The Whole Food Blog

Obtaining the best pregnancy nutrition today requires pregnant women to learn more about including plenty of whole foods in their diet.  Whether expecting or not, the need for a balanced diet that includes vitamins and minerals from whole foods is common sense.  This is even more significant when pregnancy nutrition is involved as a healthy diet that includes plenty of whole foods is a perfect way to help the baby develop to its full potential.

Since weight gain is always a consideration for pregnancy nutrition, it’s a good idea to know in advance how many additional calories are needed.  According to the Institute of Medicine, “Active pregnant women need about 2,500 to 2,700 calories per day during the second trimester and 2,650 to 2,850 calories per day in the third trimester. Inactive women will require fewer calories.” One way to avoid any lack of proper pregnancy nutrition is to eat the best whole foods while avoiding empty calories.  Fresh fruits and vegetables are relatively low in calories for the amount of nutrition they provide.

In addition, excellent pregnancy nutrition can be obtained from all natural whole food concentrates and supplements.  Research shows that supplements made from whole food ingredients are absorbed by the body more efficiently than those formulated with isolated vitamins and minerals.  Raw, whole foods and all natural whole food concentrates prepared at low temperatures are more likely to contain live enzymes, which can allow for more effective absorption of the nutrients into the cells.

By choosing the right whole foods as part of any pregnancy nutrition plan, both the mother and baby will have the best prospects for a healthy birth.