Why fruits and vegetables are so important:
A slice of melon or a bowl of strawberries for a snack, and provide your baby with vitamins and minerals for growth while maintaining healthy, too. Pair fruit with a little protein, like cottage cheese, and you have a constant energy boost to get through a long afternoon.
The fiber content of fruits and vegetables also offers a number of benefits, including maintaining a bowel movement. This helps to prevent constipation and hemorrhoids, two common problems during pregnancy.
How much should you eat
Packed full of essential nutrients and fiber, fruits and vegetables are an important part of any healthy diet - and must appear in abundance in your kitchen when you're pregnant.
A slice of melon or a bowl of strawberries for a snack, and provide your baby with vitamins and minerals for growth while maintaining healthy, too. Pair fruit with a little protein, like cottage cheese, and you have a constant energy boost to get through a long afternoon.
The fiber content of fruits and vegetables also offers a number of benefits, including maintaining a bowel movement. This helps to prevent constipation and hemorrhoids, two common problems during pregnancy.
Whenever possible, try to eat 2 cups of fruit and 2 1 / 2 to 3 cups of vegetables a day. This is what counts as a cup:
* 1 cup raw or cooked vegetables
* 2 cups raw leafy greens (or 1 cup of leafy greens and 1/2 cup of other vegetables)
* 1 cup raw, canned, or frozen fruit
* 2 small bananas (less than 6 inches) or 1 large (8 to 9 inches)
* 1/2 cup dried fruit
* 1 medium to large piece of fruit (1 large orange, 1 medium pear or grapefruit, 2 large plums, 1/2 large apple)
* 1 cup 100 percent fruit juice, vegetable juice, or fruit-vegetable juice.