Diet During Pregnancy

A healthy diet is an essential part to run a healthy life, especially during the time of pregnancy. Eating well with foods containing lots of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fiber, etc., will help your baby to develop and grow in good health. The immunity of the baby also depends on a healthy diet of the mother.

Starchy foods in pregnancy:

Starchy foods are rich source of carbohydrates. Bread, cereals, rice, maize, oats, potatoes are some examples of starchy foods. Try to give more importance to these foods in every meal.

Fruits and vegetables:

Keep the habit of having plenty of fruits and vegetables during pregnancy because these will supply a good amount of vitamins, minerals and fibre which will improves the digestion and avoid constipation. In order to get proper nutrients pregnant ladies should eat fresh, frozen, canned, dried or juiced fruits and slightly cooked or properly cleaned raw vegetables.

The main vitamins and minerals supplied by the fruits and leafy vegetables are

1. Beta carotene - for baby’s cell and tissue development, immune system and vision.
2. Vitamin C- for baby’s bones, teeth and collagen in connective tissues
3. Potassium – controls blood pressure
4. Folic acid – supports a healthy birth weight

Fiber content will control some major problems in pregnancy like constipation and protects against some types of cancer and reduce the risk of heart diseases.

Protein in pregnancy:

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins that build baby’s sweet face and every cell below it. The protein rich raw materials are needed for the baby especially at 37 week of pregnancy to develop the amazing organ that will help the baby breathe, walk and talk.

Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, pulses, beans, nuts etc., are some good source of proteins. Body requires some protein every day. Make sure that the meat, poultry and eggs are thoroughly cooked all the way through before having it.

Vegetarians should have plenty of beans, soy products, peas, peanut butter, nuts, seeds, wheat germ, whole grains etc. for the rich supply of proteins.

Dairy products in pregnancy:

Baby needs a good amount of calcium and other nutrients for their growth. Eating dairy foods like milk, cheese and yoghurt are very important in pregnancy as they are good source of calcium and nutrients. Foods with low-fat varieties are advisable during pregnancy. Semi-skimmed or skimmed milk is an example of low-fat food.

Foods containing high sugar and fat:

Pregnant women should not have a large amount of foods containing high sugar and fat content. Sugary foods, drinks and fatty foods are very high in calories and which will contribute to weight gain and obesity. Eating plenty of fatty foods will increase the amount of blood cholesterol and thereby increasing the chance of developing heart disease.

This food includes; butter, oils, cream, chocolate, biscuits, ice cream, pastries, cake, pudding, fuzzy drinks etc.

Healthy snacks:

Try not to eat snacks containing high source of fat and sugar. Some of the healthy snacks in pregnancy are listed below:

1. Sandwiches or bread filled with grated cheese
2. Low-fat yoghurt
3. Salad vegetables
4. Vegetable and bean soups
5. Fresh fruits
6. Milky drinks
7. Baked potato
8. Unsweetened breakfast cereals.
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