Rebecca Smith
What Are Foods To Eat During Pregnancy – Healthy eating during pregnancy is very important for both mother and baby, because what a woman eats during pregnancy is the main source of nutrition for the baby. Experts recommend that a pregnant woman’s diet should include healthy foods and drinks to provide essential nutrients for the growth and development of the baby.
In this article, Dr. Deepika Agarwal, Chief Gynecologist at CK Birla Hospital, Gurgaon, discusses healthy pregnancy eating, including what pregnant women should eat, what to avoid and why.
What Are Foods To Eat During Pregnancy
There are no fancy recipes for a healthy pregnancy diet. The basic principles of a healthy pregnancy diet remain the same: Eat lots of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats. However, there are some nutrients in the diet during pregnancy that deserve special attention.
Top 5 Foods For Pregnancy
Pregnant women tend to get a lot of advice about what to do and what not to do from a variety of sources including family, friends and the internet. Some moms-to-be think they have to feed for two, but that’s not the case. Quality is more important than quantity. So rather than eating a lot of unhealthy foods, the key is to focus on healthy foods to ensure you and your baby are getting all the nutrients they need.
Starch is a good source of vitamins and fiber. They will help fill you up without a lot of calories. Carbohydrates are macronutrients that your body uses as a source of energy for your muscles and organs, such as your heart, lungs and brain.
Rich sources include vegetables (sweet potatoes, corn, and yams), bread, pasta, rice, and fruit. Low-carb foods include milk, yogurt, and nuts.
Protein is very important for the development of the baby during pregnancy. Eat at least three to four servings per day. Healthy sources of animal protein include fish, lean meat, chicken and eggs. All pregnant women, especially vegetarians, should consider the following foods as good sources of protein:
Pregnancy Series: Dietitian’s Top Foods For Pregnancy
You need to consume calcium every day. Pregnant women need about 1 gram of calcium per day. Calcium deficiency during pregnancy can affect bone metabolism or can affect fetal development.
Dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt are rich in calcium. Some foods rich in calcium include soy milk, soybeans, bok choy, bok choy, broccoli, okra, red beans, mustard greens, kale, and soybeans.
Whole-grain products such as whole-grain bread, whole-grain rice and pasta, fruits and vegetables, and legumes such as chickpeas and lentils are all rich in fiber. Constipation is common in women during pregnancy. Therefore, consuming a lot of fiber can effectively reduce the risk. Getting enough fiber during pregnancy can reduce the risk or severity of hemorrhoids.
During pregnancy, healthy fats are essential for your baby’s brain and eye development. Nuts, avocados and vegetable oils (including sunflower, corn, soybean and olive oil) are good sources of healthy fats.
Th Month Pregnancy Diet
Certain fish, such as salmon, tuna, herring and trout, contain high-quality fats. Fat is very high in calories, and eating too much of it or eating too much of it can lead to obesity.
During pregnancy, consuming 40-90 grams of fat per day is enough to maintain a healthy diet. Eating too much saturated fat can raise blood cholesterol levels.
Zinc is an essential element for the human body. It is useful for growth and development, cell integrity, and various biological functions such as protein synthesis and DNA metabolism.
Therefore, zinc is very important for child development. The best sources of zinc are chicken, turkey, beans, peanut butter, beans, pork, shrimp, crab, oysters, red meat, fish, dairy products, sunflower seeds, ginger, onions, bran, malt, rice, pasta , cereals, eggs, lentils and tofu.
The Foods To Avoid When You’re Pregnant
Your body uses iron to make hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to your tissues. During pregnancy, you need twice as much iron as usual. Low iron levels in the first and second trimesters can cause iron deficiency anemia and increase the risk of low birth weight and other pregnancy complications.
It can be difficult to meet your iron needs from food alone, especially if you are vegetarian or vegan. Non-vegetarians can eat lean red meat to increase the iron content of their diet. For vegetarians, dark green leafy vegetables like spinach and dried fruits like raisins and apricots are good choices.
Folic acid (a B vitamin) helps prevent neural tube defects and malformations of the brain and spinal cord. Supplementation with folic acid may reduce the risk of preterm birth. Folic acid is very important for the fetus, especially during the first trimester of pregnancy. Taking folic acid in supplement form may not be enough.
Vitamin supplements may be needed to complete the recommended daily dose. For women planning a pregnancy, international guidelines recommend adding 400 micrograms of folic acid to the diet in the form of a multivitamin supplement before conception and 600 micrograms of folic acid per day during pregnancy.
Best Foods To Eat During Pregnancy
You can find folate in broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green leafy vegetables (such as cabbage, kale, spring greens and spinach), peas, beans and chickpeas.
Watch the video where one of the top OB-GYNs explains the importance of folic acid during pregnancy:
Even with a healthy diet, you may be missing out on some important nutrients. Taking a daily prenatal vitamin (ideally at least three months before conception) can fill any nutritional gaps in your body.
If you are a vegetarian or have a chronic medical condition, your doctor may recommend specific nutritional supplements. Consult your doctor if you wish to take any herbal supplements during pregnancy.
Best Foods To Eat While Pregnant
Vegetables and fruits are packed with nutrients. Adding a variety of these foods to your diet will likely provide you and your baby with most of the vitamins, minerals and fiber you need. Eating fruits and vegetables can also help prevent constipation, a common symptom during pregnancy.
Most of the nutrients a person needs can be found in eggs. Eggs are rich in high-quality protein and fat, which are very important for pregnant women. It is one of the few sources that provides choline, which is important for brain and heart development.
When choline intake is insufficient, neural tube defects and lack of proper brain function can occur. Therefore, it is best to include 1-2 eggs per day, at least 4 times a week, in your diet.
Kale, spinach, broccoli and other green leafy vegetables contain good amounts of vitamins A, C, K, iron, folate, calcium and potassium. The antioxidants and plant compounds in leafy greens help prevent anemia and boost the immune system. It also helps reduce the chances of low birth weight. Eating one of these foods every day is a good choice.
Best Foods To Eat During Pregnancy
Babies in the womb need a lot of protein and calcium. Dairy products can provide the required amount of protein in the form of whey and casein. This product is also rich in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and zinc.
Consuming dairy products can also meet your B vitamin needs. Pregnant women can eat yogurt, which also helps maintain a healthy digestive system. If you have access to probiotic yogurt, it can be a great way to keep your digestive system healthy during pregnancy.
Vegans can find all the protein, iron, folate and calcium in nuts. Plant-based foods such as chickpeas, soybeans, peanuts and chickpeas can ensure that pregnant women get enough vitamin B9 or folic acid.
This vitamin is necessary to ensure low birth weight and get rid of neural tube defects. It is recommended to choose from these different options at one meal per day, 4 times per week.
High Fiber Foods To Keep Constipation At Bay In Pregnancy
Salmon is high in omega-3 fatty acids, making it an important food for pregnant women. Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA are very important during pregnancy.
It plays an important role in the development of your baby’s brain and eyes. Salmon is also one of the few natural sources of vitamin D. Include oily fish in your diet 3 times a week.
Whole grains contain lots of fiber, vitamins and protein. Calorie needs are high from the fourth month of pregnancy onwards, and whole grains like oats and quinoa help meet those needs.
During pregnancy, especially in the third trimester, more iron is required in the diet. Iron is essential for delivering oxygen to cells. Iron deficiency can cause severe anemia, premature birth and low birth weight. Lean meats, including beef and pork, are especially important during pregnancy.
How To Eat Well In Pregnancy
Berries are rich in vitamin C, fiber and good carbohydrates. Vitamin C is necessary for iron absorption, and a vitamin C deficiency can mean that the iron you get from your diet may not be absorbed by your body, so it can be lost. These berries are also low on the glycemic index, making them great for pregnant women worried about spikes in their blood sugar levels.
The unsaturated fatty acids needed for prenatal care can be obtained by including avocados in your diet. Avocados also contain essential B vitamins, vitamins K, E and C. This fruit can relieve stomach ulcers that occur during pregnancy.
All kinds of dry fruits