Eating sensibly is an important part of a healthy lifestyle at any time, but particularly when you are pregnant. For a healthy balance your diet should include a variety of foods including at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day. These portions can be fresh, frozen or canned products (in juice or water), salad, dried fruit or fruit juices. Dried fruit is a quick, convenient, easy and portable way to helping towards your 5 a day.
Did you know that you can get one of your five a day from just a tablespoon (30g) portion of dried fruit such as raisins, sultanas, dried berries, or from three dried apricots, three prunes or two dried figs?
During pregnancy it's important to keep blood sugar levels up and dried fruit provides an ideal snack, so keep some handy in your bag, desk drawer or car. Sprinkle a tablespoon of dried fruit onto your breakfast cereal, drink a glass of fruit juice, and you've had two portions before the day has even started!
Dried fruit can be very versatile. Soak a variety of dried fruit such as figs, pineapple, apricots and raisins in green or fruit tea for a delicious compote. Add this to natural yoghurt, porridge, breakfast cereal or use as the base for a delicious dessert.
Fruit provides vitamins and minerals like vitamin C and potassium, which are important for you and your developing baby. Dried fruit like figs, prunes, raisins, and dried apricots contain iron and dried figs are a rich source of calcium; both important nutrients that you need during your pregnancy.
Pregnancy can sometimes bring with it some less welcome changes to your body. Constipation can sometimes be an issue, and natural solutions are often the best to try first. Fibre helps to keep your digestive system healthy and keep you regular. Everyone knows (and j0kes) about prunes but did you know that dried apricots contain even more fibre than prunes? So you can up your fibre intake with a variety of easy and tasty dried fruit snacks.*
Towards the end of pregnancy you can feel full quickly or suffer from Indigestion. At this time concentrated sources of nutrients in small portions, like dried fruit, as part of small regular meals and snacks, can be ideal.
After the birth, when breast feeding, dried fruit makes an ideal energy boosting snack. Also, when you are trying to get back into shape, it's a brilliantly nutritious way of satisfying a sweet craving without too many calories. A portion of two dried figs, or a tablespoon of sultanas, contain less than 100kcal, while three dried apricots are less than 50kcaI.
*Please see your midwife or GP if problems persist