Fruits and vegetables in your diet in pregnancy

Why fruits and vegetables are so important:

Packed full of essential nutrients and fiber, fruits and vegetables are an important part of any healthy diet - and must appear in abundance in your kitchen when you're pregnant.

A slice of melon or a bowl of strawberries for a snack, and provide your baby with vitamins and minerals for growth while maintaining healthy, too. Pair fruit with a little protein, like cottage cheese, and you have a constant energy boost to get through a long afternoon.

The fiber content of fruits and vegetables also offers a number of benefits, including maintaining a bowel movement. This helps to prevent constipation and hemorrhoids, two common problems during pregnancy.

 How much should you eat

Whenever possible, try to eat 2 cups of fruit and 2 1 / 2 to 3 cups of vegetables a day. This is what counts as a cup:

* 1 cup raw or cooked vegetables

* 2 cups raw leafy greens (or 1 cup of leafy greens and 1/2 cup of other vegetables)

* 1 cup raw, canned, or frozen fruit

* 2 small bananas (less than 6 inches) or 1 large (8 to 9 inches)

* 1/2 cup dried fruit

* 1 medium to large piece of fruit (1 large orange, 1 medium pear or grapefruit, 2 large plums, 1/2 large apple)

* 1 cup 100 percent fruit juice, vegetable juice, or fruit-vegetable juice.