Nutrition & Diet For Pregnant Women: Best Food To Eat During Pregnancy
Having a healthy diet for pregnant women is essential. Optimum nutrition can help develop the health of a pregnant women and the health of her baby.
If you’re pregnant or planning a pregnancy, healthy eating is especially vital to increase the physical demands of pregnancy and help the fetus develop. A healthy pregnancy diet is the main source of nutrition for both mother and baby. What a woman eats and drinks during pregnancy will ensure that it provides her baby with essential nutrients for growth and development.
Nutrition during pregnancy is more important than any other time in life.
A balanced diet and eating well can help in the right, safe and healthy pregnancy and weight gain. So here’s what to eat while pregnant — and why.
Here are super nutritious foods to eat during pregnancy to help make sure you’re hitting nutrient goals.
Best Diet For Pregnant Women Daily
As important as this time is for a woman, it is very important to keep in mind at this time what to do and what not to do, which pregnancy diet to follow, and what not to eat.
During pregnancy, many hormonal changes take place in a woman’s body which is visible in the woman in the form of mood swings, appetite and affects the body’s metabolism. Most women have to face the problem of nausea quite often during pregnancy, which affects their diet and health. Therefore, it is necessary that the food contains iron, calcium, folic acid, and vitamins.
Follow the diet mentioned here to eat foods when you are pregnant that are high in nutrition and also help in keeping you energized throughout the day. Let’s have a look at a good diet for pregnant women.
Nutrition During Pregnancy
Healthy eating will provide you with essential nutrients that will strengthen your body and your immune system, and increase your metabolism. Before you follow a definite diet plan for pregnancy, be sure to consult your gynecologist. Also, while following any diet plan, keep these things in mind:
- Keep yourself hydrated during the day and drink as much water or juice as you can at short intervals.
- Eat foods made from whole grains like roti, chapati and noodles.
- Consume fresh fruits and vegetables during the day.
- To avoid the possibility of gestational diabetes, reduce the consumption of sugar and sweet foods during pregnancy.
- Avoid drinking alcohol, packaged juices, and fatty foods
- In addition to eating healthy, be sure to take essential supplements for iron, calcium, folic acid and vitamins as recommended by your doctor. These help in avoiding the possibility of neural tube defects affecting the baby and aid in the development of his brain and other organs.
Foods to Eat During Pregnancy
Weight gain during pregnancy is another cause for concern, a healthy weight can be achieved by following nutrition-rich foods.
Dairy Products
These include curd, buttermilk, and paneer. These foods are rich in calcium, protein, and vitamin B12. Such alternatives, which are less fat and sweet, are more healthy. If you have lactose intolerance, talk to your doctor about what you should be eating.
Green leafy vegetables
It is very important for you to stay healthy during pregnancy. Many things have to be taken care of to keep the baby growing in the womb healthy. During this, your body needs vitamins, proteins, and fats in large quantities, so you should include green leafy vegetables like spinach, cabbage, and broccoli in your diet.
The iron element present in spinach removes anemia in pregnancy. Apart from this, you should also eat beans and turnips. They are high in fiber, protein, iron, and calcium, which you need especially.
Whole grains
Pregnant women should include whole grains in their diet. As your baby begins to develop, he needs nutrients, for which your body starts making more blood. Consuming whole grains is very important to stay healthy.
It is common to have problems with gas and constipation during pregnancy, but if you include whole grains in your diet, then they also help to a great extent in removing your gas and constipation.
Sweet potato
Sweet potatoes are very rich in beta-carotene, a plant compound that converts to vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is essential for growth, as well as for the differentiation of most cells and tissues. It is very important for healthy fetal development. Sweet potatoes provide an excellent alternative to animal-based sources of vitamin A.
In addition, sweet potatoes contain fiber, which can increase fullness, reduce blood sugar levels and improve digestive health and motility.
Dry fruits
Dry fruits are generally high in calories, fiber, and various vitamins and minerals. By eating them, you can get a good intake of vitamins and minerals, including folate, iron, and potassium. Also, some dry fruits are rich in fiber, potassium, and vitamin K. Like dates and almonds. You can use dry fruits to quell food cravings in pregnancy.
legumes
This group of food includes lentils, peas, beans, chickpeas, soybeans, and peanuts. Legumes are excellent plant-based sources of fiber, protein, iron, folate (B9), and calcium. Beans are also a good source of iron, calcium, and zinc. It can reduce the risk of diseases like neural tube defects and low birth weight.
Eggs
Eggs are the supreme health food, as they contain a little bit of almost every nutrient you need. In addition to more than 10 vitamins and minerals, eggs contain good quality protein. Eggs are also rich in choline, which promotes your baby’s overall development and brain health while helping to prevent neural tube defects. Healthy women with normal blood cholesterol can consume one to two eggs per day.
Lean meat
Beef, pork, and chicken are excellent sources of high-quality protein. In addition, beef and pork are rich in iron, choline, and other B-vitamins.
Eating red meat regularly can help increase the amount of iron you get from the diet. In addition, foods that are rich in vitamin C, such as oranges or bell peppers, may help increase the absorption of iron from food.
Drink more water
In fact, during pregnancy, it is very important to stay hydrated because during this time blood volume increases by about 45 percent. Your body also keeps your baby hydrated, so it is important that expectant mothers drink plenty of water. Apart from this, sometimes symptoms of mild dehydration are also felt in pregnancy, such as
- Headache
- Worry
- Tiredness
- Mood swings
- Constipation
Increasing water intake can help relieve constipation and reduce your risk of urinary tract infections, which are common during pregnancy. Pregnant women should consume more water daily than before. Keep in mind that you can get water from other foods and beverages as well, so you can consume them as well. Such as fruits, vegetables, coffee and tea.
How many times should eat food during pregnancy?
You may find that your appetite fluctuates during pregnancy.
In the first few weeks of pregnancy, your appetite may decrease significantly. You may not feel like eating properly, especially if you have nausea or vomiting.
In the middle of pregnancy, your appetite may be the same as it was before pregnancy, or it may increase slightly. You may start to feel more hungry towards the end of your pregnancy.
Even if you are not feeling hungry, your baby may be hungry, so try to keep eating something at regular intervals. Try to have three meals a day and snacks in between if you feel hungry.
If you find it difficult to eat because of nausea, aversion to food, acidity, heartburn, or indigestion, eat small amounts but from time to time. This will probably be right for your body.
Eating foods high in fiber and whole grains will keep you full and are nutritious.
Conclusion
During pregnancy choose a diet plan that provides the best nutrients for you and your baby. Also make sure that you consult your gynecologist or dietician before following any specific diet, so that you have a healthy pregnancy and your baby is born healthy too.