Essential fats for pregnancy

What you eat during pregnancy has a direct impact on your baby’s growth and health. So a balanced diet, including essential fats, is important. Find out more about which foods to include and which to limit from your diet.

More often than not we’re led to believe that fats are bad. But when it comes to the growth and development of your body during pregnancy, fats have an essential role to play. Knowing which fats are best for both you and your baby will ensure your diet remains rich in healthy nutrients. Read on to find out more about beneficial fats and explains why you need them.

Good vs Bad Fats

We’re often told to limit our intake of ‘bad’ fats; saturated fats in butter and pastries and trans-fatty acids which are found in heated, refined vegetable oils or hydrogenated oils, such as some margarines. This is because they can contribute towards obesity and heart disease. However, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are essential for healthy growth, especially during pregnancy.

Why your developing baby needs fats?

Babies need a diet high in beneficial fats, as these are their main source of energy. A baby’s brain, which is around 60% fat, uses nearly three quarters of total dietary energy for growth, whereas an adult’s uses only a fifth. Once your baby is born, they’ll get a lot of essential fats from your breastmilk, which contains over 50% of its calories as fat. But while they’re still in the womb, they’re relying on you to provide the fat they need.

Types of good fats

Monounsaturated fats can be found in olive oil along with avocadoes, nuts, nut oils and butters. Polyunsaturated fats are those found in sunflower oil, margarines and mayonnaise. This group also includes LCPs – required for nervous system and brain development – which can be found in flaxseeds and fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring and sardines). You’re advised to eat no more than 2 portions of oily fish a week during pregnancy. It’s also worth remembering, farmed fish may be lower in omega-3 fatty acids.

Ideally, no more than 30% of your daily calorie intake should come from fats. But don’t be too hard on yourself if you want to indulge in the odd piece of cake or bag of crisps – pregnancy is not the time to diet. As long as you include these as part of a healthy, balanced diet, your baby will receive what they need for their development.

If you’ve got a question about fats or any other aspect of your diet, our Careline team can help you find the answers. Call us on 800 6458 6262 (UAE)/ +971 4 420 9489 (Other countries) between the hours of 9am and 6pm Saturday to Thursday.