Junk Food: Nutritious Treats During Pregnancy

I came across this article that I once researched during my spring cleaning. This article is from The Ohio State University Medical Center and it said:-

Junk food has little or no food value per calorie. These foods are often too high in sugar, fat, salt or artificial ingredients. You and your baby need many nutrients to be healthy. Empty calories do not provide these nutrients, they cause fat.

Avoid these foods: Do not eat more than two servings a week.

• Fast foods such as hamburgers, fried chicken, pizza, french fries, tacos
• Snack chips
• Candy, ice cream, soda pop, pastries and rich desserts
• Recipes calling for fats, white flour and sugar

Choose these foods:

Fruit Snacks

• Dried apples, dates, raisins, prunes, pineapple, apricots and peaches
• Frozen, unsweetened Bing cherries, strawberries, peaches and melon balls while icy
• Fruit "canned in its own juice"
• Ice-cold fresh fruit or juice

Desserts

• Make cookies with whole wheat flour, applesauce, raisins, nuts or oatmeal.
• Reduce sugar and fat in favorite recipes. Use 2 tablespoons less than the recipe calls for.
• Try rice, or bread puddings, or low fat ice milk, custard, pudding, flavored yogurts.
• Vanilla wafers, ginger snaps, animal crackers and graham crackers make good choices for snacking.

Nutritious Nibbles:

• Whole grain crackers
• Unbuttered popcorn
• Dry cereals, such as shredded wheat biscuits
• Unsalted pretzels
• Raw carrots, celery, radishes, zucchini, mushrooms, peppers and cherry tomatoes
• Nuts or seeds in the shell (to keep you from eating too many, too fast)
• Dips or spreads made with yogurt, cottage cheese and peanut butter

Nutritious snack recipes:

• Peanut Butter Balls
  Mix 1 cup peanut butter, ¾ cup honey, and 1½ cups powdered dry milk. Add raisins or sunflower seeds, if desired. Roll into balls.
• Yogurt Popsicles
  Freeze ¾ cup of low fat yogurt mixed with 2 tablespoons of frozen juice concentrate

Read package labels:

• The ingredients are listed by weight. The first ingredient weighs the most and is the greatest amount in the food.
• Be sure that sugar, corn syrup or any word ending in -ose (a form of sugar) is not one of the first four ingredients.

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I know it is not easy to resist your favorite’s foods and drinks during your pregnancy but you have a little one to consider before you start popping everything into the mouth.

With a stronger will + discipline, you will get through it; at least for the baby sake.

You just have to hang-on for only 9 months or 2 years (if you are breastfeeding), then you have the rest of your life to munch on your favorites.