Maintaining a good and healthy immune system for a pregnant woman is not only recommended, but it is one of the necessities. It not only keeps the expecting mother away from infections but prevents the growth of the baby as well. This is exactly why it is important to create a diet chart for a healthy pregnancy. Don’t forget to make a list of food and beverages to eat and avoid. Every day, a pregnant woman needs at least 350-500 extra calories and food rich in protein and calcium to meet the needs of the growing fetus.
FOODS TO INCLUDE IN THE DIET
Legumes: These are a great plant-based source to fulfill all the requirements for folic acid, Vitamin B, calcium, protein, and iron. All of these vitamins and minerals are essential in the growth of the baby, especially folic acid. Not consuming the required amount of folic acid daily can halt the brain and spine development of the baby, which takes place mostly in the first three months. Deficiency of folic acid can lead to brain and spinal function abnormalities.
Vitamin A: This vitamin is essential for building the cells and tissues of the body. It ultimately leads to the development and growth of the baby. Eating vegetables and fruits like oranges, sweet potatoes, apricots, spinach, and carrots is an excellent choice. Sweet potatoes are packed with large quantities of beta-carotene which gets converted into Vitamin A inside the body. Beta carotene is essential for sight.
Eggs: These should be placed under the category of superfoods as eggs consist of only 77 calories while being super-rich in protein, good fats, and minerals! But pregnant women should never eat a raw egg as it can cause salmonella. You must always eat cooked eggs only. Include omelet with a slice of toasted bread and butter or with a side of vegetable salad in your breakfast.
Green Vegetables: Who has not heard their mothers and grandmothers focusing on including green vegetables in their daily lifestyle? Well, they were absolutely right! Green vegetables are a rich source of many vitamins and minerals essential for the growth of the baby. Feel free to include spinach, methi, bathua, mint, coriander, broccoli, cabbage , and lauki in your diet to eat healthily.
DIET CHART FOR HEALTHY PREGNANCY
Some other points of relevance that should be kept in mind while planning a diet chart for pregnancy are:
·
Make
sure to include local and seasonal fruits and vegetables in your diet. The
fresh and locally produced fruits and vegetables are good for your health. Eat
fresh produce as much as you can avoid all the processed and junk food.
·
You
don’t have to follow every fad that is available on the internet. Just make a
list of foods to include and food to avoid and create simple meals. Eating
healthy should be your priority.
·
Many
women have a morning routine of starting their day with a cup of tea or coffee.
When you are expecting, you should avoid caffeine, especially in the morning.
It can cause morning sickness.
·
Staying
hydrated should also be important for you. Add a glass of lemon water with
black salt or a glass of buttermilk to your daily routine.
·
You
can add food items like idli, dosa, and uttapam for breakfast. Take these with
coconut chutney and ghee every morning.
· Adding home-made dal khichdi made with turmeric and lots of vegetables is also a nutritious choice for a pregnant woman.
DIET CHART FOR HEALTHY PREGNANCY
Eat
A Balanced Diet
For a growing fetus, it must receive all the essential minerals and nutrients daily. Whatever you plan, make sure that the meal is rich in calcium, protein and all the vitamins. Figuring out doses of various mineral and vitamins required every day and planning a chart with the quantity can be a good idea. The following chart will help you understand the doses as per your trimester:
|
Proteins |
|
|
Iron |
35gms per day during
all the trimesters of pregnancy |
|
Folic Acid |
500 microgram per day
folic acid in your diet |
|
Vitamin A |
800µg of Vitamin A or
6400µg of beta-carotene |
|
Calcium |
1200mg of calcium
daily |
Manage
Stress
Apart from eating healthy, a pregnant woman needs to stay stress-free. Thus, surround yourself with people who makes you happy and don’t stress you unnecessarily. Practice yoga and meditation to relieve stress. Exercising can do a lot of good for your body as it may prevent obesity and excess weight gain during pregnancy. Easy to do yoga poses or daily walks can be included. Make sure you walk on shaded grounds and not overheat the body.
Eat
On Regular Basis
A pregnant woman needs to eat every two hours. Make sure you plan your diet in a way that includes a pre-breakfast snack, breakfast, mid-day snack, lunch, evening snack followed by dinner. Skipping a meal during the day is never advised. It can make you feel nauseous or dizzy. Mix and match food items so that you don’t get bored of eating them. Also, don’t force yourself to eat a particular food if you don’t want to. Look for a replacement with a similar nutrition value and add it to your diet chart.
Listen
To Your Body
While there is a ton of advice available for what to do on being pregnant, no one knows better than your body. Listen to your body and do not feel overwhelmed by the number of meals you have to consume. Do not force yourself to eat a particular food and don’t overwork your body. Try to eat in measured quantities. But if you think you have overeaten or are feeling bloated, take a walk. In case you keep feeling uneasy, don’t hesitate in talking to your gynecologist or nutritionist.
Hello, my name is Jack Snow. I'm a 35 year old self-employed Pirate from the Caribbean.
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