Maintaining a healthy diet during pregnancy is very important. During this time, your body needs additional nutrients, vitamins and minerals. A diet that lacks key nutrients may negatively affect the baby’s development.). Poor eating habits and excess weight gain may also increase the risk of gestational diabetes and pregnancy or birth complications.
Put simply, choosing healthy, nutritious foods will help ensure the health of you and your baby. It will also make it a lot easier to lose the pregnancy weight after you’ve given birth.
Here are 13 highly nutritious foods to eat when you’re pregnant.
1. Dairy products
During pregnancy, you need to consume extra protein and calcium to meet the needs of the growing fetus .Dairy products contain two types of high quality protein: casein and whey. Dairy is the best dietary source of calcium, and provides high amounts of phosphorus, various B-vitamins, magnesium and zinc.
Yogurt, especially Greek yogurt, is particularly beneficial for pregnant women. It contains more calcium than any other dairy product. Some varieties also contain probiotic bacteria, which support digestive health.
2. Legumes
This group of food includes lentils, peas, beans, chickpeas, soybeans and peanuts. Legumes are excellent plant-based sources of fiber, protein, iron, folate (B9) and calcium, all of which the body needs more of during pregnancy.
Furthermore, legumes are generally very high in fiber. Some varieties are also high in iron, magnesium and potassium.
3. Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are very rich in beta-carotene, a plant compound that is converted into vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is essential for growth, as well as for the differentiation of most cells and tissues. It is very important for healthy fetal development . Pregnant women are generally advised to increase their vitamin A intake by 10–40%
Therefore, beta-carotene is a very important source of vitamin A for pregnant women. Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of beta-carotene. About 100–150 grams (3.5–5.3 oz) of cooked sweet potatoes fulfills the entire RDI.
4. Salmon
Salmon is very rich in essential omega-3 fatty acids. These are found in high amounts in seafood, and help build the brain and eyes of the fetus. Salmon is also one of very few natural sources of vitamin D, which is often lacking in the diet. It is very important for many processes in the body, including bone health and immune function.
5. Eggs
Eggs are the ultimate health food, because they contain a little bit of almost every nutrient you need. A large egg contains 77 calories, as well as high-quality protein and fat. It also contains many vitamins and minerals. Eggs are a great source of choline. Choline is essential for many processes in the body, including brain development and health.
6. Lean meat
Beef, pork and chicken are excellent sources of high-quality protein. Furthermore, beef and pork are also rich in iron, choline and other B-vitamins — all of which are needed in higher amounts during pregnancy. Iron is an essential mineral that is used by red blood cells as a part of hemoglobin. It is important for delivering oxygen to all cells in the body. Pregnant women need more iron, since their blood volume is increasing. This is particularly important during the third trimester.
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BY MONICA OCHIENG
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