15.07.2024

Nutrition during pregnancy: these foods will do you a favour and foods you should avoid

Food during pregnancy is crucial and influences not only the expectant mother's health but also the unborn child's development. Which nutrients are essential now? Which foods should you avoid? And which myths about eating during pregnancy are just simply that: myths?

(by Farnaz Ghaffari und Melissa Pfyl, JIVITA)

To what extent does one's diet change during pregnancy?

Both pregnant and non-pregnant women basically follow the same dietary recommendations, because a balanced diet that is appropriate for your type is important at every stage of life. It is important to nourish one's body without burdening it with heavy or unsuitable foods. Choose cooked, fresh, warm and high-quality food.

The energy requirement increases slightly from the 4th month of pregnancy. Here, an additional calorie intake of around 250 calories is expected. Pregnant women therefore do not need twice as much food as before pregnancy. From the 7th month of pregnancy, the additional energy requirement increases to 500 kcal per day.

Needing certain vitamins and minerals increases

Folic acid is important for haematopoiesis and the nervous system. An undersupply can lead to a neural tube defect (e.g. an open spine) in the unborn child. We recommend that women supplement with folic acid tablets before planning a family. The recommended amount is 400 micrograms daily until at least the end of the 12th week of pregnancy. It is also advisable to supplement the diet with foods containing folic acid, e.g. lentils, cabbage, wholemeal products, tomatoes, green leafy vegetables and oranges.
Vitamin D is important for bone formation. Our requirements cannot be covered by our diet. Supplementation should be ensured not only in winter but for pregnant women during the entire pregnancy. The individual dosage should be discussed with a specialist.
Iron is important for haematopoiesis. Animal products such as meat, chicken and eggs are particularly rich in iron, as are foods such as pulses, nuts and wholemeal products. Absorption can be increased by eating foods containing vitamin C such as citrus fruits, chilli peppers, tomatoes, kiwi fruit, berries and broccoli at the same time. Drinks such as coffee, coke, black tea or red wine have the opposite, inhibiting effect.

Magnesium is important for bone formation and muscle contraction. The need for magnesium is only slightly increased during pregnancy. Good sources of magnesium are oatmeal, bananas, milk, potatoes and lentils.
Iodine is important for the production of thyroid hormones. Due to the increased excretion of iodine and the removal of iodine from the mother's blood by the foetus, the requirement is increased during pregnancy. Foods containing iodine include fish, seafood, dairy products, eggs and iodised table salt for seasoning.
Omega-3 fatty acids are important for brain development and are found in fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, anchovies and mackerel, as well as in walnuts and rapeseed and linseed oil. Pregnant women should consume at least 300 milligrams a day in the form of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), of which at least 200 milligrams should be DHA.

Which foods and nutrients are good for the baby's health?

When choosing food, you should generally pay attention to the best quality: fresh, organic, Demeter, as seasonal and regional as possible. The vitamins and minerals mentioned above are important, as are fruits (sultanas, dates, figs, pomegranates, grapes, peaches, strawberries, bananas), vegetables (fennel, cauliflower, cucumbers, potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, beetroot, sweet potatoes, courgettes), Cereals (rice, maize, millet, oats), pulses (chickpeas, mung beans, lentils), nuts (cashew nuts, almonds), oils and fats (ghee, olive oil, peanut oil), spices (fennel seeds, ginger in small quantities, turmeric, saffron, cinnamon) as well as cow's milk, few eggs and fortifying broths.

What's good for you now

Fruits

Sultanas
Dates
Figs
Pomegranates
Grapes
Peaches
Strawberries
Bananas

Vegetables

Fennel
Cauliflower
Cucumbers
Potatoes
Pumpkin
Carrots
Beetroot
Sweet potatoes
Courgettes

Cereals

Rice
Maize
Millet
Oats

Pulses

Chickpeas
Mung beans
Lentils

Nuts

Cashew nuts
Almonds

Oils and fats

Ghee
Olive oil
Peanut oil

Spices

Fennel seeds
Ginger in small quantities
Turmeric
Saffron
Cinnamon

Other

Organic, Demeter
As seasonal and regional as possible
Cow's milk
Few eggs
Fortifying broths

How much weight should you gain during pregnancy? Is there such a thing as «not enough» or «too much»?

Ayurveda recommends filling the stomach with food only ⅔ of the time to ensure good digestion and avoid overeating. With a balanced diet, cravings should also be limited. Regular exercise in the fresh air is of course also recommended during pregnancy. If a pregnant woman takes these factors into account and (continues to) integrate them into her life, there is little risk of gaining too little or too much weight.

How does nutrition change during different stages/trimesters of pregnancy?

From the 13th week of pregnancy there is a slightly increased need for protein and energy, which increases again from the 28th week of pregnancy. In each month of pregnancy there is a new stage of development with regard to the structural development of the embryo. In the third and fourth month of pregnancy, for example, muscles and fat are formed in the unborn child from an Ayurvedic point of view, so Ayurveda recommends paying particular attention to milk, ghee, honey, butter, rice and yoghurt during this time. These are all nourishing, powerful and restorative foods.

Complementary medicine at Privatklinik Bethanien

With its holistic, integrative approach, the complementary medicine centre JIVITA in the Privatklinik Bethanien combines conventional medicine with complementary medicine.

Complementary medicine is particularly suitable for the treatment of regulation disorders and chronic degenerative diseases. It is especially effective in the treatment of symptoms such as migraine, back pain, insomnia, osteoarthritis, pregnancy and birth pain, and cessation of smoking.

Are nutritional supplements recommended during pregnancy?

Supplementation of vitamins and minerals is almost always recommended during pregnancy, as most pregnant women cannot guarantee a balanced diet throughout their entire pregnancy. Multivitamin-mineral preparations that are specially dosed for pregnancy are suitable for this purpose. Specific examples and recommendations are listed in the first question.

Which foods should be avoided?

Alcohol should generally be avoided, as should acidic foods and drinks such as coffee or drinks containing quinine such as bitter lemon or tonic water. Also fatty, heavy, spicy, raw and cold foods as well as ready-made products. Due to the bacteria, we recommend avoiding raw milk and pasteurised products (e.g. Feta, Brie, Cambozola, Appenzeller, Tilsiter, Edam, Lucerne cream cheese), as well as blue cheese such as Gorgonzola, during pregnancy. When it comes to meat and fish products, it is important to avoid raw products (tartare, carpaccio, medium or rare steak, raw sausage, sushi), smoked fish and game. Raw eggs (e.g. in a tiramisu) are also not recommended. Ayurveda generally advises against combining fruit and cow's milk products.

Any secret tips against morning sickness?

For morning sickness, we recommend drinking warm, not too spicy ginger water or eating rusks, crackers, crispbread, rice cakes or a piece of bread. We also recommend focussing on fresh, warm, cooked and light foods, possibly in smaller quantities. Other valuable tips include chewing fennel seeds and consuming enough magnesium.

Which well-known pregnancy myth about nutrition is false?

Pregnant women should not eat twice as much, but twice as well. Even a little alcohol can cause developmental problems in newborn babies, so it is essential to avoid alcohol throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding. Another myth is the assumption that avoiding certain potential allergens such as nuts or fish can prevent allergies in the child. Salad and raw vegetables are crunchy and fresh, obviously, but also cold and raw, which makes them difficult to digest and can cause additional bloating, flatulence and constipation in pregnant women.

Pregnancy myths: truth or lie?

Giving birth is one of life's most astounding experiences. However, as with every little miracle, there are numerous rumours and old wives' tales about pregnancy. Some pregnancy myths make us smile, whilst others worry us. We get to the bottom of the most popular claims.

Our experts

Farnaz Ghaffari

«As a nutritionist and nutritional counsellor, I help people to change their diet at all stages of life and in the case of illnesses such as cancer, malnutrition, food intolerances, weight loss, endometriosis and the menopause. During pregnancy, our eating habits not only have a major impact on our own health, but also on the development of our child. It is important to me to support and accompany women during pregnancy.»

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Melissa Pfyl

«As a midwife and Ayurveda practitioner, my heart beats for gynaecology and obstetrics. I support women in their desire to have children, pregnancy, preparation for labour, postpartum and breastfeeding and take a holistic view of these special phases of life on all levels. Nutrition is an important component, which I view from the perspective of Ayurveda. I work both on our outpatient premises and in an inpatient setting in various hospitals in the Zurich area.»

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JIVITA is a young Swiss company specialising in integrative medicine and health prevention. With holistic and caring offers, including at the Privatklinik Bethanien and family ward Bethanien as well as on digital channels, patients are supported in the areas of women's health, stress & burnout, orthopaedics & exercise and oncology.

The offer for mums supports and strengthens (expectant) mothers who wish to have children, during pregnancy, in the postnatal period and during recovery. The services include Ayurvedic massages, gentle cures, breathing therapy, meditation, yoga and Pilates, nutritional counselling or baby handling and baby shiatsu.

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