With Neatic through the pregnancy

/ practical tips / By
Woman during pregnancy

Major points:

  • Your diet during pregnancy should be balanced and some foods should be avoided.
  • Cravings, heartburn, morning sickness, and constipation occur more often during pregnancy, but can be alleviated.
  • Throughout pregnancy you can continue to live according to the Neatic principles.

Myths about pregnancy

Who has not heard of the rumor that pregnant women crave sour cucumbers? Maybe even in combination with chocolate spread. Hormonal changes during pregnancy may contribute to these cravings and unusual food combinations but also to morning sickness. 

Does a diet based on the Neatic principles work at all under these challenging conditions? The simple answer is: Yes.

You will learn in the next sections how you get through pregnancy with Neatic in the best possible way.

A young pregnant woman stands in front of a refrigerator and bites into a donut

Nutrition during pregnancy

In general, the same recommendations for a balanced diet apply to pregnant women as to the general population.

In brief, this means

  • Sufficient calorie-free fluid intake
  • plant-based foods in abundance
  • animal foods in moderation
  • limited consumption of fats, oils, sweets, and snacks

You should be aware that some foods are not suitable during pregnancy since they may contain germs that put your baby at risk. These include:

  • raw or undercooked eggs (e.g., in homemade mayonnaise)
  • raw or undercooked meat (e.g., bloody steak)
  • raw sausages (e.g., salami)
  • raw and smoked fish (e.g., sushi)
  • raw milk and raw milk cheese (on packaged cheese you will find the statement “Made from raw milk”)
  • Soft cheeses with surface smear (e.g., Muenster)

In addition, drinks containing chinin (e.g., bitter lemon, tonic water) and any alcohol should be avoided. Good hygiene is also required in the kitchen. This means washing your hands frequently, changing towels and cloths regularly, and washing food thoroughly before eating it.

A pregnant woman is standing in the kitchen cutting fruits and vegetables

How is this compatible with the Neatic principles?

All pregnancy recommendations concerning nutrition are perfectly compatible with the Neatic principles. As a reminder, the Neatic principles are as follows:

Principle No. 1:
If the term “flavor” is found on the ingredient list, avoid these foods.

Principle No. 2:
If the term “sweetener” is found on the ingredient list, avoid these foods.

Principle No. 3:
Limit sugar to 280 g per week, which is an average of 40 g per day. Only sugars that appear in the first three positions of the ingredient list are taken into account.

If you have already implemented Neatic in your everyday life, the way you eat during pregnancy will not change that much. When shopping, simply make sure to buy only foods that are safe for pregnant women and that the food is prepared hygienically.

If you have not yet implemented Neatic, then you can start right now. You will find a step-by-step instruction here.

A pregnant woman is standing in the kitchen cutting fruits and vegetables on a wooden board

Practical tips

Here are some more practical tips on how you can make Neatic work well for you despite cravings, morning sickness, and other pregnancy challenges.

Food cravings

It is warm outside, your baby won’t stop kicking and you crave something sweet right now. How can you still stick to the Neatic principles?

Here are a few tips:

  • Prepare ahead: Prepare delicious suitable snacks in advance, so that they are ready when you need them. Feel free to browse our recipes (e.g., Power Balls) or get inspiration from this article.
  • Do not go shopping hungry.
  • Only buy foods that fit the Neatic principles. If a craving strikes, you’ll only have the right kind of food within reach.
  • Eat several small meals throughout the day to reduce cravings.
  • Make sure you drink enough.

Heartburn and morning sickness

If you struggle with morning sickness or heartburn, the following tips may help:

  • For morning sickness, it can help to eat a snack, e.g., a crispbread, before getting up. 
  • A ginger tea can also help with nausea. To get a tasty and flavor-free homemade ginger tea, just cut some fresh ginger and add boiling water. 
  • In the case of heartburn, eat smaller meals more frequently. 
  • Avoiding very spicy or hot foods can also reduce heartburn.

Constipation

In case of constipation, the following tips can help you:

  • Choose foods rich in fiber, e.g., flaxseed, fruit, vegetables, and whole grain products.
  • It is also important to drink enough. Again, you can get inspiration from our recipes.
  • Exercise can also help, e.g., include regular walks into your day. 

What does Neatic recommend concerning nutrition during pregnancy?

Throughout pregnancy you can continue to live according to the Neatic principles. Some foods should be avoided during pregnancy to prevent infections that might put your baby at risk. In case of cravings, heartburn, morning sickness, and constipation, the above tips will help you. 

Bibliography:

Höfler, Elisabeth; Sprengart, Petra (2018): Praktische Diätetik. Grundlagen, Ziele und Umsetzung der Ernährungstherapie. 2., überarbeitete und erweiterte Auflage. Stuttgart: WVG, Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft.

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