“The cornerstone for healthy nutrition in the womb”

Broccoli, pickles, cheese or chocolate? What Pregnant women eat affects the child, because the mother passes through the placenta to him. “The cornerstone for a healthy diet is already laid in the mother’s womb,” explains Frank Jochum, chief physician of the clinic for paediatric and youth medicine at the Protestant Waldkrankenhaus Spandau.

“In pregnancy, up to the second year of programming processes of metabolism, which decide the future nutritional behavior of the child,” says the expert. This time you can call is also sensitive to 1000 days.

Healthy diet in pregnancy does so for two people, the mother and the child. But as she looks, is the optimal diet? “The recommendations do not differ materially from what is advised every person,” says Margret Morlo, diet assistant at the Association for nutrition and dietetics.

A little Sweet, and whole grain and herring

This means, for example:

  • Fresh meals are better than food;
  • three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit per day;
  • rather to whole grain products, because they contain many minerals, vitamins and fiber;
  • Oil prefer to use sparingly, instead of vegetable fats attack
  • and candy or snack stuff at the best only in small quantities.

Frank Jochum does not recommend a specific pregnancy diet. A few things’ll need to pay attention to mothers-to-be but especially. “It is important for the brain development of the child, unsaturated, long-chain fatty acids, which are, for example, in fish are multiple,” he says. Margret Morlo adds: “the Ideal of herring, salmon and mackerel are.” In addition, the requirement of folic acid in Pregnant women increases, in General, this will be covered by tablets.

Not much higher, the need for calories is. “Eating for two is not necessary,” said Morlo. “Only in the second third of the pregnancy, the daily amount of calories should be increased by 250 kilo-calories. In the last third to 500 calories.” Anyone who is uncertain, you can get at a nutrition consulting support.

Dangerous Food

There is actually food to the women during pregnancy completely should avoid, says Margret Morlo. To do this, raw milk cheese, raw count of animal food (meat, fish, eggs and dry sausage such as Salami or Teewurst), alcohol, pre-packaged salads and pieces of fruit as well as Smoothies from the stalls.

Also unhealthy food, which would be offered at the cheese or meat counter from open vessels, are Regina Ensenauer added. Apart from these Prohibited Frank Jochum advises especially to relaxation. “The right diet should not lead to Pregnant to uncertainties and a lot of Stress.” Who eat varied, I do a lot of things right.

So Pregnant women can take, for example, is quite a little caffeine, but not to excess. “Up to three cups of coffee per day are considered safe,” writes the Federal centre for health education (BZgA). Also, when food with the liver limits apply because of the very high Vitamin A content can cause harm to the unborn child especially in the first third of the pregnancy.

Pregnant and overweight

Be especially careful severely obese Pregnant women should be, says Regina Ensenauer, children – and youth medicine and Director of the Institute for children’s nutrition at the Max-Rubner-Institute in Karlsruhe. “Studies have shown that Obesity increases at the beginning of the pregnancy, the risk of the child later being overweight.” This can, in turn, diseases such as type 2 Diabetes or cardiovascular diseases occur.

To prevent this, recommends Ensenauer, even before pregnancy with a healthy diet to deal. “It is cheaper to start with a normal weight and a healthy metabolism in the pregnancy.”

Nevertheless, according to Ensenauer severely obese Pregnant women should not try so hard to reduce your weight. “The pregnancy is not the time. There are shortcomings in the mother and child may arise.” She advises instead to eat a balanced diet and as much movement as possible in the everyday life incorporate.