by Kelly Szymanski

Created on: May 16, 2009   Last Updated: June 15, 2009

Even though well meaning relatives may encourage you to "eat for two," please don't. In fact, you really only need to add about 300 calories every day to your pre-pregnancy diet.

However, there are other nutritional considerations to having a healthy pregnancy and delivering a healthy baby. As your baby continues to grow and develop, it will place additional nutritional demands on your body. If these demands are not met by a healthy diet, your body will quite naturally use its own stores in an attempt to meet them, leaving you in a nutritional deficit.

That said, eating a healthy, balanced diet during pregnancy need not be difficult. Each day you should...

1. Aim for 6 to 11 servings of complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates include whole grain breads, cereals and pastas, vegetables, beans and legumes.

2. Have 2 to 4 servings of fruit. Be sure that at least one of these servings is a good source of vitamin C. Cantaloupe, kiwi, oranges, grapefruit, papaya, strawberries and watermelon are all good choices.

3. Eat or drink 4 servings of calcium rich foods or beverages. Try skim milk and calcium fortified orange juice. Indulge in low-fat cheeses and yogurts. Eat your green leafy vegetables, almonds and beans.

4. Eat red meat. The iron in red meat is more readily absorbed by the human body than is the iron from plant sources. Vitamin C can aid in the absorption process, so have a vitamin C rich vegetable with your meat. Excellent options are broccoli, tomatoes, and cabbage and mustard greens.

5. Eat at least one good source of folic acid. Folic acid is necessary to red blood cell formation and even more importantly, is critical to prevent neural tube defects, like spina bifida, in a developing baby. Dark green leafy vegetables, beans, legumes, veal, papaya and asparagus are all good sources of folic acid.

6. Eat your orange fruits and vegetables to maintain an adequate level of vitamin A. Sweet potatoes, carrots, winter squash, apricots and cantaloupe are good. Some green leafy vegetables are good, too: spinach, turnip greens or beet greens. Just be careful: excessive amounts vitamin A (more than 10,000 IU/day) has been associated with fetal malformations, primarily cleft palate.

7. Enjoy foods high in fiber. Whole grain breads, pastas and cereals, vegetables, and fresh fruit can help avoid constipation and hemorrhoids that are common with increased iron intake.

Along with many wonderful foods you can and should enjoy during your pregnancy, there are a few that you should not.

1. Alcohol. It has been shown to cause premature delivery, low birth weight, and birth defects.

2. Swordfish, mackerel and shark. All have been shown to have levels of mercury that are too high to be considered safe during pregnancy.

3. Products that contain saccharin. Other low/no calories, like products containing aspartame (Nutrasweet and Equal) and Splenda are all considered safe when used in moderation.

4. Limit your caffeine consumption to 300 mg/day. Though human research is inconclusive, animal research suggests that it may increase the risk of miscarriage. It has been documented that it interferes with the absorption of both calcium and iron.

5. Avoid raw or undercooked meat, fish and eggs. They can harbor harmful bacteria that can make both you and your baby sick.

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