Eating enough regularly is very important for everyone and it is even more important during pregnancy. At this time, the food should contain sufficient amount of nutrients and vitamins from which the unborn child gets enough nutrients, minerals and vitamins. And many times we unknowingly eat various foods which harm both the baby and the mother.
A mother is like a life saving shield for every child in this world. Children grow up safely with mother's unlimited affection and love. So first of all the mother's nutritional aspect should be taken into consideration.
Food list for pregnant women
Proper care of the expectant mother is the main condition for giving birth to a healthy normal baby. The first three months of pregnancy are extremely risky. During this time, pregnant women often experience loss of appetite, nausea, weight loss and anemia. So the family members should ensure the health and balanced diet of the pregnant mother. Especially from five months onwards, mother's diet should be balanced for the proper growth of the baby. With meat, calcium, vitamins, minerals and enough water.
Pregnancy can be a very exciting time for any couple and their loved ones. During this time, both the mother and the unborn child need a lot of care. The Covid-19 panic is currently prevailing across the globe. In such an environment, taking care of the health of the pregnant mother has become very important.
It is very important for a pregnant mother to be aware of proper guidelines for diet, exercise and rest. Maintaining a healthy diet isn't the only way to avoid infection. In addition, the mental side will also bring cheerfulness. The need to follow a nutritious diet before, during and after pregnancy is more important than at any other time in life. If you are planning to get pregnant or are pregnant, we will list specific foods for you in this article. I have talked a lot, now I want to talk about the main topic -
Foods to eat during pregnancy
Fruits and vegetables
Try to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Eat more vegetables than fruits. You can also drink juices and smoothies. But these sugars can raise blood sugar levels and cause tooth decay. So it is better to drink them in small quantity. And eating fresh fruits and vegetables is good for everyone's health.
Dairy food
Milk, cheese, yogurt etc. are excellent sources of calcium. Care should be taken that they are low in sugar and fat. Fatty foods help build brain cells in babies.
Starchy foods
Include starchy foods like potatoes, red rice, bread, pasta etc. in your daily diet. Carbohydrates help in providing energy to the body.
Protein rich food
Eat protein-rich foods such as lean meat, chicken, fish, eggs, pulses (peas, lentils). Try to eat fish two or more days a week. Oily fish or marine fish such as sardines, salmon can be eaten once a week. Non-vegetarian food helps in the formation of new tissues in the fetus.
Many people are deficient in iodine. Iodine is a mineral that is essential for the formation of the baby's brain. Dairy foods and seafood are excellent sources of iodine.
A mother's body works a lot during pregnancy. However, you usually don't need extra calories during the first six months. The best way is to eat whenever you are hungry.
Foods rich in vitamin C for pregnant women
Pregnant mothers should include foods rich in vitamin C in their diet for the first three months. Vitamin C is very important for expectant mothers. Foods that contain vitamin C-
Malta or Orange
Vitamin C in oranges Fruits or oranges contain sufficient amounts of vitamin C. These two colorful fruits are a good source of vitamin C. Doctors advise pregnant mothers to have at least two colorful fruits in their daily diet. He likes malta or orange.
Many mothers experience excessive nausea or vomiting during the first period of pregnancy. Due to which these mothers can easily eat malta orange fruit. Malta fruit is available throughout the year. Which means it's also going to be the most confusing time of the year.
Green chillies
You can also get vitamin C from green chillies. You can eat one raw chili with daily food. However, many people have eating disorders during pregnancy, so it's up to you to decide which foods are best for you.
Mango and guava
You can get vitamin C from any pickled fruit. Sufficient vitamin C is also available from mangoes and guavas. Although mango is a seasonal mango, guava is available almost throughout the year. But you can eat more seasonal fruits during pregnancy. You can get complete nutrition from all seasonal fruits.
You also get vitamin-C from cauliflower and capsicum. Mix vegetables of different colors and keep them in your daily diet. However, care should be taken not to omit vitamin C from the daily food list.
Foods containing folic acid for pregnant women
The resulting acid or vitamin B9 is very important for both the expectant mother and the baby. Its role is very important in preventing birth defects. Therefore, it is important to take 400 micrograms of folic acid daily starting three months before conception. But it is better to take it from natural food. Foods that contain folic acid
Malta
Malta is rich in vitamin C as well as folic acid. This fruit is available almost throughout the year. It is a delicious and easily available fruit. Pregnant mothers can make juice and eat it if they want. A 100 gram malt contains 55 micrograms of folic acid. which can meet up to 14% of the folic acid requirement for a pregnant mother.
It also contains essential micronutrients, which help the body fight against various diseases.
Ripe banana
Banana is an easily available fruit and is available throughout the year. Banana contains potassium, vitamin B6. Ripe bananas contain almost all vitamins and minerals. Ripe bananas contain more folic acid than other fruits. which fulfills most of the daily needs of expectant mothers.
One hundred grams of ripe banana contains 23.6 micrograms of folic acid. You can also get enough folic acid in milk, honey, green and colorful vegetables, pulses and various seeds.
Iron rich foods for pregnant women
Pregnant women need more iron. At this time, special attention should be paid to iron-rich foods, so that iron is not omitted from the daily food list.
Iron will help your unborn baby develop and reduce your bleeding during delivery. When iron is deficient, the body does not get enough oxygen.
Iron is found in many foods like dates, raisins, spinach, sea fish, spinach, pulses, dark chocolate, almonds, apples etc.
You can eat two to three dates and some raisins with daily meals. It will meet your iron needs. It also contains sufficient amount of calcium.
You can also include spinach, dal, dark chocolate, chicken, fish, eggs in your daily diet. Eating an apple throughout the day or night will meet your iron needs.
Foods rich in vitamin A for pregnant women
Expectant mothers are advised to eat more colorful vegetables and fruits in their diet for the first trimester. If different types of colorful vegetables are eaten together, it meets the requirement of vitamin A. Colorful fruits should be eaten with it. Liver is also rich in iron and vitamin A.
However, it is forbidden to eat it during pregnancy due to the high content of vitamin A in the liver. Because even if the amount of vitamins is high, there may be problems during pregnancy.
Protein rich foods for pregnant women
It is very important to include protein rich foods in the diet of expectant mothers. In the first three months, mothers should include local fish, meat, eggs, chicken and pulses in their daily diet.
Those who can eat less fish meat will try to eat at least one egg. Eat 2 eggs per day if possible. Those who cannot eat boiled eggs at this time, can eat fortified ones in between. For example, you can mix potatoes with eggs, mash them, or you can fry eggs. Or you can make egg pudding and eat it.
At this time, eat more small fish. Small fish are rich in calcium. To get more calories in less food, mix some potatoes, eggs and pulses. You can mix two-three colored vegetables with fish or meat. This mixed food is called hock fortification.
Calcium rich foods for pregnant women
Milk, curd, cheese, etc. contain a lot of calcium. Fatty foods help build baby's teeth, bones and brain cells.
Expectant mothers should make it a habit to drink a glass of milk every day. If you have trouble drinking milk, you can eat yogurt or other foods made with milk. However, do not forget to include calcium rich foods in your diet. Apart from calcium, dairy products also contain enough iron, which is essential for expectant mothers.
A mother needs more calories and nutrients during pregnancy than at any other time. Therefore, the best way for expectant mothers to eat is to eat whenever they are hungry and eat less frequently.
Starchy foods for pregnant women
Foods like potatoes, red flour bread, red rice, pasta etc. contain a lot of starch. These foods should be included in the diet of expectant mothers.
If you want, you can have red flour bread, pasta, potatoes for breakfast. Eating more vegetables with red rice will provide enough nutrients to the mother's body.
At this time of pregnancy, make your food chart according to your own tests. Try to prepare your own food as much as possible.
Fluid intake of pregnant women
It is important to drink enough pure water during pregnancy with a liquid diet. If you have trouble drinking more water, you can add coconut water and saline.
Also eat vegetable soups, chicken soups and other liquid foods. A pregnant mother is advised to drink 18 to 20 glasses of water daily. It is very necessary for the growth and development of the baby's hormones.
Vitamin D intake of pregnant women
Vitamin-D is very important for the baby during pregnancy. Vitamin-D helps in brain development of the baby. It is important for an expectant mother to take vitamin D right from the beginning of her pregnancy for the development of her baby's intelligence.
The main source of vitamin D is sunlight. We get up to 60 percent of our vitamin D from sunlight. To get enough vitamin D, mothers should be exposed to as much sunlight as possible for at least 30 minutes during pregnancy. It will help the baby's bone formation as well as intelligence development.
Foods that should not be eaten during pregnancy:
Diet in the first trimester of pregnancy is very important for a mother. There is a high chance of miscarriage during this time due to wrong food. For this reason, pregnant mothers should pay special attention to their diet.
Raw egg
Eggs are a nutritious food. Many people have a habit of eating raw eggs. However, raw eggs should be avoided during pregnancy. Because raw eggs contain bacteria called salmonella which is not good for the fetus. So eggs cannot be eaten without being well boiled.
Half cooked meat
Half-cooked meat may contain bacteria. You should also avoid eating packaged meats like sausages. The meat should be cooked well.
Pasteurized milk
Pasteurized milk or raw milk contains bacteria called Listeria. So you cannot drink boiled milk without doing it well. Foods made with pasteurized milk such as soft cheese should be avoided.
Liver and liver products
Liver contains retinol, which is an animal vitamin A. Its excess can be harmful to the fetus.
Caffeine
A pregnant mother cannot consume more than 200 grams of caffeine. Taking too much can harm both the mother and the baby. However, according to many, expectant mothers should not have caffeine in their diet.
Although coffee is effective in relieving fatigue, it should be consumed in moderation during pregnancy. Tea, coffee etc contain caffeine. Consuming more than 200 grams of caffeine per day is not recommended. Excess caffeine can lead to low birth weight babies. Miscarriage can also occur.
sea fish
Sea fish is good for health. But eating more can damage the nervous system of the fetus. Because marine fish contains mercury.
Raw or semi-ripe papaya
Eating raw or semi-ripe papaya is dangerous for pregnant women. This can lead to miscarriage.
The Harvard School of Public Health has published a guide for pregnant women called the Harvard Healthy Eating Plate. Where they emphasize on eating whole grain foods. Consuming healthy vegetable oils is recommended. It is recommended to consume milk and milk products in limited quantity i.e. 1/2 times a day. Limiting red meat and avoiding processed meats is recommended. White bread made with refined grains and white rice is also said to be avoided. It recommends drinking plenty of water and avoiding sugary drinks and exercising regularly.
Pineapple and Grapes
Do not eat pineapple during pregnancy. It can cause miscarriage. Consuming too much grapefruit can cause digestive problems. Which mothers should not eat more during pregnancy.
Basically 200 grams of caffeine is taken in two cups of tea or one cup of coffee a day. Excess caffeine can lead to low birth weight babies.
Unpasteurized milk
Unpasteurized milk contains bacteria called Listeria. Which can harm the mother and baby during pregnancy. So it should be boiled well.
Liver and seafood
Liver is rich in vitamin A. Too much vitamin A can harm the baby. Due to which mothers are forbidden to eat it for the first three months.
Seafood is high in iron and omega-3, but seafood is high in mercury. which damages the baby's nervous system. So it is recommended to eat more native fish instead of marine fish during pregnancy. Among other marine fish you can eat Sea fish.
