Diet During Pregnancy, Nutritional Needs: What to Eat, What not to Eat

A mother-to-be requires a healthy and nutritious diet during pregnancy to sail through this period in a healthy way. The food that a mother chooses should be healthy for the baby’s growth as your baby and his parts will grow inside you before he embraces the outside world. So you should always choose your food and drinks wisely for giving your baby good nourishment.

Nutritional needs during pregnancy: Nutrients for your body

Now that you know you are on a route to a family, it is good to take care of yourself in every way. Your gynecologist will suggest some important nutrients for your baby’s development right from the start. These four nutrients are very important for the growth of your baby inside you:

Diet During Pregnancy, Nutritional Needs: What to Eat, What not to Eat

Folic Acid

This is very important for the growth of the baby as it prevents birth defects in your baby’s brain and spinal cord. These defects are also known as neural birth defects which can be avoided if you regularly take a diet rich in folic acid or folate. You should start taking vitamin supplements that contain folic acid as it will help in the healthy growth of the fetus in you. You can consume folic acid from green vegetables, cereals, pasta, beans and citrus fruits.

Calcium

It is very important for the healthy bones and teeth of your baby when he is in your womb. The demand of the baby will be fulfilled by the calcium and minerals stored in the mother’s bones. So it is very important to eat healthy amounts of calcium in your diet along with calcium tablets suggested by your doctor. You can also eat paneer, yogurt, salmon or sardines and drink at least 2 glasses of milk on an everyday basis to build up calcium in your body and for your baby as well.

Iron

When you are pregnant, you need double the amount of iron in your body to keep your hemoglobin level healthy for the growth of your baby. Normally, a pregnant woman needs 27 milligrams of iron on a daily basis to prevent anemia during pregnancy. For good absorption of iron, it is very important to have vitamin C along with food rich in iron. Foods that are rich in iron are beetroot, spinach, meat, beans, cereals, carrot, and raisins.

Protein

It helps in building up the brain and heart in the body of the baby which are the most important organs. Protein diet is very important for a pregnant woman and this can be achieved by meat, fish, eggs, nuts, tofu, pulses and beans. Protein is the main nutrient in a pregnancy diet as it builds up the parts of the baby in a healthy way.

Nutritional needs during pregnancy: Foods that you should eat

During pregnancy, you are required to eat a nutritious diet that is full of proteins and fibre. Here are some of the important foods that you should eat during pregnancy:

Lean Protein

A protein diet is very important for the growth of your baby as it helps in building healthy organs of your baby in your womb. Foods such as meat, cheese, milk, yogurt, tofu, fish, nuts, and seeds are a healthy source of protein that keeps the health of you and your baby on a safer side.

Dairy Products

Dairy products are rich in calcium so they are very good for the healthy development of bones and teeth of your child. Foods such as cheese, yogurt, milk, are good sources of protein and calcium. So consume them in a healthy way for a strong structure of your baby.

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and veggies are rich in iron and vitamins along with high fibre that helps in preventing the situation of constipation in women during pregnancy. Your plate should be full of fruits and vegetables along with a healthy meal to get a healthy body to carry your baby smoothly in your womb.

Nutritional needs during pregnancy: Foods to avoid

Yes, you have heard this right! There are certain foods that you must avoid during the pregnancy to keep the growth of your baby healthy. Let’s take a look at them:

Alcohol

Those women who take heavy doses of alcohol or even a little amount of alcohol during pregnancy might give birth to a baby with fatal disorders where there might be a physical or mental problem in the baby. Alcohol mixes with the bloodstream that passes through the umbilical cord of the baby. So it should be avoided at any cost.

High Mercury Level Fish

Swordfish, marlin, tilefish and king mackerel contain high levels of mercury. So these should be avoided during pregnancy as high mercury can affect the baby’s brain, kidneys, and nervous system.

Uncooked Food

Avoid raw food during pregnancy even unpasteurized milk should be avoided. Packed salads, processed beans, and olives or any other uncooked or packed food item should be avoided during pregnancy for the healthy growth of your baby.

Keep these things in mind and consume healthy food for the healthy growth of your baby during pregnancy.

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Disclaimer : Content presented here is for information purposes only, please consult with your doctor for any health queries

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