NCT Book of
Safe foods
Hannah Hulme Hunter and Rosemary Dodds
Thorsons/National Childbirth Trust Publishing
Thorsons is an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd. 1 London Bridge Street London SE1 9GF
First published by Thorsons and National Childbirth Trust 1998
Copyright © NCT Publishing 1998
Hannah Hulme Hunter and Rosemary Dodds assert the moral right to be identified as the authors of this work
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
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Source ISBN: 9780722536070
Ebook Edition © AUGUST 2016 ISBN: 9780007399703
Version 2016-09-02
Contents
6 Healthy eating and lifestyle
7 Questions and (some) answers
Meals should be times when we can sit back and enjoy the taste of good food. They should be times when our busy lives slow down a little, when we can chat with friends or family – or simply think our own thoughts. They should be times for rebuilding our energy, so we return to our work or our play with enthusiasm.
But eating is, of course, more than occasions. Eating a balanced diet is perhaps the single most important contribution we can make to our own wellbeing.
During pregnancy you are sharing your food and drink with your unborn baby. You are responsible for her growth and healthy development, as well as your own wellbeing. A good eating pattern during pregnancy: helps your body cope with the special demands of being pregnant; has a positive influence on the future health of your baby; builds up stores of energy and nutrients for times of need; and prepares your body for breastfeeding and nurturing your baby.
But it may not be easy during pregnancy to change your eating habits. Pregnancy is a very busy time for many women – working, looking after a home and family and fitting in clinic appointments. At the same time, you may not be feeling well – you may have pregnancy sickness or tiredness, and you may feel uncomfortably full and big. You may worry about putting on too much weight – or about not putting on enough. Many women are concerned about food safety – there seem to be so many rules and warnings about paté and eggs and soft cheeses. Sometimes it just seems easier to open another packet of chocolate biscuits! And so we decided to write this book.
The information in this book is based on sound scientific research. If the findings of the research are unclear, we say so. We offer you clear and unbiased information – but we do not make decisions for you. Each woman reading this will have unique needs and priorities, and you alone can make the decisions that suit your life. Only when risks are clear-cut do we firmly state a recommended course of action.
Whether you are planning to get pregnant, are newly pregnant or due to have your baby next month, we hope that this book will guide you, ease some of your anxieties – and support you when making food decisions during pregnancy. Above all, we hope this book will help make eating fun.
Hannah Hulme Hunter
Rosemary Dodds
September 1998
Healthy eating is about choosing a balance of food, and feeling your best physically and mentally. Healthy eating is about real food – and enjoying eating.
In this chapter we describe the main food groups, explain why they are important and talk about the part that each group plays in a healthy and balanced diet.
Getting the balance right
Imagine an empty plate. Mentally divide the plate into three.
One-third will be full of energy foods: the starchy carbohydrates – pasta, potatoes, rice, yam, bread or cereals. Another third will be packed with fruit and vegetables. Divide the remaining third of the plate into three unequal sections, one a lot smaller than the other two. One of these sections is for protein foods, needed for growth and repair of our bodies – meat, fish, nuts,