Foods to eat during pregnancy

As an expecting mother, it is crucial to ensure that you eat a balanced diet. There are some foods to eat during pregnancy that can be helpful for your overall growth.

Eating right not only helps in the proper development of your baby but also keeps you healthy throughout the pregnancy. Interestingly, you can’t have every food you wish during pregnancy.

To help you make informed decisions about what goes on your plate, we will talk in detail about foods to eat during pregnancy.

1. Leafy Greens

It doesn’t matter whether you are pregnant or not; leafy vegetables are the way to go. With the rich nutrients present in them, leafy vegetables make pregnant women feel good.

Leafy greens such as kale and spinach are packed with vital nutrients like folate, calcium, and iron that support the growth and development of your fetus. They’re also low in calories, making them an excellent choice if you’re watching your weight.

Along with all the healthy aspects, you can also find antioxidant properties in leafy vegetables. The fibres present in it can be highly useful for your pregnancy’s development.

2. Avocado

On the list of foods to eat during pregnancy, avocado is the right choice. With the high-fat content of avocado, you can get the maximum benefit from it during pregnancy. Healthy fat can be useful for the brain and body development of pregnant women.

Avocados contain folic acid, which supports fetal brain and spinal cord development while being rich in vitamin C (immunity), potassium, and fibre (aid digestion). It’s one fruit no one should ignore during pregnancy.

3. Whole grains

Whole-grain bread or rice contains fibre and essential minerals like zinc, which help boost DNA production. B vitamins alleviate nausea in pregnant women.

Iron, after the first trimester, becomes important for blood. Likewise, magnesium is required by both mother and child for strong bones.

4. Dairy Products

When you are pregnant, the body demands more protein and calcium. The best source of protein and calcium is dairy products. Be it milk, yogurt, or cheese, you can choose any one of them.

The newborn that is inside you demands a higher level of calcium and protein. Dairy products have calcium, phosphorus B, vitamins, magnesium, and zinc.

Yogurt can help with the digestion process for pregnant women. If you are lactose intolerant, try and consume some of the probiotic yogurt, which is quite helpful.

5. Legumes

Legumes are all of those foods that contain a high level of protein and fibre. Chickpeas, lentils, peas, and beans are commonly known as legumes.

Being plant-based foods, they have higher fiber, protein, iron, folate, and calcium, which are highly needed during the pregnancy phase. Specifically, the presence of folate results in high vitamin B9.

Along with all the beneficial proteins mentioned, they also have a high fiber content. For the newborn, fibers are an important aspect. Try to make some lentil curry to serve a pregnant lady.

6. Salmon fish

Salmon is a saver when we talk about pregnant women. The omega-3 fatty acids present in salmon tend to provide most of the health benefits.

Not a lot of other eateries provide the same positive effect. Proper use of salmon will result in the brain and eye development of your kid.

Along with Omega-3, you can also find Vitamin D, which is helpful for anyone. However, we suggest you be careful while consuming seafood with higher mercury levels.

7. Sweet Potatoes

As the name suggests, sweet potatoes are a lifesaver. When you consume sweet potatoes in the right amount, it is the best diet for pregnant ladies.

Because of their high concentration of beta-carotene, sweet potatoes act as vitamin A when consumed. Along with carotene, there are also fibres present in sweet potatoes.

Consumption of sweet potatoes provides you with the feeling of being full. Traditionally, sweet potatoes are known to be good for digestive health too. Therefore, it runs into foods to eat during pregnancy.

8. Eggs

Eggs are the most basic food to eat during pregnancy. Eggs are one of those foods that contain almost everything that your body needs. From calories to proteins, fat, vitamins, and minerals, eggs are the right choice.

Choline is one of the nutrients present in eggs. They are highly important for proper pregnancy and growth. Choline helps in proper brain and spinal activity development in kids.

A pregnant woman needs 450 mg of choline, while a whole egg contains 147 mg of choline. Consuming two eggs can be the right decision for a pregnant lady.

9. Lean Proteins

Lean meats have essential nutrients like iron, which is necessary for fetal red blood cell formation and brain development. Pregnant women shouldn’t neglect this food group because protein helps to build muscles.

Fish, chicken, and beef can be part of what you eat while pregnant, allowing for balance and variation in meals. The best part about lean protein is that it allows for the fulfillment of iron needs.

The regular consumption of lean meat will allow for the proper weight development of the newborn child. What’s worrying are the vegetarian pregnant ladies who don’t go for meat.

10. Water/Fluids

It’s always good practice to drink lots of water. Increasing fluid intake during pregnancy ensures healthy skin, prevents constipation problems, cuts down the risk of urinary tract infections, and has many other benefits.

During pregnancy, weight gain is common. You tend to get highly tired, and the fluids of the body tend to get drained from your body.

Try to consume as much water as possible. It will solve the gut issues and also keep you hydrated almost all the time.

Final Thoughts

The stage of pregnancy can be new and tough for a lot of women. Wandering into the land of the unknown can bring tough things in life. Still, you can make it easier with the right diet.

In the case of foods to eat during pregnancy, there are a lot of vegetarian and nonvegetarian diets that tend to come up on the list. All in all, it is important to have foods with higher protein, vitamins, and fibre.

There are still some foods that shouldn’t be consumed during pregnancy. Try to study your own body at first with respect to what foods can be consumed.