Pregnancy Healthy Diet- 8 Foods To Eat During Pregnancy

Pregnancy Diet - Healthy Diet during Pregnancy

Health is an important part to maintain a healthy lifestyle. But especially during pregnancy, it is vital to make healthy eating that keeps you healthy and healthy pregnancy means your baby get the essential nutrient that needs in the womb.

Fruits must include in your pregnancy diet, check out here fruits to eat during Pregnancy.

Must be sure about food preparation or cooked food safely. Remove soil from fruits and vegetables, wash properly and then cook properly. It prevents you from food poisoning and various type of infection such as toxoplasmosis caused by parasites, salmonella, campylobacter, and E. coli.

Not eating undercooked meat during pregnancy, may make you ill and also can harm your baby.

8 Foods That Eat During Pregnancy

Here is a list of nutritious foods you can eat during pregnancy to make healthy pregnancy- 

1. Aim to Drink Plenty of Water Every Day/ Fruit juice

 

Drinking-Water contains calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate, sodium, sulfate, chloride, and fluoride. It helps to form amniotic fluid, build new tissue, produce extra blood, carry nutrients, enhance digestion, and flush out wastes and toxins from the body.

Drinking water containing fluoride, which helps your growing baby teeth and develops a strong enamel layer.

 

During the pregnancy, you have to drink water more than the average person. Increasing water intake in your body also helps to relieve constipation and decreases your risk of urinary tract infections (UTI), which are common during pregnancy.

You get water in your body also from other foods and beverages, such as fruit, vegetables, tea, and coffee.

                                                

2. Dairy products - Skim milk

 

During pregnancy, you have to consume vitamin D, protein, and calcium to meet the needs of your growing womb nutrition.

 

Dairy products are excellent sources of calcium, protein, vitamin D, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, and other essential vitamins and minerals. 

 

Dairy products' nutrients are needed for your baby’s developing teeth, bones, muscles, heart, and nerves, and for blood clotting.

You can eat dairy products such as milk, and yogurt. Dairy products have two types of high-quality protein- casein and whey (mattha). You can choose reduced-fat varieties wherever possible.

Get here health and fitness updates on health tips for women.

 

3. Eating Fruits and Vegetables

 

Fruits and vegetables are filled with various types of nutrients. When you add a variety of fruits and vegetables into your diet, you will get most of the vitamins, minerals, and fibre that you need in the womb.

During pregnancy, constipation is a common symptom. Eating fruits and vegetables also helps prevent constipation during pregnancy.

 

You can eat fruits like apricots, oranges, mangoes, pears, pomegranates, avocados, guava, bananas, grapes, berries - the best berries to eat while pregnant such as blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, apples, and dried fruit.

You can include in diet vegetables such as broccoli and dark green vegetables such as spinach.

 

Health Benefits of Avocados

 

Avocados contain high content of nutritious healthy fats, folate, vitamin E, and potassium, consuming avocados during pregnancy is a great choice. Potassium may help relieve leg cramps during pregnancy. In fact, avocados contain more potassium-trusted sources than bananas. Avocados are a great choice during pregnancy.

Healthy fats help build the skin, brain, and tissues of your womb. Folate may help prevent neural tube defects (NTDs), developmental abnormalities of the brain and spine such as spina bifida (birth defect). 

 

Study shows that those women were a vitamin B12 deficiency in early pregnancy, to have a child with neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, compared to those pregnant women with high levels of vitamin B12 during pregnancy.

 

You must include in diet sources of vitamin K such as green leafy vegetables, broccoli, spinach, vegetable oils, and cereal grains during pregnancy for intake of vitamin K.

 

4. Starchy foods (Carbohydrates)

 

Carbohydrates are the main nutrients used as a source of energy in your diet. Starchy foods are an important source of vitamin B, calcium, iron, and fiber.

When carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars like glucose then energy has generated that powers the brain and body, which passes easily across the placenta and provides energy to support your growing baby during pregnancy.

 

To intake carbs, you can include in the diet-

 

1. Potatoes, breakfast cereals, rice, millet, oats, and cornmeal

2. Whole grains,  sweet potato,

3. Seeds like pumpkin seeds,

4. Nuts like Almonds, walnuts, peanuts,

5. Legumes such as Lentils, beans, peas,

6. Whole fruits- Apples, bananas, strawberries

7. Vegetables

 

Whole grains are packed with fiber, vitamins, and plant compounds. You can choose oats, quinoa, brown rice, wheat berries, and barley instead of white bread, pasta, and white rice.

 

5.  Protein containing food – Legumens

 

Salmon fish is rich in essential omega-3 fatty acids that have a host of benefits and It is also a natural source of vitamin D. Foods that contain protein help the baby grows in your womb.

 

Sources of Protein include -

 

1. Fish

 Avoid fish that is high in mercury such as:

Shark, flake, marlin, broadbill, swordfish

 

2. Poultry, eggs, red meat (but avoid liver)

 

During pregnancy, you must eat some protein every day. You can choose lean meat, skinless poultry, and cook it using only a little fat.

Eggs are a great nutrient source of choline. It is a vital nutrient during pregnancy. It is important for a baby’s brain development and helps prevent developmental abnormalities of the brain and spine.

 

3. Legumes, beans, nuts, lentils, peas

 

Legumes are great plant-based sources, rich in fiber, protein, iron, folate, and calcium. All of the nutrients, your body needs more during pregnancy.

Folate is one of the most essential B vitamins (B9) during pregnancy. It is very important for both, you and your baby, especially during the first trimester, and even before. The supplement is also available in the form of folic acid, which you can take as per recommendation.

 

6. Iron- Essential Mineral

 

Iron is an essential mineral in your body that is used by red blood cells (RBCs) as a part of hemoglobin. Your body uses iron nutrients to make hemoglobin, a protein in the red blood cells that carry oxygen to your tissues.

During pregnancy, your body needs iron nutrients to make more blood to supply oxygen to your baby.

Deficiency of low levels of iron during early and mid-pregnancy may cause iron deficiency Anemia, which increases the risk of low birth weight and other complications.

 

7. Healthy Snacks

 

You can choose from the following nutritious snacks during pregnancy:

1. Salad vegetables, such as carrot or cucumber

2. Vegetable and bean soups

3. Fresh fruit – apple, banana, barriers

4. Milky drinks or unsweetened fruit juices

5. Unsweetened breakfast cereals, or porridge (Kind of khichadee), with milk

6. Vegetable sticks

 

8. Dried fruit

You can eat dried fruit, it is generally high in calories, fiber, and various vitamins and minerals.

 

Health Benefits of Prunes

 

Prunes (sookha aaloobukhaara) are rich in fiber, potassium, and vitamin K. During pregnancy they can help maintain energy levels and calm the nerves.

Prunes are natural laxatives and may be very helpful in relieving constipation during pregnancy.

 

Dates contain, B vitamin folate, vitamin C, fiber, potassium, iron is important nutrients during pregnancy.

 

Although dried fruit may help increase calorie and nutrient intake, it’s generally not recommended to consume more than one serving at a time and limit to prevent excess sugar intake.

 

What Foods to Limit during Pregnancy?

 

During pregnancy, you should reduce your intake of -

1. Foods that are high in sugar, such as chocolate, biscuits, pastries, ice cream, cake, and soft drinks.

 

2. Foods that are high in fat, such as all spreading fats (including butter), oils, and cream.

 

3. Avoid having too much-saturated fat, it can increase the amount of cholesterol in the blood and increase the chance of developing heart disease. Try to cut down on saturated fat, and consume foods that are rich in polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fat.

 

4. Foods that contain added salt, Smoked, salted foods.

 

5. Avoid alcohol, there is no safe level of alcohol during your pregnancy. Drinking alcohol can harm your unborn baby.

Get information on how to take care of Newborns and Infants, checkout here for baby taking care tips.