7 Healthy Foods To Eat When You’re Pregnant

A healthy diet is an important part of a healthy lifestyle at any time, but is especially vital if you’re pregnant or planning a pregnancy. Eating healthily during pregnancy will help your baby to develop and grow.It’s very important to maintain a healthy and balanced diet when pregnant. During this time, the body needs additional nutrients and minerals. Having a diet that does not meet the body’s needs can affect the baby’s growth, development; create birth complications and gestational diabetes. You don’t need to go on a special diet, but it’s important to eat a variety of different foods every day to get the right balance of nutrients that you and your baby need.It’s best to get vitamins and minerals from the foods you eat, but when you’re pregnant you need to take a folic acid supplement as well, to make sure you get everything you need. Here are 10 foods that must be in your diet:

  1. Sweet Potatoes: Pregnant women are advised to increase their Vitamin A intake by 40%. Sweet potatoes are enriched with beta-carotene which is a compound that is converted to Vitamin A. The Vitamin A is essential for growth and foetal development. They also contain fiber increases fullness, reduces blood sugar and improves the digestive health and mobility.
  2. Eggs: An egg is estimated to have 77 calories and is enriched with proteins and fats.  Besides that, eggs also contain choline, vitamins and minerals. Choline helps in brain development and health. When there is low intake it can lead to decreased brain function.
  3. Leafy greens: These include kales, spinach, broccoli and the likes. They contain fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin A, calcium, iron and potassium. The fiber prevents constipation which is common among expectant women. Besides that they are also act as anti-oxidants which make the digestion easy and clear toxins.
  4. Lean Meat: This type of meat has low fat content and they include pork, chicken, turkey and beef. They are all enriched with proteins but beef and pork have additional nutrients, iron and choline.  Iron acts as a mineral which is used by red blood cells to deliver the oxygen. Low intake of iron during early and mid-pregnancy may cause anemia which may result to premature delivery and low birth weight.
  5. Whole grains: They include brown rice, barley, millet, oats, popcorn and whole wheat bread.  This should be eaten best during the second and third trimesters. They are enriched with fiber, antioxidants, iron, zinc, magnesium, copper and vitamin B. It reduces the risk of heart diseases and diabetes.
  6. Diary Products: Dairy foods such as milk, fromage frais and yoghurt are important in pregnancy, because they contain calcium and other nutrients that you and your baby need. Choose low-fat varieties wherever possible, such as semi-skimmed, one per cent fat or skimmed milk, low-fat lower-sugar yoghurt and reduced-fat hard cheese.
  7. Healthy Snacks: If you get hungry between meals, try not to eat snacks that are high in fat and/or sugar, such as sweets, biscuits, crisps or chocolate. Instead, choose something healthier, such as:
    • small sandwiches or pitta bread with grated cheese, lean ham, mashed tuna, salmon, or sardines, with salad
    • salad vegetables, such as carrot, celery or cucumber
    • low-fat lower-sugar fruit yoghurt, plain yoghurt or fromage frais with fruit
    • hummus with wholemeal pitta bread or vegetable sticks
    • ready-to-eat apricots, figs or prunes
    • vegetable and bean soups
    • a small bowl of unsweetened breakfast cereal, or porridge, with milk
    • milky drinks
    • fresh fruit
    • baked beans on toast or a small baked potato
    • a small slice of malt loaf, a fruited tea cake or a slice of toasted fruit bread.Photo Credit: Getty

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