One of the best changes you can make to your diet during pregnancy is eradicate processed foods from your diet, switching to all-natural, whole and unprocessed foods. Processed foods is a category which encompasses almost any prepackaged food item you can come up with, from fast food to deli sandwiches, and even foods like crackers, cookies, and potato crisps.
The average woman should limit her weight gain throughout pregnancy to between 20 and 30 pounds. Avoiding certain foods can help you maintain an acceptable weight gain without putting on too much. But avoiding processed foods has some additional advantages.
Why Avoiding Processed Foods Is Important
Aside from weight management, avoiding processed items can aid in eliminating–or at least minimizing–several common pregnancy concerns. For example, if you are prone to water retention, you need to know that processed items contain fillers, sodium, and preservatives that aggravate the condition.
If you feel hungry all the time, switching prepackaged foods with a source of organic lean protein (such as a handful of raw nuts) can make the difference between hunger and a sense of fullness.
Finally, if you experience constipation issues throughout the next nine months, eliminating processed foods from your diet plan can ease this problem. Processed foods are dangerously low in fiber, and a high fiber diet is necessary for treating constipation.
Making the Switch
You can make the switch from processed foods to natural, whole foods gradually if you discover the switch difficult. For instance, instead of eating lunch meat when pregnant, you could opt for a lean piece of organic beef or chicken.
Seafood is not completely off limits from your diet during pregnancy, as long as you check the mercury content and limit your portions. Therefore, using this example, you could choose a wild caught salmon fillet instead of a deli sandwich. Make these changes as you see fit–every step toward a whole and natural diet is a step in the right direction!
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