, lentils, almonds, walnuts, dark green vegetables or blackstrap molasses - A small amount of fat for cooking or adding flavor; oil (olive, canola or vegetable) or butter.
When you are in a fast food restaurant, choose broiled meats instead of the breaded and fried ones, and ask for your salad dressing on the side.
And it's OK to have a diet Coke or Pepsi now and then, but not more than once or twice a day."
As for the ever-popular pizza, it is "not a terrible food either.
Caffeine is found not only in coffee and caffeinated teas, but also in soft drinks, chocolate, and over-the-counter headache and cold remedies.
All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. NaturalNews.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit www.NaturalNews.com/terms.shtml