About Dried Fruit: Dried Fruit & Pregnancy

Whether you are planning to have a baby or have just found out that you are pregnant, it is really important to consider what you are eating. Beyond the usual prescription for a good diet it is equally important to make sure that enough vitamin and minerals are taken. Many of the required nutrients can be found in dried fruit.

A good, healthy diet will affect the health of your baby throughout pregnancy. It is the perfect opportunity to get into good eating habits and you may well find that your body is already starting to let you know the kind of foods it wants.

Women do not need to 'eat for two' during pregnancy. A good well-balanced diet will meet all their energy requirements for the first six months as long as certain guidelines are followed; an extra 200 kcals per day are required for the last few months and an extra 500 kcals per day should be sufficient if breastfeeding.

It is important to understand why essential minerals and vitamins are required during this important time, so to help you further we have given you some guidelines.

Calcium - during pregnancy it is important that the normal intake is 700mg per day. While the body becomes more efficient at absorbing calcium, it is however, essential that sufficient Vitamin D is also included in the diet to ensure that the calcium is absorbed. Calcium with phosphorus, are the main elements to building of healthy bones and teeth. Found in milk and milk products, dried figs, dried apricots, dates, currants, raisins, sultanas, molasses, canned and fresh fish, tahini and nut milks (for vegan sources), cereals, nuts and green leafy vegetables.

Folic Acid - this works in conjunction with vitamin B12 in the formation of healthy blood, and the development of the baby's brain, especially in the last three months of pregnancy and the early months of breastfeeding. Rich sources of folic acid are found in yeast extract, leafy green vegetables, dried dates, dried peaches, dried apricots, raisins, fortified breakfast cereals and nuts.

Iron - While babies are born with their own store of iron, this is used in the first five to six months. Iron is needed to make red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body and help to prevent anaemia. Meat is a good source of iron along with dried figs and dried apricots. In fact a cup of ready-to-eat dried apricots could supply half the iron an adult requires each day. Iron is also found in prunes, raisins, currants, sultanas, dried peaches, dried figs, dried apricots, pulses, green vegetables, parsley, molasses, and soya flour. Some baby cereals are often fortified with iron.

The recommended daily intake of iron is in any case, higher in women and if your doctor detects your iron stores are low he will recommend a supplement, helping to prevent tiredness and irritability. Vitamin C will also help the absorption of iron. After the birth many women are anaemic and it essential to maintain you daily quota of vitamin C because if you are breast feeding it is passed onto your baby.

Dietary Fibre - dietary fibre helps digestion and prevents constipation. Hormonal changes in pregnancy can themselves lead to constipation and piles, so food high in fibrous content should be eaten such as wholefoods rice, pasta, bread, dried fruits - figs, apricots, peaches, prunes either used as a snacking food or stewed. Pulses, fresh fruit and vegetables and cereals should feature regularly in your diet. A good source of dietary fibre is also essential in preventing cancer of the colon.

Fluids - during pregnancy you may find that you are increasingly thirsty. Drink plenty of water or natural drinks rather than sugary or alcoholic drinks. Remember a refreshing drink can be made from poached or stewed dried fruit juices. The caffeine in tea and coffee can interfere with your ability to sleep so switch to the decaffeinated varieties. Drinking plenty of fluids will also help to prevent constipation.

Dried Fruit, during pregnancy, can provide many of the nutrients required for the health of both you and your baby. For example, it provides little packages of concentrated nourishment when used for snacking, and is ideal to assuage hunger pangs. Dried fruit is high in fructose (natural sugar) and often sweeter than in their fresh form…good to give you that extra boost of energy when feeling tired - and far better than sweets and biscuits. Some dried fruit, for example, dried apricots are rich in potassium, iron and Vitamin C (which as stated earlier helps the absorption of iron). Dried fruit is also a good source of dietary fibre - essential not only during pregnancy but at all times since it helps prevent cancer of the colon. Certain dried fruit is recommended by herbalists for detoxifying the system.

Remember also that smoking and excessive alcohol intake can have a detrimental effect as they have both been proven to lower the birth weight of babies and can cause brain damage