It is often an unavoidable part of pregnancy: morning sickness. This is a condition that affects approximately 50-90% of all pregnant women at some point during their pregnancies, and it usually occurs during the first four months of pregnancy. But there are also many women who are stuck dealing with morning sickness symptoms throughout their entire pregnancy.
If you are pregnant and experiencing morning sickness, it is essential that you eat, even if you don’t feel like it. You do not want your stomach to be empty and end up with the dry heaves, which actually feels worse than vomiting. Plus, the longer that you go between meals, the worse you will end up feeling. This is why morning sickness occurs. When you are in bed, you are going at least six hours between meals, and when you wake up, your stomach is empty and you may feel incredibly nauseous.
You Need Even More Nutrients When You are Pregnant
When you are pregnant, even though you are not “eating for two” as they used to say, you still need more nutrients than you normally would. There is a life growing inside you which is using up much of the nutrients that you are taking into your body. Normally, a diet should consist of about 35% protein. When you are pregnant, your protein intake needs to be about 60% of your daily caloric intake, and even more if you are pregnant with twins or more. Protein is necessary for the growth of your unborn baby as well as cellular and mental development, and for the placenta and amniotic tissues.
Even though it is important not to have an empty stomach, eating too much during pregnancy can cause heartburn and other digestive troubles, which will worsen as the baby grows. When you are pregnant, it is important to eat a number of small meals a couple of hours apart from each other rather than three large meals. Bedtime snacks should also be eaten to help avoid or at least lessen morning sickness.
There are two macronutrients that are essential for a healthy body, and even more important for pregnant women: complex carbohydrates and proteins.
Complex Carbohydrates: It is wise for pregnant women to eat foods that are complex carbohydrates at least every few hours, and according to the American Heart Association, the daily caloric intake should be at least 50% carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates break down slowly in the body, so they do not cause a surge in blood glucose levels. Some excellent and delicious sources of complex carbohydrates include whole grain breads, pastas, and cereals.
Proteins: There are two main sources of proteins, animals, and plants, with animal-based foods containing the most protein. As mentioned above, pregnant women should have plenty of protein in their diets, at least 60% of their daily caloric intake, and there are a number of terrific dietary sources of protein, including lean red meats, fish, poultry, eggs, brown rice, milk products, and soy, which is a complete protein. A complete protein is one that contains all 22 essential and non-essential amino acids:
Essential amino acids – leucine, valine, isoleucine, tryptophan, threonine, methione, phenylaline, and lysine.
Non-essential amino acids – apartic acid, cystine, glutamine, alanine, asparagines, glycene, histidine, l-arginine, cysteine, taurine, serine, proline, threonine, and glutathione.
Whey Protein
One of the most popular types of protein is whey. This is a protein that is quickly and easily digested, so it provides muscle recovery effects following workouts. Because whey is a milk derivative, a byproduct from the cheese-making process, it is not good for people who are lactose intolerant.
Casein Protein
Here is another protein that is a milk derivative. In fact, whey comes from casein in the cheese-making process. Casein is another popular protein supplement, and although it is slower to digest than whey, its effects are longer lasting. Casein is considered to be a complete protein, and there are even some lactose-intolerant people who have reported using casein with no adverse effects.
Soy Protein
This is the best type of protein for people with allergies or who are lactose intolerant. Because it is made totally from soy and is vegetable-based, it is the ideal source of protein for vegetarians. Soy protein contains no saturated fats or cholesterol and is considered safe for everyone, although some people may experience some digestive troubles. Soy protein is also considered to be a complete protein.
Rice Protein
Gluten-free and low in carbohydrates, fat, and sugar; rice protein is a terrific protein supplement for vegetarians, people with allergies, and the lactose intolerant. It is available in powder forms, and can be used to make delicious shakes and smoothies or sprinkled into your favorite recipes. Rice protein comes from brown rice, and is considered to be a complete protein because it contains all of the essential and non-essential amino acids.
Egg Protein
Long before the introduction of protein supplements to the general public, many athletes and bodybuilders were known to use egg proteins as a part of their diets. This is another protein that should not be used by people with certain allergies such as eggs or chicken.
Types of Protein Supplements
There are a number of types of protein supplements available. Protein powders are extremely versatile, and can be used in shakes, smoothies, slushies, and just about any recipe that you can think of. There are a number of liquid protein supplements you can get, and many are ready-to-drink meal replacements where all you have to do is shake and drink. There are protein shots, which provide 25-35 grams of protein per small serving and come in a number of delicious flavors, including sour apple and raspberry. And there is a new product from Protica called Profect, which provides 25 grams of protein per three-ounce serving. Profect is excellent for pregnant women looking to maintain a healthy weight, because not only are they low in fat, they are also low in carbohydrates and contain only 100 calories per serving.
Protica Research (Protica, Inc.) specializes in the development of Capsulized Foods. Protica manufactures Profect, IsoMetric, Pediagro, Fruitasia and over 100 other brands, including Medicare-approved, whey protein shots for renal care patients. You can learn more at Protica Research – Copyright