UofT Nutrizine Skip to content UofT Nutrizine Menu Nutrizine Meet the Team Maternal Infant Nutrition Eat-TEEN Portfolio Diet Welcome Wall 2024 Events and DNS Activities Wellness Resources Contact Us Scroll down to content Nutrizine is produced by graduate students within the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto. Views expressed here do not necessarily represent that of the Department of Nutritional Sciences or the University of Toronto. In our last issue, we explored Local, Functional Foods, delving into how locally sourced foods impact our health and the environment. From berries and oats to recipes crafted by Chef Amy Symington, we celebrated the best of what Canadian lands offer. This time, our focus shifts to dietary patterns across the life cycle. Nutrition changes at every stage of life, and in this issue, we highlight how specific dietary approaches support well-being through various life stages. Our three feature articles take you on a journey from maternal and infant nutrition, where the building blocks for lifelong health are established, to the critical importance of adolescent nutrition, and finally, to the Portfolio Diet and its role in managing cholesterol. Beyond our feature articles, we are excited to welcome new faculty members to the Department of Nutritional Sciences through our Welcome Wall, introducing fresh perspectives and expertise to our community. The NSGSA has also provided a recap of the many exciting events and initiatives from the 2023 and 2024 academic years, including conferences, workshops, and social gatherings that brought our community closer together. As always, we extend our heartfelt thanks to our contributors and to you, our readers, for your continued support of this graduate student-led magazine. We hope this issue inspires you to think about the pivotal role of nutrition at every stage of life. Your Nutrizine Editors, Michelle Nguyen, Katherine Pullella and Tara Zeitoun MEET THE TEAM EVENTS The Nutritional Sciences Graduate Students’ Association (NSGSA) aims to represent the Department of Nutritional Sciences (DNS) graduate student body by supporting and engaging students at the community level. These are some of the events that happened in the DNS in university and 2023 and 2024. 2023 CNS Thematic Conference Mentorship in Action: Proposal Presentation Workshop Recap Science Communication 101 Ping-Pong Night Nutrition Month 2023 CNS Annual Conference 2023 2023 Saturday Program 2022-23 Mentorship Year End Event Pre-Seminar Socials 2023 Science Rendezvous NSGSA 2023-2024 Year in Review RESOURCES Maternal Infant Nutrition Navigating a Changing Time for Women: Maternal and Infant Nutrition By: Larissa Chomka Maternal nutrition during pregnancy is a critical period of dietary changes for mothers, with significant impacts on infant health. As more individuals plan for parenthood, nutrition becomes a key focus. In this article, we revisit the essential nutrients for maternal health during and after pregnancy and explore how both macronutrients and micronutrients influence infant development. Pregnancy can be an exciting and transformative experience for mothers who must adjust to the changes in their bodies. In the current environment, nutrition and health information are widely available to the public and clinicians to prepare expecting mothers for significant changes. In developed countries like Canada, issues around under and over-nourishment during pregnancy have been linked to child obesity. Maternal undernutrition during pregnancy may restrict growth in the fetus and, later in life, a tendency for higher caloric intake and risk of developing insulin resistance, diabetes, and obesity 1. Maternal diets high in sugar and saturated fat, however, can lead to an increased incidence of metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease later in life 2. A balanced diet is promoted by clinicians and is a goal many parents today strive for.  Caloric recommendations vary in each trimester. In the first trimester, the total energy expenditure (EER) changes very little compared to nonpregnant women 3. The second and third trimesters require an additional 350 and 450 kcal/day as the fetus grows. Similarly, Canada’s Food Guide recommends an additional 2-3 food servings daily 3,4. These food servings and calories can come from something as small as having an extra fruit and yogurt as a snack in addition to your regular meals or an extra toast for breakfast with a glass of milk. Pregnancy comes with various body changes, which can include unexpected food cravings! Along with the changes in hormones during pregnancy, women may have a higher sensitivity to odours, smells, and tastes, which may result in changes in food preferences. Foods and beverages that tend to be avoided include coffee, caffeinated drinks, alcohol, meat, fish, poultry, eggs, highly seasoned foods, or fried foods.  Alcohol intake reduces blood flow to the placenta and decreases the nutrient and oxygen delivery to the fetus3. It can lead to alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorders (ARND) and alcohol-related birth defects (ARBD).  Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) can result in facial deformities, growth retardation, and permanent brain damage. Thus, alcohol intake during pregnancy is widely discouraged by health professionals.   Fat intake does not need to increase during pregnancy, but linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids (ALA) (essential fatty acids) are recommended at higher levels because they are used by placental and fetal tissues. ALA is found in oils, nuts, and seeds, such as canola oil, flaxseeds, and walnuts. Human bodies can convert ALA into DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid. The best source of DHA is fatty fish, which can be consumed in small amounts. DHA is transferred from the mother to the placenta and helps in the development of the retina and brain in the infant. For vegetarians and vegans, sources of DHA include fortified food or DHA supplements derived from microalgae. On the other hand, fish is also a high-quality protein and a source of vitamin D, choline, selenium, iodine, zinc, iron and copper 5. Canada’s Food Guide recommends at least 150 g of cooked fish (2 servings) per week for women of childbearing age. Larger, carnivorous fish should be avoided due to the high methylmercury content, as it can be toxic to the central nervous system. This includes shark, white albacore tuna, swordfish, marlin, and escolar.  Outside of fat, two other macronutrients exist: protein and carbohydrates. The current Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for protein increases during pregnancy for the formation and growth of new cells3. During the  2nd or 3rd trimester, an additional 25 g of protein per day (~1.1 g/kg/day) is recommended. On the other hand, carbohydrate intake increases by 45 g during pregnancy! Typically, women consume above this amount, meaning they do not need to consciously think of increasing their carbohydrate intake. Micronutrients are vital to the development of the fetus and for the mother’s health as she gains more tissue. Calcium and vitamin D are needed for the growth and development of bone and connective tissue. The fetus retains ~30 g of calcium during gestation, with most of the calcium deposited in the last trimester when the fetal skeleton grows most rapidly and teeth are forming. Calcium is absorbed more readily, likely due to the rise in estrogen and active vitamin D concentration in the blood. The RDA for calcium for pregnant women (19+) is 1000 mg/day, 3-4 servings of milk or alternatives daily. Besides consuming dairy, a rich calcium source, this mineral is also found in calcium-rich vegetables, fish with bones, and calcium-fortified foods like soy milk. Regarding vitamin D, sunlight can provide enough of this vital nutrient to meet the needs of pregnant women. However, in locations where vitamin D is not adequate, particularly in the north, such as Canada, vitamin D deficiencies are more likely, and supplementation is required. So get the sunshine if you can!  The folate, vitamin B12, B6, zinc, and iron requirements increase during pregnancy for cell formation and protein synthesis. If folate is deficient during conception and levels do not increase within the first few weeks, there is an increased risk of neural tube defects (NTDs). This is because the neural tube is formed and closed in early development often before the mother may know of her pregnancy. Recommendations from the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC) and Health Canada recommend that women who could become pregnant or who are planning to become pregnant consume a multivitamin with at least 400 µg/day of folate. With moderate-risk and high-risk pregnancies, this dose increases to 1000 µg/day and 4000 µg/day for 12 weeks gestation and decreases after the 12 weeks. Since Canada made folate fortification mandatory in white flour, cornmeal, and pasta in 1998, the prevalence of NTD-affected pregnancies decreased drastically. Natural sources include orange juice, legumes, leafy green vegetables, and organ meats. Another critical nutrient during pregnancy is iron, which is required to synthesize hemoglobin and other iron-containing proteins in maternal and fetal tissues. In the third trimester, the fetus builds iron stores from the mother. Red meats, poultry, and fish contain heme iron, a more readily absorbable form of iron. Most iron consumed through food sources is non-heme, including 60% iron in meat, poultry, eggs, legumes and leafy green vegetables6. Non-heme iron is less absorbable, depending heavily on what foods are eaten simultaneously. Polyphenols found in tea and coffee, phytates found in legumes, vegetables, unrefined grains, and calcium are iron inhibitors. However, vitamin C increases the absorption of iron. By adding citrus fruit to a salad, iron can be more easily absorbed. After pregnancy, dietary patterns also change for women. The WHO recommends exclusively breastfeeding for 6 months and introducing complementary foods along with continuing breastfeeding after 6 months 7. Colostrum is the first milk produced and secreted during the first few days of childbirth 3. This protein powerhouse includes immune factors that help protect the newborn baby from disease. Within a week, colostrum changes in composition to become mature milk. Many nutrients in human milk must come from diet; however, maternal fat stores can be used during pregnancy. Healthy infants receive 55% of their energy from fat during their first 6 months of life and 45% in their second 6 months of life 3. Comparing this to the 20-35% energy for fat recommended in an adult diet, you can see how much more it is for an infant! Human milk also contains the protein lactalbumin, which helps form a soft curd in the infant’s stomach, and the amino acid taurine for bile salt formation, brain, and eye health. The fat content in the breast milk gradually increases the longer the nursing is continued. There are many benefits to breastmilk, including the fact that lipids are more easily digested. Lactose, the primary carbohydrate, stimulates the growth of acid-producing bacteria and promotes calcium absorption. Half of the iron is absorbed from breast milk compared to food sources with less absorbable iron. Breastfeeding also helps the mother bond with her newborn! However, for mothers who cannot breastfeed, infant formulas are created to imitate human milk as much as possible.  Overall, dietary patterns change largely for mothers and their infants during this exciting time. If moms-to-be want to find out more information, there are many resources out there, including Health Canada sources.  References: 1. Marshall, N.E., Abrams, B., Barbour, L.A., Catalano, P., Christian, P., Friedman, J.E., Hay, W.W. Jr, Hernandez, T.L., Krebs, N.F., Oken, E., Purnell, J.Q., Roberts, J.M., Soltani, H., Wallace, J., Thornburg, K.L. (2022). The importance of nutriti…