Food and pregnancy: fact or fiction?

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During pregnancy your sense of smell gets stronger

Fact. During pregnancy you'll probably experience a heightened level of smell. This is likely to be due to an elevated level of the hormone oestrogen, which regulates smell. Another possible reason is that smell is often the best indicator of whether or not a particular food is safe to eat. So follow your nose!

Most fruits and vegetables start to lose vitamin C as soon as they have been picked. However, kiwi fruit retains up to 90% of its vitamin C content up to six months after it's been harvested. Quickly curb a cold with this fuzzy fruit.

Table salt or low-sodium salt or herb salt?

The modern, Western diet contains too much sodium, which contributes to a rise in blood pressure and heart disease. While the Food Standards Agency recommends no more than 6g of salt per day (1 teaspoon), 75 per cent of us eat more than this amount. Simply by switching to a potassium salt, herb salt or low-sodium salt and avoiding processed foods (high in salt), you'll greatly decrease your risk of high blood pressure, a condition that's particularly important to avoid during pregnancy.

Are you getting enough calcium?

Calcium helps build a baby's bones and teeth and maintain the mum's bones. It's important in nerve transmission and muscle contraction and has been shown to prevent pregnancy-induced high blood pressure and hypertensive disorders. Best sources: Low-fat milk, sardines, natural yogurt, dark green leafy veg, tofu, cheese, almonds.

Daily requirement: A mum-to-be should be having 1,200mg of calcium per day. This is the equivalent of 100g of Cheddar cheese, plus a small pot of natural yogurt and a handful of almonds.

By Victoria Greaves, nutritionist