Choose the Right Vitamins During Pregnancy
January 23rd, 2008 Posted by: admin
You need to stay well nourished for your own health and that of the child developing within. Generally, the best way to get vitamins and minerals is by eating a varied diet of whole foods, one that includes an abundance of grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, food herbs, nuts, seeds, and, if you’re not a vegetarian, dairy and lean meats.
Although the National Academy of Sciences recommends that prenatal vitamins be prescribed on an individual basis, depending on a woman’s nutritional status, routine prenatal vitamins have become the standard of care. However, no amount of vitamin pills can substitute for a healthy diet.
Vitamin A
A normal balanced diet will give you all the vitamin A that you and your baby need. Too much vitamin A may harm your developing baby. During pregnancy it is best if you:
- Don’t eat liver, or liver products. (liver may contain a lot of vitamin A due to the type of food the animals have been fed on)
- Don’t take any fish oil supplements.
Folic acid
Folic acid is necessary for DNA synthesis, and therefore critical in the development of all tissues, particularly the nervous system’s.
Vitamin B12
A good intake of vitamin B12 (or cobalamin) is particularly important during pregnancy - to make new cells (especially blood cells) and build a healthy nervous system. Vitamin B12 is found in Meat, fish, eggs milk etc.
Vitamin C
The role of Vitamin C in keeping us healthy has been somewhat contentious recently as recent research has shown that very high doses of vitamin C (greater than 500mg daily) might actually be doing us more harm than good.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is sometimes called the sunshine vitamin because we can make it under our skin when exposed to light. Calcium and vitamin D are particularly important during pregnancy as they help your baby’s bones and teeth develop.
Source: Choose the Right Vitamins During Pregnancy
