A healthy diet and good nutrition during pregnancy is essential for your baby to grow and develop. The best diet is considered balanced one that provides plenty of proteins, healthy fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. During first few months of pregnancy it becomes difficult to follow healthy diet due to nausea and vomiting, but try to consume maximum well-balanced diet and take prenatal vitamins. A normal healthy woman requires 2100 calorie in a day, while during pregnancy she requires 2500 calories in a day.
Besides increasing calories, she should focus on kind of foods she eats, so that a pregnant woman and her unborn bay will get right kind of nutrition. Staying healthy is a necessity during pregnancy. The type of foods mother consume makes a lot of impact on her health as well as the health of her unborn baby. Along with healthy balance diet she should include fresh vegetables, fruits and lots of fluids. She will have to cuts down on aerated and caffeine drinks.
Following a proper diet chart for nine months and after that is very important. What constitutes a healthy balanced diet during pregnancy to keep you and your unborn baby healthy is mentioned below
Balanced diet for healthy pregnancy
Hearing the news of pregnancy is considered one of the precious moments in every woman’s life. This is because more attention should be given on healthy diet. Because whatever a woman eats or adopts lifestyle has a direct impact on her unborn baby. Pregnant woman should abstain from the habit of alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking as it can harm the developing fetus. As well as one should avoid or considerably minimize consumption of beverages like soft drinks, tea and coffee.
Complex Carbs: - A pregnant woman’s diet should mainly consist of carbohydrates which can gain from including foods such as pasta, bread, corn, vegetables, beans, legumes rice, potatoes, and whole grains instead of consuming white bread, cookies, pretzels, chips, sugar and sweeteners.
Healthy fats: - High fat foods should be limited, while eliminating all fats is dangerous. Essential fatty acids are vital such as omega-3 fatty acids. Besides these fats, fats found in oils, butter, nuts and dairy products are also good for health.
Proteins: - A diet consists of protein includes foods such as meal, eggs, beans, fish and dairy products. One fact should also be consider that though fish are rich in proteins, but certain types of fish such as shark, swordfish, tuna, tile fish, mackerel and lobsters should be avoided as they holds unacceptable level of mercury. Try to consume salmon and sardines fish as they contain lowest amount of mercury. But, still consume it in limited amount only to avoid mercury poisoning.
Calcium: - Calcium is necessary for strong bones and teeth. The fetus requires a huge supply of calcium during development. A pregnant women should get at least 1000-1300 mg of calcium every day. Milk and dairy products can be great option to increase the source of calcium in diet. Prenatal supplements only contain 150 to 200 mg of calcium. Hence, prenatal vitamins alone cannot fulfill the sufficient requirement of calcium to pregnant women.
Fiber:- Pregnant woman should Eat almost 20 to 35 grams of fiber daily as it prevent constipation and hemorrhoids diseases which mostly takes place during pregnancy. Food which contains fiber in rich quantity is whole grain breads, rice, pasta, fruits, vegetables, cereals and so on.
Folic acid: - It is an essential vitamin that induces red blood cell formation and the production of important chemical signals in the nervous system of the baby. It prevents neural tube defects in your baby. Foods which contain an excellent source of folic acid are green leafy vegetables, orange juice, lentils, barley beans, rice and peas.
Iron: - It plays a crucial role in various bodily processes. It provides body with extra blood that needed for the placenta. Deficiency of iron leads to anemia. Foods which includes rich source of iron are broccoli, spinach, whole meal bread, and lentils should include in diet.
Vitamin C: - It is vital for wound healing and the production of body’s connective tissue. A pregnant woman should eat at least one fruit daily which contains rich source of vitamin C. The foods which include high content of vitamin C are strawberries, fresh oranges, grapefruit, broccoli, cabbage, tomatoes, papaya, cauliflower, green peppers and sprouts.
Vitamin D: - It is important for pregnant woman and their unborn baby. It is found naturally only in some fish liver oils. Besides that, human produce vitamin D in skin in response to sunlight.
Vitamin A: - It is vital for proper cell growth, development of eyes, skin, blood, immunity and resistance to infection. Carrots, beet greens, turnip greens, spinach, sweet potatoes, apricots and pumpkins includes rich source of vitamin A.
Fluids: - It is an important part of a healthy diet. Daily consumption of at least 8 glasses of water is necessary. Because it reduce chances of constipation and piles that can develop straining during defecation. In addition, it increased flow of urine also reduces risk of developing a urinary tract infection, which can be dangerous for pregnant women as well as her baby.
Magnesium: - It is important for regulation of blood sugar level, proper functioning of body proteins and for healthy teeth and bones as well. Foods such as sunflower, pumpkin, wheat germ, tofu, almonds and yogurt holds rich source of magnesium.
Pantothenic acid: - It is required for many of the body’s regulatory and metabolic activities. It is present in rich source in foods such as organ meats, soybeans, collard greens, mushroom and brewer’s yeast.
Potassium: - It is a part of mineral that affects fluid balance, cellular balance, blood pressure regulation, as well as proper nerve and muscle function. Pregnant women require 2000 mg of potassium in a day. Banana, oranges, meats, milk, grains, watermelon, cantaloupe and legumes contains high content of potassium mineral.
However, undertaking a diet, which include all the foods mention above in right quantity along with light exercise such as walking will definitely help to keep healthy to pregnant women as well as her baby. Above mentioned diet also helps to reduce complication such as miscarriage and even birth defects.