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One of the most common misconceptions about pregnancy that is usually shared by most women is that they have to eat twice as much for their food intake since they have two bodies to feed. Although pregnancy may trigger certain food cravings that may sorely tempt you to eat twice as much, there is actually no medical reason behind this.

In fact, the body of pregnant women becomes more efficient during pregnancy, thereby allowing the body to absorb most of the nutrients from the food she eats. This means, consuming twice as much does not actually increase your chances of a healthy baby, instead may only lead to excessive weight gain, which can put you at risk.

During pregnancy, the body only needs roughly around 300 calories a day, and even lower than that during the first trimester. That number can be easily found in 2.5 cups of low-fat milk or even from a simple tuna sandwich. So instead of thinking about helping to a couple more extra servings during mealtime, you may just take a light snack in between meals to appease hunger pangs.

So what exactly are the types of food that your body needs during pregnancy? To be able to meet you’re dietary needs for calories, key vitamins, protein and minerals, most health experts advise to eat a variety of food such as the following:

• Nine or more servings of bread, grains and cereals
• Daily servings of fruits and vegetables that are rich in vitamin C and vitamin A
• At least three servings of milk or milk products
• Servings of protein such as lean meat, fish, eggs and nuts

However, there are some health conditions that are subject to certain exemptions. This is why it is important that you consult your doctor to prevent any health complications. Here are some common guidelines:

• For significantly overweight pregnant women, it would be best to lower calorie intake but still make sure the body will get the nutrients the growing baby needs.

• For mothers expecting multiples, the body will need extra nutritional requirements

• For women who develop gestational diabetes, blood sugar should be closely monitored.

To be more informed about your health conditions, you need to follow regular prenatal checkups with your healthcare provider to ensure that you and your baby are actually getting the right nutritional allowance.