The healthy way to eat for two

PREGNANCY NUTRITION DOS AND DON'TS BY LISA SALMON

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YOU don’t have to be a rocket scientist to understand healthy eating is important for mothers-to-be and their unborn babies.

The British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) has just published Diet in Pregnancy, a ‘roadmap for good nutrition for parents and their babies’ which outlines the latest pregnancy nutrition academic research and recommendations. The paper highlights the key nutrients to set women up for a healthy pregnancy.

However a significant number of women don’t get all of the nutrients they need in pregnancy, says Sara Stanner, science director at the BNE.

Here, she shares some dos and don'ts of preconception and pregnancy nutrition...

1. DO EAT VITAMIN C-RICH FOODS TO BOOST IRON

Pairing plant sources of iron like lentils, beans, or spinach with foods high in vitamin C, such as bell peppers, tomatoes or citrus fruits, can boost iron absorption, says Sara, who explains: “Many people are surprised to learn that iron from plant-based sources isn’t as easily absorbed by the body as that from meat. Pairing vitamin C-rich foods with iron-rich foods is particularly important in pregnancy, when iron is needed to support the growing baby and placenta”