Not only are pumpkin seeds safe to eat during pregnancy, but they also contain many of the most important nutrients for prenatal development. Add pumpkin seeds to salads, breads, parfaits and smoothies, or eat them on their own for a healthy snack. As noted in "The Ultimate Pregnancy Guide for Expectant Mothers,"

All of the B-vitamins are necessary for your body to function properly, as they play a vital role in making fuel out of food. Vitamin B-12 is crucial to the manufacture of DNA and RNA, which are the body’s building blocks, and in maintaining the health of your nervous system.

Late-night snacking doesn’t necessarily lead to putting on unwanted pounds. Since your body loses vitamins while you sleep, eating a nutritious snack before bedtime is actually good for you. The key is to avoid unhealthy snacking and eat foods that are rich in essential nutrients.

Eating a handful of any type of nut provides a boost of fiber, nutrients and heart-healthy unsaturated fats. But almonds have a slight edge over many other tree nuts. They contain more protein, fiber, calcium and vitamin E than seven other widely consumed tree nuts, according to the University of Michigan.

Calcium carbonate is most often found in dietary supplements. In fact, it’s one of the most common forms of supplemental calcium taken today. But calcium carbonate is also used as a food additive in many commercial goods. It helps reduce the acidity of certain foods and can act as an anticaking agent in others.

L-lysine is one of the essential amino acids – your body can’t manufacture it so you must get it from dietary sources. L-lysine is used in the manufacture of collagen, the protein substance that forms connective tissue such as tendons and cartilage.

Unlike other types of frozen meat, fish steaks can be removed from the freezer and steamed without being thawed first. Fish steaks respond well to steaming because the moist-heat cooking method helps keep the steaks moist.

Elevated potassium in the bloodstream is called hyperkalemia. Increased serum potassium can result from many different conditions, such as renal or respiratory dysfunction, diabetes, bradycardia, inadequate adrenal cortex function or metabolic acidosis.

Steaming foods involves cooking them with the steam produced when the item is enclosed in a heated container. Cod is a firm, white fish that holds up well to steaming and pairs well with many flavors.

The difference between good beef and great beef is sometimes due to the qualities of the animal itself. More often, however, the difference is because of how that beef is handled after slaughter. Most modern beef is wet-aged, an economical and cost-effective process.

The average American consumes about 3.5 ounces of seafood per week, reports the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This is only 50 percent of the amount of fish the American Heart Association recommends healthy adults should eat weekly to lower the risk of heart disease and high blood cholesterol.

Red beans are favored by many Southwestern, Caribbean and Cajun cooks for their firmness and smooth texture. Red beans are a good source of soluble dietary fiber and are high in protein. Like most hard dried beans, red beans need to be soaked for several hours before cooking.