Pregnant moms love to eat but are afraid of getting fat. Nutritionists' low-calorie snacks come to the rescue

"Honey, I suddenly want to eat the fried chicken from ○○'s house!" Pregnant mothers often have an increased appetite and feel craving for food because of a baby in their belly. Even in the middle of the night, they will occasionally ask their loved ones to go out and buy delicious food. However, nutritionists remind pregnant mothers that if they eat without restraint, they will easily gain weight too quickly and affect the health of themselves and the fetus. It is recommended that if you want to eat snacks to satisfy your cravings, you still need to pay attention to these four principles!

One person eats, two people benefit? Be careful about losing control of your diet during pregnancy, which may harm your health

During pregnancy, women often experience an increase or change in appetite, and suddenly crave a certain food. This may be due to hormonal changes, or a natural reaction of the body to obtain the nutrients needed for pregnancy. There is no need to be overly nervous. In the past, people even thought it was a good thing, as "one person eats, two people benefit"!

However, in the view of modern medicine, eating too much during pregnancy not only makes it difficult to regain your figure after delivery, but also poses serious risks to the health of the mother and fetus. Nutritionist Cai Yixuan said that if pregnant mothers keep eating without restraint, they are likely to be at risk of obesity, and may also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and even the risk of the fetus growing too large and increasing the risk of dystocia. Therefore, diet during pregnancy still needs to be controlled!

How much weight can you gain during pregnancy?

"Proper" weight gain during pregnancy is very important for the baby's health. As for how much reasonable weight you need to gain during pregnancy? Usually there are different standards depending on the mother's BMI index before pregnancy.

Nutritionist Cai Yixuan said that in principle, if you are underweight before pregnancy (BMI

The focus of nutritional supplements in the three stages of pregnancy is different

In addition, as the fetus grows faster and faster in the mother's womb, different stages have different growth tasks, and the accompanying nutritional needs are naturally slightly different. Pregnant mothers should refer to the following principles to make appropriate adjustments:

First trimester (0 to 3 months): In addition to consuming more foods rich in folic acid (dark green vegetables, beans, whole grains) to keep your baby's nerves healthy, just pay attention to a balanced diet. There is no need to supplement any additional nutrients or calories. However, when choosing protein foods, you can increase the proportion of high-quality protein in your diet and replace red meat with soy products, fish, eggs or dairy products, which will help the body absorb and utilize them better.

Second trimester (4 to 6 months): The baby is growing rapidly during this period, so the intake of calories and calcium must be increased to provide the energy needed for the baby's rapid growth. At this time, mothers can supplement multivitamins in appropriate amounts.

The third trimester (7 months to birth): At this time, the baby's weight is increasing rapidly, allowing the body's organs to mature, so in addition to paying more attention to a balanced diet and adequate calorie intake, pregnant mothers must also not lack high-quality protein. In addition, you can consume some iron-rich dark green vegetables and red meat in moderation at this time to cope with the iron consumed during delivery and lactation.

4 principles to eat snacks safely when you can’t control your appetite during pregnancy

During the long days of pregnancy, it is inevitable that pregnant mothers will be greedy. How can they eat to satisfy their appetite while maintaining their ideal weight and not gaining weight? Nutritionist Cai Yixuan recommends that you can choose suitable snacks or desserts based on the four principles - "balanced, less processed, high fiber, and low calories", but don't forget to combine them with moderate exercise after eating to help burn off excess calories!

A good snack should contain the three major nutrients (carbohydrates, proteins and lipids) in a balanced manner, which can not only provide the energy needed by the body but also make people feel fuller. Most processed products contain too much sodium and sugar, which can easily cause edema and weight burden. Women are particularly prone to discomfort due to edema during pregnancy, so they should be avoided as much as possible.

In addition, pregnant mothers often suffer from constipation. Choosing high-fiber vegetable sticks or high-fiber whole-grain biscuits as snacks can supplement dietary fiber and help bowel movements more smoothly. Just be sure to drink enough boiled water at the same time. As for low calories, there is no need to explain much. I believe everyone knows that this is one of the necessary ways to control weight!

【Suggestions on snack pairing】

Combination 1/1 cup of soy milk + 1 bowl of fresh fruit/fresh vegetable bars + 2 fist-sized pieces of whole wheat nut bread.

Combination 2/1 cup of yogurt + 1 tablespoon of mixed nuts + 2 tablespoons of sugar-free dried fruits + high-fiber soda crackers.

Combination 3/ Boiled oatmeal with fresh milk, cocoa powder or flavored dairy products. It is simple, convenient and very filling.