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A well balanced diet is
very important when you are pregnant, since you are eating for two—
yourself and your baby. Your diet during pregnancy also affects the
mental and physical growth of the baby. It is during the first three
months that the all the organs and the nervous system of the baby
develop, so it is important to start eating well at the early stage.
Same is the case with the later stages, but it is during the final
three months that the baby grow rapidly and hence the nutritional
requirement is the highest during this period
Proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, vitamins in abundance are a
must for a nutritional diet. These basic elements can be found in a
variety of foods. Fruits and vegetables, whole grain products like
breads or cereals, milk and other diary products, meat, fish or other
protein alternatives etc provide the above five essential nutrients in
abundance.
Apart from having a nutrients rich diet, you must also take care keep
off canned and processed foods. Also to cut from your diet list are
spicy foods, coffee, tea, hot chocolate. Sugary foods such as cakes,
cookies, candies, sodas and colas are a no-no too. And care should be
taken to reduce your salt intake as far as possible.
It is important to eat a wide variety of food, but try not to eat too
much. Around 2,200 to 2,800 calories per day is essential for pregnant
women. If you have problems with nausea or heartburn try to have six
smaller meals. Doctors, beside natural diet, may prescribe vitamins,
iron, calcium, and folic acid throughout pregnancy.
Following are the must-have nutrients for pregnant women
Folic acid
Perhaps the most vital nutrient a pregnant woman should have is Folic
acid. Essential for the development of the nervous system, folic acid
is a B vitamin, which helps prevent neural tube defects, defect of
spine, brain or their coverings. Folic acid also helps prevent other
birth defects like congenital heart disease and cleft lip. At least
4mg of folic acid everyday before getting pregnant and after will help
reduce the risk of the above-mentioned defects. Folic acid is found in
dark-green leafy vegetables (like spinach or kale), liver, yeast,
beans and citrus fruits, and in fortified cereals and bread. Care
should be taken, as folic acid is easily lost while cooking. So steam
green vegetables or eat them raw.
Iron
Iron is important to initiate the production of hemoglobin, build
bones and teeth. Iron is very essential for you and your baby. Not
enough iron in body can cause a condition called anemia. To prevent
anemia, eating more iron-rich foods like potatoes, raisins, dates,
broccoli, leafy green vegetables, whole-grain breads and
iron-fortified cereals. If you have anemia, your doctor will give you
iron supplements to take once or twice a day.
Calcium
Calcium is vital for the healthy development of baby’s bones and
teeth, which start to form at about week eight. Your calcium intake
should be doubled than is normal; a minimum of three servings of milk,
yogurt, or cheese is essential to meet expectant mother’s calcium
needs. But diary products are also very high in fat, so choose low fat
varieties like skim milk. Leafy, green vegetables are also good
sources for calcium. The recommended daily amount of calcium during
pregnancy and breast-feeding increases significantly from 800-1200mg.
Protein
You need to increase the intake of protein rich foods, as the need of
protein also increases during pregnancy. Fish, meat, nuts, peas, beans
and diary foods such as milk and eggs all supply protein. But animal
sources can also be high in fat, so limit your intake of these. Choose
lean cuts of meat whenever possible. Vitamin B6 is needed for the
proper utilization of protein.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C help to build a strong placenta, enable your body to resist
infection and also aid the absorption of iron. It is found in fresh
fruit and vegetables also daily supplies of the vitamin are needed
because it cannot be restored in the body. Vitamin C is lost by
prolonged storage and cooking, so look to eat fresh produce and steam
green vegetables or eat them raw.
Fiber
Fiber should form an essential part of your diet. Constipation and
piles are common in pregnancy and fiber helps prevent them. Fruits and
vegetables, brown rice and nuts are rich sources of fiber. Cereals
including oats, beans, peas and pulses etc are good sources of fiber.
Water
Though not essentially a nutrient, water plays a key role in your diet
during pregnancy. It carries the nutrients to your baby. Water helps
prevent constipation, hemorrhoids, excessive swelling, and urinary
tract or bladder infections. There is a good chance of getting
dehydrated, especially during the last trimester, which can cause you
to have contractions and premature or early labor. It is important for
pregnant women to drink at least six to eight glasses of water per
day. Drinking juices is good but they also have lot of calories,
causing you to gain unwanted weight. Caffeine in Coffee, soft drinks,
and teas reduce the amount of fluid in your body, so they don’t count
towards the total amount of fluid you need. Try not to have them
during pregnancy.
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