Nutritious Food for Pregnant Woman: A healthy diet is very important for everyone at any stage of life but it becomes more important if one is pregnant or planning a pregnancy. Healthy eating makes one feel good with respect to physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of life. If mother is healthy then naturally all the goodness will be transferred to the baby as baby completely depends on the mother for nutrition. Not only the food but also the thoughts and behavioral aspects are transferred to the baby in the womb. So, one should eat good, think good, read good motivational books or watch inspirational shows.
❍ Balanced Diet in Pregnancy
Overall, a balanced diet is the one in which all the appropriate nutrients are present in the adequate amount, required for proper growth.
⧉ Foods in Pregnancy
❍ Fruit and vegetables in pregnancy
❍ Carbohydrates in Pregnancy
❍ Protein in Pregnancy
❍ Dairy Food in Pregnancy
● Avoid foods that are high in sugar, fat and salt in Pregnancy
Dairy foods consist of butter, oils, salad dressings, cream, chocolate, crisps, biscuits, pastries, ice-cream, cake, puddings and fizzy drinks. One should eat only a small amount of these foods. Sugar is rich in calories without giving any other nutrients, and this contributes to weight gain, obesity and tooth decay.
Fat is very high in calories, and eating more fatty foods is likely to make one put on weight. If excess saturated fat is consumed then it increases the amount of cholesterol in the blood, which increases the chance of developing heart disease. Avoid saturated fat, and consume foods rich in polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fat, such as oils, spreads, nut butters/pastes and avocado.
Limit foods containing added salt and also don’t add salt in the food at the time of cooking or at the time of eating.
● Healthy Snacks One Can Take In Pregnancy
If one is hungry between meals, don’t eat snacks that are high in fat and/or sugar, such as sweets, biscuits, and crisps or chocolate. Instead, choose from the following nutritious snacks:
- One can take sandwiches or pitta bread filled with grated cheese, grilled chicken, mashed tuna, salmon or sardines and salad
- One can take salad vegetables, such as carrot, celery or cucumber
- One can take low-fat yogurt hummus with bread or vegetable sticks
- One can take ready-to-eat apricots, figs or prunes
- One can take vegetable and bean soups
- One can take unsweetened breakfast cereals, or porridge, with milk
- One can take milky drinks or unsweetened fruit juices
- One can take fresh fruit
- One can take baked beans on toast or a baked potato
● Recommended servings
Healthy eating in pregnancy is recommended by the Australian Guide. It suggests for the following servings per day as listed below:
1. From the bread, cereals, rice, pasta, noodles group can be up to 8 Servings —1 serve is 1 slice of bread; ½ medium bread roll; ½ cup of cooked rice, pasta or noodles; ½ cup of cooked porridge or cup of breakfast cereal flakes.
2. From the vegetables, legumes group can be up to 5 servings —1 serve is 75g or ½ cup cooked vegetables; ½ cup cooked dried beans, peas, lentils or canned beans; salad vegetables 1 cup; or 1 small potato.
3. Fruits can be up to 2 servings —1 serve is 1 medium apple; 2 small pieces (150g) of fruit (apricots, kiwi fruit, plums); 1 cup of diced fruit pieces or canned fruit; ½ cup of fruit juice; or 1 ½ tablespoons of sultanas.
4. From the milk, yogurt, cheese group can be up to 2 ½ to 3 ½ servings —1 serve is 250ml of milk; 250ml of calcium-fortified soy beverages; 40g (2 slices) cheese; or 200g of yogurt.
5. From the meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts and legumes/beans group can be up to 3 ½ servings —1 serve is 65g cooked meat or chicken; 1 cup of cooked beans; 100g cooked fish fillet; 30g nuts or seeds; or 2 large eggs.
“Be Sound and Healthy During Pregnancy for a Healthy Baby”
◈ Read More:
➥ Drinks Should and Should Not Be Taken In Pregnancy
➥ How To Handle Emotional Stress During Pregnancy
➥ Hypertension During Pregnancy
