How Healthy Is Your Second Trimester Diet?

When Katie entered the second trimester of her pregnancy, she noticed an interesting turn in her diet. She started hating the smell of coffee! When she talked to her dietician about it, she learned that this is common during pregnancy. You may crave for a specific food or develop an aversion to it.

Blame it on hormones! However, a common belief is that such cravings and aversions to food are a primordial way of the body to indicate a need for some specific nutrient or to avoid a harmful substance. Though there is no strong evidence to support this theory, it might be true.

To Eat Or Not To Eat

When Katie started hating coffee, she was happy. At least, she won.t have to struggle to keep those cups in moderation, like many of her friends! But, what about her cravings? At times, Katie had a strong craving for sweet food, especially chocolates. Should she give in to her cravings?

When she consulted her dietician, she came to know that it was okay to give herself a treat of chocolates once a while. On the other days, she should cook up a clever dish that substituted her craving for chocolate.

Using Your Creativity In Second Trimester Diet

Healthy eating has to be your topmost priority right now. It's only natural that you may not like to munch on broccoli and boiled potatoes every time! So, why not add a pinch of creativity in your second trimester diet to cook up some savory, yet healthy dishes?

And if you don't want to end up in the kitchen every time you feel hungry, prepare a couple of large dishes every week. Freeze portions of it for a quick snack. So, the next time you feel like eating, you only need to open your refrigerator and heat the food. It's time saving and gives you more time to rest or engage in other activities. Besides, when your family gorges on a pizza, you won't look at them with envy, as you already have your own healthy, tasty meal!

This was a good idea for Katie too, as she didn't have the energy to fix a meal every time she had a craving. However, she was careful not to depend totally on prepared meals that were available in the market. Although the labels claimed that they were healthy and low in sodium and fat content, there was no match for freshly cooked food.

Assessing Your Second Trimester Diet

There are certain questions you need to ask yourself to make sure your second trimester diet is healthy.

• Are you taking 2 servings (around 60 grams) of protein daily?
• Are you having 7 or more servings of vegetables, especially green leafy ones, and fruits?
• Are you taking 9 or more whole grain servings?
• Have you cut down on high-sugar, high-fat, and highly salted foods?
• Are you consuming foods containing essential fatty acids?
• Do you have any deficiencies?

Katie had a 'yes' to all the questions, except the last one. What about you?