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Living > Public Health, Safety

Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide: What's NEW for Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women?

In February 2007, Health Canada released an updated version of Canada's Food Guide. Some of the messaging related to women of childbearing age has been changed. Below, are some of the new recommendations that are now included in Canada's Food Guide.

Additional Energy and Nutrition Needs
Women need extra calories during pregnancy to sustain an adequate weight gain to support the baby's growth and development. Additional calorie intake is only recommended during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy because women typically do not gain much weight in the first trimester. Women need about 350 extra calories per day in the second trimester and 450 extra calories in the third trimester. For most women, this means an extra 2 or 3 Food Guide Servings every day from any of the food groups from Canada's Food Guide.

The Recommended Number of Food Guide Servings (see chart below) shows how much food women of childbearing age need from each of the four food groups every day. Remember, the extra 2 or 3 Food Guide Servings needed during pregnancy and while breastfeeding is in addition to the recommended number of Food Guide Servings per day.

 
Recommended Number of Food Guide Servings Per Day
Female TEENS
(14 - 18 years)
Female ADULTS
(19 - 50 years)
Vegetables and Fruit
7
7-8
Grain Products
6
6-7
Milk and Alternatives
3-4
2
Meat and Alternatives
2
2

Extra Food Guide Servings could be included as an additional snack, or can be added to usual meals. For instance, instead of having an extra snack made up of two Food Guide Servings, you may choose to have one extra Food Guide Serving of vegetables and fruit at breakfast and one extra Food Guide Serving of milk and alternatives at supper.

Here are some examples of what 2 extra Food Guide Servings may look like:

  • One piece of fruit and 175 g (¾ cup) of yogurt, or
  • One extra piece of toast at breakfast and an extra 250 mL (1 cup) of milk at supper, or
  • Half a bagel (45 g) with 50 g (1 ½ oz.) of cheese, or
  • 30 g of cereal with 250 mL (1 cup) of milk, or
  • Spinach salad made with: 250 mL (1 cup) of spinach, one hard boiled egg and 30 mL (2 Tbsp) of walnuts.

Here are some examples of what 3 extra Food Guide Servings may look like:

  • Pasta salad made with: 125 mL (½ cup) of pasta, 125 mL (½ cup) of cut-up vegetables, and 75g (2 ½ oz) chicken, or
  • Half a pita bread (35 g), 15 mL (1 Tbsp) peanut butter, 125 mL (½ cup) of milk and 125 mL (½ cup) of baby carrots, or
  • One slice of whole grain bread (35 g) with 50 g (1 ½ oz.) of cheese and 125 mL (½ cup) of orange juice, or
  • A sandwich made with two slices (35 g each) of pumpernickel bread and 75 g (2 ½ oz.)/125 mL, (½ cup) canned salmon.

Canada's Food Guide now also recommends that all women who could become pregnant and those who are pregnant or breastfeeding need a multivitamin containing folic acid every day. Pregnant women need to ensure that their multivitamin also contains iron. It is recommended that each woman should ask her health care provider about the supplement that is right for her.

To learn more about the updated version of Canada's Food Guide, visit: www.canadasfoodguide.org.

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