Power Foods

Focus on Power Foods

Pack Your Lunch with Punch
-- By Zach Van Heart, Staff Writer

Comment: with half the world dieting, this pregnancy advice is also great diet advice. We tend to continue to eat the foods that make us fat even when we're on a diet. Switching to foods you rarely get to enjoy while on a diet like these power foods remove half the stress of dieting.

Did you know that ants can lift up to 50 times their own weight? This goes to show that power can come from small places. The same theory applies to power foods that can be used to reenergize you throughout your pregnancy.

Power foods are a combination of low calories and high nutrients, or foods that keep you feeling satisfied. Quite simply, you can make your calories work for you. The more efficiently you eat, the more you can eat before reaching your calorie limit, and the more nutrients you will be able to fill your body with.

The great part about power foods is that you are likely eating some of them already! And if not, parts of your diet can be easily replaced by other power foods. Adding just a few more power foods can make a big difference in your nutrition and appetite.

At the top of the Power Food list are proteins, fibers and complex carbohydrates. They have tons of nutrients that give you long-lasting energy. Protein is used to not only build up your cells, tissues, and organs, but your baby's as well; fiber prevents constipation and helps your digestive system; and complex carbs give you a steady release of energy. However, there are power foods in every food group and plenty of options to choose from.

Good Power Foods include:

Grains

• whole wheat bread, pita, bagel
  
• whole wheat pasta
• brown rice
• deli rye
• pure bran muffins
• cream of wheat
• raisin bread
• wheaten biscuits
• Oatmeal
• whole wheat cereal (try Kashi)

Fruits/Veggies

• oranges
• berries (especially blueberries)
• cantaloupe
• watermelon
• apples
• avocado
• chili peppers
• spinach
• sweet potatoes
• tomatoes

Dairy/Protein

• 1% milk
• yogurt
• salmon (doesn?t contain high levels of mercury like other fish)
• tuna (limit, and stick with the canned variety during pregnancy; albacore variety is not recommended)
• smoked chicken
• almonds
• peanuts, walnuts, hazelnuts (consult physician. Some physicians limit nuts due to potential allergy risk)
• beans
• eggs