Whole Grains in Pregnancy
During pregnancy there are many factors making it difficult to eat. Morning sickness, food aversions, indigestion, compressed stomach size and heartburn combine to create a pregnancy eating pattern of many very small meals. This is because the mother's calorie needs are still the same as before pregnancy, but she cannot eat as much food in one sitting. No wonder many pregnant women feel like they are always eating - they have to or they would not get enough calories. Because it can be difficult to eat enough during pregnancy, you need to make every calorie as nutrient packed as possible. Whole grains can help you do this.
A grain is a seed, and as such is one of the most nutrient packed foods you can eat. Everything a baby plant needs to survive until it can feed off the land is provided in a whole grain. Whole grains are rich in nutrients including protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, fiber and unsaturated fat. Just about everything you and your baby need for a healthy pregnancy diet can be found in whole grains. In addition, because the whole grain is covered by bran, it not only nourishes your body but helps keep your digestive system working well which is a big plus during pregnancy.
Refined grains have had the nutrient rich germ and fiber rich bran layers removed to improve shelf life and to give foods a lighter texture - not to improve nutrition. Because so much of the value of the food is gone when it is refined, the grains will be enriched to replace a few of the lost nutrients, but most of them are not restored. Because of this, some people refer to the cereals made from refined grains as "high calorie vitamins." But unlike a vitamin, the refined grain takes more energy to process than it releases, meaning it can drain your nutrient reserves to eat refined grains. This will be especially harmful during pregnancy, when every spare nutrient is needed to help build your baby.
Whole grains are relatively easy to cook, although some may take more time than you have to spend on busy days. Oatmeal can be ready as part of a meal or snack in under 10 minutes. Barley can be ready as a side dish in under 20 minutes if you use the pre-cut "quick" barleys. You will find specific recipes for these and other grains in the Pregnancy Cookbook. Many food manufacturers are recognizing the demand for whole grain foods, which makes it easier to include whole grains in your diet. Breads, cereals and pastas can now be purchased in whole grain varieties.
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