Prenatal Nutrition - Vitamins

Vitamins

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is a group of fat-soluble unsaturated organic compounds, includes retinoids ( retinol, retinal, retinoic acid, retinyl esters ), carotenoids (α-carotene, β-carotene, γ-carotene, δ-carotene, ε-carotene, ζ-carotnee ) and xanthophylls ( astaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, canthaxanthin, fucoxanthin, lutein, neoxanthin, violaxanthin, zeaxanthin )

functions : regulate gene expression, cellular proliferation and differentiation, growth and development, vision and immunity.

deficiency :

1. maternal decrease immunity, anaemia, xerophthalmia

Toxicity :  birth defects, hypervitominosis A     

Daily requirement :  770µg  (prenatal), 1300 µg (lactation), 700 µg (normal)

Source: fruits, leafy vegetables, dairy products, seaweed, poultry

Superfood : cod liver oil, sweet potato, liver, spinach, carrot

Folate (B9)

IUPAC name : (2S)-2-[(4-{[(2-amino-4-hydroxypteridin-6-yl) methyl] amino} phenyl) formamido] pentanedioic acid

Other names : vitamin B9, vitamin M, vitamin Bc

Absorbable form : L-5-Methyl Tetrahydrofolate (L-5-MTHF)

Functions : cell division and growth

Deficiency :

1. congenital malformations - neural tube defects, heart defects, cleft lips, limb defects, urinary tract anomalies, etc

2. preterm delivery

3. infant low birth weight

4. fetal growth retardation

5. increased homocysteine level in blood, which lead to spontaneous abortion, placental abruption, preeclampsia

Daily requirement : 600 µg (prenatal), 500µg (lactation), 400µg (normal)

Source: leafy vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, peas, dairy products, poultry, meat , eggs, seafood, grains, etc.

Superfood : broccoli, spinach, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, liver, yeast

Avoid : Folic Acid, pteroyl-L-glutamic acid (PGA), pteroyl-L-glutamate

Vitamin C

IUPAC name : 2-Oxo-L-threo-hexono-1,4-lactone-2,3-enediol

Other names : L-ascorbic acid

functions : tissue repair, would healing, bone growth, healthy skin, body immunity.

deficiency :

1. impaired fetal brain development

Daily requirement :  85mg (prenatal), 120mg (lactation), 75mg (normal)

Source: citrus fruits, leafy vegetables

Superfood : papaya, bell peppers, guava, oranges, kiwi, broccoli

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble secosteroids, including D3 ( cholecalciferol ) and D2 ( ergocalciferol ).

functions : regulates the amount of calcium, phosphate, iron, magnesium, zinc in the body

deficiency :

1. gestational diabetes

2. pre-eclampsia

3. infant low birth weight

4. rickets in infant

Daily requirement :  15µg (prenatal), 15µg (lactation), 15µg (normal)

Source: oily fish, eggs, meat, sunlight

Superfood : salmon, cod liver oil

Prenatal Nutrition - Minerals

Iron

Mineral name : Ferum (Fe)

Absorbable form : ferrous fumarate (32.6%), ferrous gluconate (18.46%), ferrous sulfate (11.33%)

Functions : formation of hemoglobin, myoglobin, leghemoglobin

Deficiency :

1. anemia

2. preterm delivery

3. infant low birth weight

4. inferior neonatal health

5. poor congenital motor and mental development

Daily requirement :  360mg (prenatal), 320mg (lactation), 320mg (normal)

Source: red meat, lentils, beans, poultry, fish, leafy vegetables,

Superfood : liver, kidney, clams & oysters, octopus,  pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate

Absorbtion enhanced by : before meal, Vitamin C

Absorbtion interfered by : Calcium, coffee, tea

Side effects : constipation, nausea, sickness, diarrhea, heartburn

Calcium

Mineral name : Calcium (Ca)

Absorbable form : Calcium carbonate (40%), tricalcium phosphate (39%), dicalcium phosphate (29%), calcium citrate (24%), calcium lactate (18%), monocalcium phosphate (17%), calcium gluconate (9%)

Functions : fetal muscle, heart, nerves, bone and teeth development

Deficiency :

1. maternal risk of osteoporosis

2. pre-eclampsia

Daily requirement :  1000mg (prenatal), 1000mg (lactation), 1200mg (normal)

Source: Seaweeds, nuts, beans, leafy vegetables, dairy products, fruits

Superfood : anchovies, sardines, fig, tofu, cheese, milk

Absorbtion enhanced by : vitamin D, intake of <600mg a="" at="" o:p="" time="">

Absorbtion interfered by : phosphorus, fat, protein, chocolate, coffee

Side effects : bloating, constipation

怀孕饮食忌宜 – 凤梨

凤梨 ( Ananas comosus )，又名黄莉、菠萝。属菠萝目(Bromeliaceae)，菠萝属(Ananas)。源自南美洲，17世纪传入中国。

中药

清·吴其浚撰《植物名实图考》

露兜子产广东，一名波罗，生山野间，实如萝卜，上生叶一簇，尖长深齿，味、色、香具佳，性熟，按岭南杂记，番荔支大如桃， 色青，皮如荔支壳而非壳料也；头上有叶一宗，擘开白穰黑子，味似波罗蜜，即此也。又名番娄子，形如兰，叶密长大，抽茎结子，其叶去皮存筋，即波罗麻布也。果熟金黄色，皮坚如鱼鳞状，去皮食肉，香甜无渣，六月熟。

1999《中华本草》

性味涩；甘；平。功能主治：解毒；止咳；止痢。主咳嗽；痢疾。

营养&药效

nutritiondata.self.com

凤梨含丰富的维生素C和 锰(manganese)。凤梨的凤梨酶( bromelain )有抗炎作用，常用在运动伤害、烧伤、关节炎、慢性筋脉区张 (venous insufficiency)、静脉炎(phlebitis)、潰瘍性大腸炎(ulcerative colitis)、鼻竇炎(sinusitis)、手术后复原疗助等。不过凤梨酶会导致一些副作用、如恶心、呕吐、腹泻、经血过多等。

Ongzi 的结论

1、凤梨酶有腹泻的副作用，孕妇慎食。

2、凤梨传入中国不久，本草中记载不多。

Glycemic Index (GI) & Glycemic Load (GL)

Glycemic index  ( GI ) is a measure of how quickly blood glucose levels rise after eating a particular type of food.   The GI estimates how much each gram of available carbohydrate in a food raises a person’s blood glucose level following consumption of the food, relative to consumption of pure glucose.  Glucose, has a GI of 100, as the defining standard for other foods.   

Foods with carbohydrates that break down quickly during digestion tend to have a high GI, while food with carbohydrate that break down more slowly have a lower GI.  Thus a high GI equates to a higher insulin demand.

GI was invented by Thomas Wolever and David Jenkins of the University of Toronto in 1981.  GL was created by researchers of Harvard University in 1997.

The amount of carbohydrate food consumed too has to be considered.  The glycemic load ( GL ) estimates how much carbohydrates in the food is in the food, and how much each gram of carbohydrate in the food raises blood glucose level.  GL is derived by multiply the food’s GI with food’s carbohydrate content and divided by 100.

GL =  [ GI x food’s carbohydrate (g) ] / 100

1 unit of GL approximates the effect of consuming 1 g of glucose.

Example : Watermelon

GI _(watermelon) = 72

100g watermelon has a 5g of carbohydrate and 98g of water.

GL _(watermelon) = ( 72 x 5 ) / 100 = 3.6

Classification

	GI	GL
High	> 70	> 20
Medium	56 - 69	11 - 19
Low	< 55	< 10

http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Glycemic_index_and_glycemic_load_for_100_foods.htm

Table of GI & GL Values

怀孕饮食忌宜 – 薏米

薏米 ( Coix lacryma-jobi  )，又名薏仁、苡仁，是属禾本科( Family : Poaceae )，薏仁屬 ( Genus : Coix )。原产于东亚地区，在中国分布广泛种植。

中药

东汉·佚名撰《神农本草经》

味甘微寒。

主筋急，拘挛不可屈伸，风湿痹，下气。久服轻身益气。其根下三虫，一名解蠡。生平泽及田野。

《名医》曰：一名屋菼，一名起实，一名赣，生真定，八月采实，采根无时。

案《说文》云：薏,薏苢，一曰英，赣，一曰薏苢；《广雅》云：赣，起实，目也，吴越春秋，鲧娶于有莘氏之女，名曰女嬉，年壮未孳，嬉于砥山，得薏苡而吞之，意若为人所感，因而妊孕，后汉书马援传，援在交趾，常饵薏苡实，用能轻身省欲以胜瘴，薏，俗作薏，非。

宋·苏顷等编撰《本草图经》

薏苡仁，生真定平泽及田野今所在有之。春生苗，茎高三、四尺；叶如黍；开红白花作穗子；五月、六月结实，青白色，形如珠子而稍长，故呼意珠子。小儿多以线穿如贯珠为戏。八月采实，采根无时。今人通以九月、十月采，用其实中人。古方大抵心肺药多用之。韦丹治肺痈，心胸甲错者，淳苦酒煮薏苡仁令浓，微温顿服之。肺有血当吐愈。《广济方》治冷气，薏苡仁饭粥法∶细舂其人，炊为饭，气味欲匀如麦饭乃佳，或煮粥亦好，自任无忌。根之入药者，葛洪治卒心腹烦满。又胸胁痛者，锉根浓煮汁，服三升乃定。今人多取叶为饮，香溢中空膈，甚胜其杂他药用者。张仲景治风湿身烦疼，日晡剧者，与麻黄杏仁薏苡仁汤。麻黄三两，杏仁三十枚，甘草、薏苡仁各一两，四物以水四升，煮取二升，分温再服。又治胸痹偏缓急者，薏苡仁附子散方，薏苡仁十五两，大附子十枚炮，二物杵末，每服方寸匕，日三。

明·李时珍著《本草纲目》

释名：解蠡、芑实、莘米、回回米、薏珠子。

气味：（仁、根）甘、微寒、无毒

主治：风湿身疼、水肿喘急、沙石热淋、消渴、肺痿咳嗽、痈疽不溃、虫牙痛、疝疾、黄疸、杀蛔虫、月经不通、牙齿风痛。

明·杜文燮撰《药鉴》

气微寒，味甘平，无毒。主筋急拘挛，风湿痹，除筋骨邪气不仁。肺痈脓血，干湿肺气。

丹溪曰，寒则筋急，热则筋缩，急因于坚强，缩因于短促，是热与寒未尝不挟湿而成，然外湿非内湿有以启之，亦不能成。至湿之病，或因酒面为多，而鱼肉继成之。若烧炙香辛坚硬之物，皆致湿之因也。孕妇所禁。

 清·张璐著《本经逢原》

薏苡甘寒，升少降多，能清脾湿，祛肺热及虚劳咳嗽。肺痿肺痈，虚火上乘，皆宜用。为下引又能利筋去湿，故《本经》治久风湿痹，拘急不可屈伸之病。盖治筋必取阳明，治湿必扶土气，其功专于利水，湿去则脾胃健，而筋骨利、痹愈，则拘挛退，而脚膝安矣。然痹湿须分寒热，盖寒则筋急，热则筋缓，大筋受热，弛纵则小，筋缩短而挛急不伸，故宜用此。若因寒筋急而痛者，不可用也。其治虚人小便不利，独用数两，水煎数沸服之即通。若津枯便秘，阴寒转筋及妊娠禁用，以其性专下泄也。取根捣汁，治蛔攻心痛。生根下三虫。又肺痈，以根汁冲无灰酒服，初起可消，已溃可敛，屡效。

清·叶桂撰《本草经解》

苡仁气微寒．禀天秋金之燥气．入手太阴肺经．味甘无毒．得地中平之土味．入足太阴脾经．气降味和．阴也．经云．湿热不攘．则大筋软短而拘挛．苡仁气微寒．清热利湿．所以主筋急拘挛不可屈伸也．久风．长久之风也．风淫则末疾．所以手足麻木而湿痹生焉．苡仁甘寒．其主之者．甘以行之．寒以清之也．微寒．禀秋金之燥气而益肺．肺气治则下行．故主下气．久服轻身益气者．湿行则脾健而身轻．金清则肺实而气益也．

2010《中华人民共和国药典》

性味：甘、淡，凉。

归经：归脾、胃、肺经。

功能主治：健脾渗湿，除痹止泻，清热排浓。用于水肿，脚气，小便不利，湿痹拘挛，脾虚泄泻，肺痈，肠痈；扁平疣。

营养&药效

薏米含丰富维生素B3 ( niacin )、B1、E，纤维，蛋白质，矿物质钼( molybdenum )、锰( manganese )、硒( selenium )、铜( copper )、铬( chromium )、磷( phosphorus) 、镁( mangnesium ) 。薏苡素( coixol )有镇静、降温解热、镇痛等作用。除此之外，薏米还有有防癌抗癌、促进新陈代谢、降低血糖、美白肌肤等作用。

薏米营养价值高，有誉为“世界禾本科植物之王”，在中国也有“天下第一米”的美誉。

Ongzi 的结论

1、孕妇禁吃薏米，本草确有记载，并非民间以讹传讹。

2、本草记载不一，甚至互相矛盾。

3、薏米营养价值高，是公认的养生食物。

Cotton Cloth Bag

Cotton cloth bag is essentially required for making soymilk.   The bag is best made of white cotton cloth, so that no pigments and other chemical shall contain the soymilk.

I had my cotton bag sew by a local tailor.  It is 20cm width by 40cm length, sew on 3 sides, and a 20cm-side left open. 

20cm x 40cm is just nice for squeezing soy puree, not too bulky to twist, and not too short to keep the puree from leaking out.

Whoever attempt to make their own homemade soymilk, must own at least a cotton cloth bag.   A fully mechanized soy-maker would not be able to produce soymilk as smooth as cloth-filtered version.    The various high-tech soy-makers in the market may come with made-in-filter, and built-in-heater to produce hand-clean, hassle=free and ready-to-drink soymilk, but the money paid is not worth for the bland and powdery-taste soymilk.