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Pregnancy and Diet: The Macronutrients Maintaining a healthy diet is something that we can never emphasize enough. This is especially important when you are expectant. During pregnancy, the woman’s body will undergo numerous hormone-induced changes adapting the body for the pregnancy. With these changes, there is an increased need for essential nutrients especially the macronutrients. Macronutrients are nutrients which the body requires in large quantities and are used for energy and to maintain critical growth and function of the body. During pregnancy, increased demand for nutrients is needed; • To maintain essential function in the woman’s body. This includes respiration and digestion. • Provide energy to perform physical activity. A woman will spend more energy doing specific tasks when pregnant compared to when she was not pregnant. This increases energy demands. • To maintain steady growth for both the mother and the developing fetus. The demand for these macronutrients continually increases throughout the pregnancy period as the fetus develops. A steady supply of these macronutrients is therefore required to maintain the mother’s health and the development of a healthy baby. These essential nutrients can easily be consumed by going for a healthier diet which includes fruits, vegetables, lean meats among other foods. Expectant are advised to keep off processed junk-food which has no nutritive value. In this article, we look at some macronutrients and some foods which are a natural source of these macronutrients. Carbohydrates Carbohydrates are the body’s primary and preferred source of energy. Your preferred source of carbohydrates is also important as it determines the quality of those carbohydrates. One is advised to go for full calories instead of empty calories which include processed foods. This is because, in addition to carbohydrates, they also supply the body with fiber minerals and vitamins. During pregnancy, carbohydrate breakdown to produce energy is altered as the mother is the sole source of energy. The developing fetus utilizes an average of 6mg per kg per minute which is high compared to an adult who consumes about 2.5 mg of glucose per kg per minute. With such a high energy demand, it is important that the mother takes food with full calories. Recommended sources of carbohydrates include fruits, vegetables, and whole foods. Proteins. Proteins consist of amino acids which are the building blocks for our body cells. The recommended daily allowance for pregnant women is 75-100g of protein. Proteins are needed for the development of the placenta, growth of maternal tissues as well as the fetus especially its brain. The amount of protein taken may be determined by several factors such as age, weight or even physical activity. During pregnancy, mothers may increase protein consumption to 1g of protein per 1kg of body weight. To cover the daily 21g protein deposit in fetal and maternal tissue. Sources of protein include lean beef and port, fish, dairy products, nuts chicken, and eggs. Fats Fats are the body's secondary source of energy and are a stored form of energy. Fats also play a crucial role in the structural integrity of cells and cell organelles. Fats are therefore required in the development of maternal and fetal tissue. They are also protective paddings for vital organs protecting them from shock as well as acting as an insulator to maintain body temperature. Fats have two significant groups namely saturated fats which can be obtained from animal sources and unsaturated fats which can be found in seafood and plant-based foods. Saturated fats, when eaten in excess, have been associated with specific health risks including diabetes, obesity, and elevated blood pressure. The recommended daily allowance is 300mg per day. It is recommended that two-thirds of your daily fats should be from plant sources while a third should be from saturated sources. This alleviates the risks associated with taking excess saturated fats. While consuming saturated fats is unhealthy, taking a fat-free diet has also been associated with fatty acid deficiency. Essential fats such as omega 3 are crucial for brain function and body immunity. Sources of saturated fats include meats, dairy products, and eggs while sources of non-saturated fats include seafood, avocado, olives and nuts. Iron Iron is an essential mineral which the body uses to produce hemoglobin, the compound in red blood cells which facilitates the transport of oxygen from your lungs to different body organs. Low levels of iron lead to iron-deficiency anemia since the body is unable to make an adequate number of red blood cells thus interrupting oxygen transport within the body. Iron deficiency anemia has been associated with some birth defects. A recommended daily allowance of 27mg of protein can, however, be maintained by eating iron-rich foods such as dried fruits, eggs, citrus fruits, dark leafy vegetables and lean beef and poultry. Iron uptake may be enhanced by taking foods rich in vitamin C such as fruits alongside iron-rich foods. One should not take foods rich in calcium alongside iron-rich foods as this inhibits iron absorption. Calcium Calcium is necessary for the development of healthy bones for both the mother and the fetus. It also ensures the normal function of the nervous, circular and muscular system. Calcium also prevents high blood pressure in the mother during pregnancy. When pregnant, the recommended daily allowance should be 1000mg but should not exceed 2500mg Sources of calcium include dairy products such as milk and yogurt, almonds, salmon tofu turnip leaves and cabbage. Folic acid Folic acid also plays a unique role in the development of red blood cells. For the fetus, folic acid reduces the risk of neural tubal defects including Spina fibida. Folic acid deficiency could result in the mother developing folate deficiency anemia. With a daily recommended daily allowance of 600mg to 800mg folic acid, can be obtained naturally by consuming green leafy vegetables such as spinach and lettuce, fruits which include orange mango, strawberry tomato melon, whole grain bread and cereal as well as beans and peas. The body's nutritional requirements continuously increase throughout the pregnancy. For the mother to be able to remain healthy and promote the development of a healthy baby, she has to be able to keep up with these nutritional demands. This involves eating natural, healthy foods rich in these macronutrients.