Pregnancy is tiring enough without all the stress and confusion over what you can eat and what you should avoid.

Ask friends for advice and you are likely to get a depressing list of dos and don'ts: cut out alcohol, French cheeses and anything tasty. Eat spinach, prunes and "healthy food" instead.

The reality, thank goodness, isn't that bad. There are a couple of foods to watch out for, but mums-to-be can still enjoy most of their favourite dishes. There is also no need to force yourself to eat spinach or other things you hate, just because you're told they are "good for the baby".

And for chocolate lovers, the news is even better: you are encouraged to indulge.

When it comes to what not to eat, there are certain no-nos such as raw eggs, but most foods can still be enjoyed provided a few precautions are taken.

Cheeses such as Stilton and Brie, are normally off the menu because of the risk of listeria, but they are safe if cooked. That means deep-fried Brie or "quattro formagio" pizzas are fine. Mayonnaise is all right provided it is from a jar, rather than home-made, and tuna is safe as long as you don't have more than four cans a week.

Anyone who hates spinach, but feels obliged to eat it to boost iron levels, can stop now. Meat, fish and cereals with added iron are much better for this. Despite the popular myth, Popeye's favourite food isn't really good for increasing iron levels.

In fact, there is no need to force yourself to eat any particular food during pregnancy, whether it's spinach, fish or milk, simply for the baby. There are plenty of ways to ensure your little one gets the best start in life – finding out about sources of nutrients like iron and calcium.

Then there is chocolate. Hard though it may be to believe, scientists have found it may actually be good for you and your baby. Women who eat chocolate at least five times a week during pregnancy are 40 per cent less likely to develop pre-eclampsia, a serious complication involving soaring blood pressure, according to researchers at Yale. Other studies have shown that regular chocolate eaters produce babies who smile and laugh more.

The reasons aren't yet fully understood, but cocoa contains several biologically active chemicals that may be responsible.

Whatever the explanation, most women are happy enough to go along with it – for the good of the baby of course. But before buying up the entire contents of Thornton's, remember that chocolate also contains caffeine, sugar and fat, which are not so good for you, or the baby. So it is probably best to limit yourself to a little bit of what you fancy.

Knowing what to eat, and when, can help treat pregnancy problems such as heartburn, constipation and piles. For morning sickness, eating little and often or snacking on ginger biscuits can be very effective.

Pregnant women do need to take a couple of extra precautions regarding food hygiene.

You are more likely to get food poisoning because your immune system is weakened. So make sure you wash your hands before eating, and avoid certain high risk foods.

n Rana Conway is a public health nutritionist. Her book What to Eat When You're Pregnant is published by Prentice Hall Life (£6.99).

To order a copy from the Yorkshire Post Bookshop, call free on 0800 0153232 or go online at www.yorkshirepostbookshop.co.uk. Postage and packing is £2.75.


On the menu

A variety of fruit and veg – aim for five-a-day

Plenty of starchy foods such as wholemeal bread, pasta and potatoes

Protein foods such as lean meat, fish, eggs, beans and lentils

Dairy foods including milk, yogurt and cheese

Iron-rich foods such as meat, fish and fortified cereals

Good sources of folic acid like oranges, broccoli and fortified cereals

Oily fish (salmon, trout, sardines etc.) – one or two portions a week.


Off the menu

Blue-veined cheeses (e.g. Stilton) and mould-ripened cheeses (e.g. Brie)

Unpasteurised milk

Liver and liver products

Raw or partially cooked eggs

Raw or undercooked meat, including cured meats and salami

Pâtés including vegetable pâté

Shark, swordfish and marlin

Alcohol (Government advice is to avoid alcohol but if you do drink, limit it to one or two units once or twice a week).