Conference turris::cooks

    See note 1051 for some tips on lowering your sodium intake.
    
    Good luck!
    
    J.
    

    Cooking in iron pans is supposed to increase iron in food.  I like
    using an iron dutch oven (covered) for simmering stews and pot roast,
    and iron frying pans.  Available at minimal cost from Ames-type stores.

  If you're concerned about iron in your diet during pregnancy (and you
  should be), it can't hurt to use cast-iron cookware, but don't rely on
  that alone to provide the iron you need. I know .-1 didn't mean that,
  and you're probably already taking a vitamin supplement, but you never
  know who's reading these notesfiles :-).

    Hi,
    
    I'm also in my 5th month of pregnancy.  I saw a nutritionalist last
    week and she offered me the following suggestions.
    
    Eat red meat and make sure you also eat foods that are high in vitamin
    C (broccoli, oranges, etc......).  The vitamin C will help activate
    the iron in the meat.  Also, liver is a good source of iron, although
    extremly high in calories.
    
    If you're trying to avoid salt, start reading the sodium content
    on the packaged foods you eat and avoid any that are high.  (You'd
    be surprised to know how much sodium English muffins contain!)
    
    I found that switching to Polar brand diet soda instead of my usual
    Diet Coke, I don't swell hardly as much as I did in the beginning of
    my pregnancy.
    
    The following is a chart that my nutritionist gave me, I hope it
    helps:
    
    MILK ... for calcium, protein, and riboflavin
    
    Calcium Equivalents
    
    1 cup milk =	1 cup bettermilk or skim milk
    			1 cup yogurt
    			1 1/2 slices (1 1/2 ounces) cheddar-type cheese
    			4 ounces canned salmon (including bones) (YUK!!!)
    			1 cup custard or milk pudding
    			1 cup turnip greens, kale, mustard greens, collards
    			1 3/4 cups ice cream
    			2 cups cottage cheese
    			3 cups cooked, dried beans
    
    MEAT, POULTRY, FISH ... for protein, iron, and B vitamins
    
    Protein equivalents
    
    3 oz. meat loaf
    2 oz. tuna
    2 eggs
    2 slices (2 oz.) cheddar-type cheese
    1 cup cooked dried beans, dried peas, or lentils
    1 cup macaroni and cheese
    3/4 cup chili con carne with beans
    1/2 cup cottage cheese
    1/3 cup peanuts
    4 T peanut butter
    1/4 cheese pizza (14 inch)
    
    FUIT AND VEGATABLES ... for vitamins A and C.
    
    BEST SOURCES		OTHER GOOD SOURCES
    
                  VITAMIN A
    
    Cantaloupe			Apricots
    Carrots			Broccoli
    Greens			Tomato
    Pumpkin			Watermelon
    Spinach			Winter Squash
    Sweet Potato
    
    		  VITAMIN C
    
    Broccoli			Coleslaw
    Cantaloupe			Green pepper
    Grapefruit			Tangerine
    Greens			Tomato
    Orange			Tomato Juice
    Orange juice		Watermelon
    Strawberries
    
    GRAIN ... for B vitamins, carbohydrate, and iron.
    
    Count as one serving
    
    1 slice bread or bread roll		1 corn tortilla
    1 cup ready-to-eat cereal           1/2 frankfurter bun	
    6 round, thin crackers              1 small muffin
    1/2 hamburger bun			1 bagel
    2 1/2 inch wedge pizza crust	6 medium pretzels, or 20 thin
    1 cup popped popcorn		   sticks
    5 saltine crackers			1/2 cup cooked ceareal, cornmeal,
    2 graham crackers			  grits, macaroni, noodles,
    					  rice or spaghetti
    
    RECOMMENDED DAILY SERVINGS
    
    Milk (cups) - 4
    Meat - 3
    Fruit-Vegatable - 4
    Grain - 4
    
    Let us know how you do!
    
    Lori B.