Pregnant women's daily diet calories are 30 kcal per kilogram

How many calories does a pregnant woman need in a day?

Because each expectant mother has a different physique and different calorie needs, nutritionist Wu Wanzhen pointed out that for expectant mothers with a BMI value within the normal range, the daily calorie requirement is about 30 calories per kilogram (that is, if the expectant mother weighs 50 kilograms, the daily calorie requirement is about 1,500 calories). In the first stage of pregnancy, the fetus's demand for nutrients is not too much, so the expectant mother does not need to increase her food intake, and her eating habits can be the same as before pregnancy. However, in the middle and late stages of pregnancy, in addition to the basic calories that should be consumed every day, it is recommended that the expectant mother consume an additional 300 calories and increase protein intake by 6 to 12 grams. This is because the fetus's organs are developing at this time, and the expectant mother's metabolic rate will also become faster. Only with sufficient calories can it be beneficial to mother-child activities. However, if the expectant mother is not very active, she does not necessarily have to consume 300 calories more than the basic calories every day. As long as the fetus is in good health, she can adjust the food portions of the three meals according to the situation to avoid calories not being consumed.

How to focus on quality rather than quantity during pregnancy?

Nutritionist Wu Wanzhen said that the nutritional focus of expectant mothers is not actually on calorie intake. In addition, the diet in the early stages of pregnancy is not much different from that before pregnancy, so it is most important to choose the right food and supplement various nutrients.

For expectant mothers in the first stage of pregnancy, folic acid is the biggest helper, because folic acid can promote the fetal brain nerve development and DNA synthesis, so the focus of the expectant mother's nutritional intake at this time is an appropriate amount of green vegetables and an appropriate amount of offal food.

In the second stage of pregnancy, the fetus's organs and bones will begin to develop, so the demand for protein and calcium during this period is higher. Foods such as red meat, whole grains, milk, eggs and B vitamins can provide good nutrients, especially B vitamins can help the fetus produce blood, and calcium can prevent expectant mothers from cramps, which is beneficial to both the mother and the fetus.

As for the third stage of pregnancy, expectant mothers can take more DHA, such as deep-sea fish oil supplements, which will be of great help to the brain development of the fetus.

In addition, the amount of iron stored in babies from zero to six months old is mostly determined by the mother's iron intake during pregnancy. In addition, more blood will be lost during childbirth, so at this time, they also need to eat foods rich in iron, such as dark green vegetables, offal and fruits. It is also recommended that expectant mothers can also take appropriate amounts of iron supplements under the doctor's advice to achieve the effect of nutritional supplements, and provide sufficient iron for the baby during breastfeeding in the future.

However, some fruits and vegetables will lose nutrients to a certain extent during cooking. If you want to take in the amount required by the human body, it is easy to eat too much and increase unnecessary calorie absorption. Therefore, it is a good idea for expectant mothers to use healthy food supplements and eat them in combination.

For more exciting content, please visit the Mama Baby Pregnancy Life Network