Wondering about eating Chinese food during pregnancy? Is it safe? The answer is YES, but within reason. Chinese food that’s well-prepared features fish, meats, poultry, and vegetables. They are prepared through a quick stir fry and at the peak of nutrition. However, Chinese food tends to be high in sodium (due to all that soy sauce), high in fat (due to a generous use of oils), and may have MSG.
Most Chinese restaurants will follow a request to prepare your food with no MSG, little to no oil, and with “light” soy sauce. It’s also a good idea to request brown rice, instead of white. Soups and steamed dumplings are good appetizer choices. Dishes that are safe to order have plenty of fish, shellfish, poultry, meat, or tofu, and aren’t just garnished with these high-protein foods.
Try steamed dishes, and don’t add soy sauce. Avoid fried (“crispy”) foods, including egg rolls, sweet and sour dishes, and spareribs. Try to limit how much white rice and white noodles you eat. If you’ve noticed that spicy food gives you heartburn, order your dish “not spicy.”
If you’re a vegetarian, choose tofu or a “mock” meat as both are available and nutritiously prepared. Nutritious vegetables such as broccoli are smart choices.
There’s so much info out there, in books and online, about how to have a healthy pregnancy! Here are 10 simple, easy-to-follow tips so that you can have a healthy pregnancy and delivery:
When you’re pregnant, you’re probably finding yourself hungry more than usual! Fill up on these 7 nutrient-packed superfoods to boost your baby’s development and to quench your hunger:
Question: I live at a high altitude…I’m worried because I’ve heard that this can cause problems during pregnancy. Is this true?
You’ll undoubtedly gain weight during your pregnancy. It’s essential for your health and your baby’s health. It may be difficult for you to step on the scale and see your weight rise. So, it’s important that you recognize now that it’s OK to gain weight. Gaining pregnancy weight doesn’t mean “letting yourself go;” you can control your weight by careful, healthy eating. But just know that you NEED to gain enough weight to meet the needs of your pregnancy.
Smoothies can be very restoring and strengthening. Make your own at home by mixing your favorite fruits, along with milk and other ingredients. They’re also a healthy fast-food choice, on hand at malls and many other public areas.
If you love to pig out on junk food several times a day, now’s the time to break that habit! Now that you’re pregnant, your growing baby is also affected by your food choices. It won’t help your pregnancy to skip breakfast, have a vending machine lunch, and then fast food for dinner.
Focus on your weight before trying to get pregnant; you don’t want to be too overweight or too underweight. Being either can make pregnancy more difficult.
Calcium is important to you and your baby; you need it to keep your bones strong and healthy. Your baby needs it to grow strong bones and teeth. You need about 1,200 mg of calcium a day during pregnancy. Dairy products are great sources of calcium—they also have vitamin D (which helps your body accept calcium). Milk, yogurt, cheese, and ice cream are common calcium sources. Other sources of it are collards, spinach, broccoli, salmon, sesame seeds, trout, and almonds. Some breads and orange juices are also fortified with calcium.
Question: I just took a home pregnancy test and it came back positive. When should I call my doctor to schedule the first visit?