Why Dietary Fat is so Important for a Healthy Pregnancy Diet
When you are focusing on a healthy pregnancy diet, important nutrients that shouldn’t be ignored are healthy sources fat. Many women are surprised to hear that fat is so essential, because… it’s fat! Despite the fact that we live in a culture which is strongly against fat consumption, the reality is that there are many ways that fat in our food is good for our bodies. You won’t be able to sustain a healthy pregnancy if you aren’t getting proper amounts of dietary fat, which means that your baby may be limited when they are trying to get the best possible start in life. The author of the book, Healing Our Children, has shared a lot of good advice for a healthy pregnancy diet, and he suggests that between 40% and 60% of your daily calorie consumption should come from calorie-dense fat sources!
Why Your Body Needs Fat
Consuming fat is not only about adding flavor to your food, there are actually many health benefits from consuming the right type of fat. As an example, fat lubricates the tissue in the body from the inside out, which has a cleansing effect to help get rid of toxins. Fat can also be beneficial to help you feel satiated after meals, which may help you control your overall caloric intake. When fat is consumed, it takes the body a longer period of time to break it down, which means that you can eat reasonable portions and still feel full.
Studies have been conducted which suggest that eating fat may actually help a person to lose fat. Additionally, fat consumption helps you to feel more energetic because it provides you with huge amounts of energy, even if you’re pregnant.
There is a trend among of the world’s healthiest diets, including the Canadian Indians’ diet… these diets focus on plenty of healthy fats which come from plant and from animal sources. Surprisingly, the original caloric intake of the Canadian Indian’s was around 80% fat sources!
Simple Ways to Include Healthy Fat in Your Diet
If you want to have a healthy pregnancy diet, then the key is use the right type of fats. No all fats are created equal, in fact some of them are extremely bad for your body (such as hydrogenated oils and trans fats which have been processed and changed). Luckily, it is simple to avoid these unhealthy fat, you just need to stay away from junk food or anything that has been processed… these types of foods should be avaoided anyway to help you achieve a healthy, organic pregnancy. Instead, find sources of unprocessed, whole, organic food sources, and you’ll be happy to see how much they can be beneficial for your body.
Fat-full dairy products are some of the best sources of healthy fats, just be sure it is raw dairy– because there are more health benefits to gain than consuming pasteurized dairy. Fish and meats are another good source of healthy fats, especially if you look for the fattier cuts. Of course, there are also plant sources of fat to consider, such as: olive oil, avocado, coconut oil, and nuts. Regardless of the type of healthy fat you are eating, it is critical that you ensure they are produced with organic methods, and coming from quality, trusted sources.
Healthy fats should actually be added to every snack or meal that you consume during your pregnancy. A few ideas to help you plan your snacks and meals: add raw butter or cream to fruit, add a portion of fat-full cheese, prepare fatty cuts of meat for lunch or dinner.
For more information a healthy pregnancy diet, read Healing Our Children. In it, you’ll see that there is plenty of information about the nutrition that is needed during pregnancy to give your baby the best possible start in life.
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