What to Eat and What to avoid During Pregnancy

                    The Do's

• Eat whole enriched, whole-grain breads and cereals fortified with folic acid and iron.
• Add black beans, white beans, pinto beans, lentils, black-eyed peas, and kidney, garbonzo or soy beans to your diet. Besides providing protein and fiber, they are also good sources of key nutrients, such as iron, folate, calcium and zinc.
• Eat salmon during pregnancy. Studies show that eating fish that is low in mercury such as salmon is safe during pregnancy. Salmon is high in DHA, a nutrient the fetus needs to develop a healthy brain.
• Eat more protein. Eggs are a good source and they also contain more than a dozen vitamins and minerals, including choline, which is good for the fetal brain development. However, avoid undercooked or raw eggs.
• Eat blueberries, raspberries and blackberries, which contain plentiful amounts of vitamin C, potassium, folate, and fiber.

                 The Don'ts

• Eat white pastas and anything made with white flour as these tend to be high on the glycemic index.
• Eat farm-raised fish, which contain PCBs and unhealthy food coloring and have a low amount of omega-3scompared to wild salmon.
• Eat non-organic fruits and vegetables or anything that may have GMO ingredients. GMO ingredients have simply not been tested enough in pregnant women for us to know the effect on the fetus. Instead, eat organic foods as much as possible and read labels on anything you buy.
• Eat any canned foods and avoid drinking out of plastic bottles that are not clear. These containers contain BPA, which is an estrogen mimic and has been linked to autism attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. In one study, high consumption of canned fish during pregnancy was associated with 21 percent and 25 percent higher urinary BPA concentrations in the first and third trimester, respectively, compared to the lowest consumption group. Vital choice seafood, which took the BPA out of the cans that contain their salmon, is one exception.