A healthy body bears a healthy child!
When your body starts nourishing a new life, it changes it all. From increasing your blood volume to the nutritional requirements, many things change. For this, women need to be more concerned regarding their pregnancy food choices. In this article we will be shedding light on the best food choices during pregnancy.
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Pregnancy Nutrition – What the Hype is About?
From major food groups to the minerals and vitamins, your body needs it all. During pregnancy, food choices can significantly affect your own health alongside the health of your unborn child. So, it’s really important to keep an eye on what you are eating and to ensure a healthy pregnancy.
While talking about nutrition during pregnancy it is important to know that every pregnancy journey is different from others. Female bodies react differently during the pregnancy trimesters. I remember one of my friends developed an extreme kind of food intolerance during the first trimester and she ended up losing 10kg weight during the time. Later she went to a renowned gynecologist in Islamabad who then treated her for the problem.
Best Pregnancy Foods
If you are just beginning your pregnancy journey, then you must be curious about pregnancy food choices. Here is all you need to know about it.
1- Dairy
When your body starts growing this tiny human, one of the key nutrients it requires is calcium. To fulfil your calcium requirements, what’s better than dairy products? These foods are not only rich in calcium but provide high-quality proteins that are essentially required for your health.
Among dairy, milk and yogurt come as the best choices to make.
Yogurt comes with an added advantage because it supports your digestive health. However, dairy can’t be a good choice to make in the case of people who are lactose intolerant. In this case, make sure to talk to your doctor.
2- Lean Meat
Having enough protein in your diet helps to keep your HB level in check and minimize the risks associated with iron deficiency in pregnancy aka anemia.
Your protein requirements also increase when you are pregnant. Among the protein sources that can help you to stay healthy during pregnancy comes lean meat. The meat comes with very little or no fat content.
You can rely upon chicken and turkey here. An important tip here is to take enough calcium with these high-protein foods as calcium can help with the absorption of this dietary iron.
3- Whole Grains
The pregnancy journey often comes with bodyweight challenges. In order to keep a healthy weight during pregnancy, it is important to make the right food choices during pregnancy. Grains are important here.
Whole grains are a must whenever we talk about the right nutrition during pregnancy. Not only are they packed with fiber, protein vitamins etc. but also keeps you full for longer periods reducing your food cravings. Barley, quinoa, oatmeal are some of the best examples of whole grains.
4- Leafy Greens
You don’t love eating leafy green, right? However, if you know about the benefits of leafy green during pregnancy, you will not be push these aside.
Green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach are some of the best pregnancy foods. Nutritionally speaking, these vegetables contain some of the healthiest nutrients that can affect your and your baby’s health. Another reason why these foods are considered healthy is their high fiber content that keeps your digestive system working well. So, yes leafy greens are a must in the list of healthy pregnancy foods.
5- Nuts and Seeds
Dry fruits, nuts and seeds are next on the list of pregnancy healthy diets. They are calorie-dense foods containing good amounts of vitamins and minerals. These nutritional components play an important role during different phases of pregnancy. However, while consuming these foods make sure to keep your calories in check as they can make you gain faster due to being high in calories.
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6- Eggs
When it comes to choosing the best pregnancy foods, eggs are surely on the list. Eggs are a complete food that you can add to your diet for all the good reasons.
Eggs are low in calories and contain the healthy proteins that support a healthy body. Further, eggs contain some of the vital nutrients that support baby development. You can eat them boiled, make omelets or in any other way you want.
7- Fortified Cereals
Next in the list of pregnancy healthy foods comes the fortified cereals. These cereals are readily available in the market and can be a good addition to your diet. Cereals fortified with iron, minerals and vitamins are a good way to get over your nutritional requirements. These fortified cereals are completely safe for everyday use.
8- Lentils
Not everyone is fond of meat and for the people looking for the alternatives, lentils can be a good choice to make. Lentils are rich in protein and you can consume them along with meat. Further, you can get a good amount of vitamin B folate from these lentils that plays a functional role towards fetal development. Further, this vitamin also prevents a role towards the prevention of birth related disorders in newborn babies.
9- Avocado
You can also consume avocado if you are pregnant as this contains many healthy fats. Healthy fats, vitamins and minerals can help you with the growth of the baby. You can eat avocado in raw form or use it in your salads or smoothies to get the maximum benefits.
Bottom Line!
Pregnancy and food choices – the discussion is never-ending.
Pregnancy foods choices are important for all reasons. It not only affects your own health but has a significant impact on your pregnancy journey. If you eat right it keeps the nutritional deficiencies away and supports a healthy pregnancy journey but this can be harmful to eat unhealthy.
However, one should always keep their food allergies in mind if you are just starting to consume a particular food. It is also important to seek medical advice throughout your pregnancy journey to make wise decisions regarding your and your baby’s health.
