What to eat during pregnancy

What to do for the nutrition of the child growing in the womb

Congratulations on becoming a mother! With the excitement about the unborn child comes many questions. One of them applies to everyone. That is, what should I eat?

Eating a healthy diet is important at all stages of life. But it is especially important during pregnancy. A balanced diet will help your child grow, develop, and maintain a healthy weight.

Check out our tips on how to adapt your diet to accommodate a new family member.

How do I follow a balanced diet during pregnancy?

A nutritious diet is ensured only when healthy foods containing all the nutrients required by the human body are included in the daily diet. (Click to view details):

fruit

vegetables

Fresh, canned, frozen, or dry-stored vegetables—you can eat any of them. Dark, leafy green vegetables are nutritious for salads. Half of your plate at mealtimes should be fruits and vegetables.

Grains

Half of the grains on your plate should be ‘whole grains’. Whole grains are foods that are unprocessed and come from whole grains, such as oats, barley, quinoa, brown rice, and red flour.

non-vegetarian

It is important to have a variety of non-vegetarian foods in the diet every day. Foods like meat, poultry, beans, peas, eggs, nuts, and seeds are all non-vegetarian foods.

Dairy

When choosing dairy products, make sure they are pasteurized. Milk and milk products like cheese and curd are good foods.

Oils and fats (love)

Animal fats should be limited in fatty foods. Healthy fats are found in other foods, such as some fish, avocados, and nuts. Oils in food come mainly from vegetable sources (such as olive oil and canola oil).

What vitamins and minerals are needed during pregnancy?

Here are the vitamins and minerals you need early in your pregnancy (click for details):

calcium

Calcium is important for your child’s teeth and bone formation. For this, 1000 mg of calcium should be taken daily. Yogurt, milk, cheese, and dark green leafy vegetables are good sources of calcium. 

iron

Try to get 27 milligrams of iron daily. Iron helps your body’s red blood cells deliver oxygen to your growing baby. You’ll find it in lean meat (red meat), poultry, beans, and beans.

Iodine

Your child needs 220 micrograms of iodine per day for proper brain development. You can find iodine in dairy products, seafood, meat, and eggs.

Colleen

Choline is a nutrient essential for the development of the brain and spinal cord of your unborn baby. During pregnancy, you need to take 450 mg of it daily. For this, milk, eggs, nuts, and soy products should be kept on the food list.

Vitamin A

Carrots, sweet potatoes, and green leafy vegetables all contain vitamin A. Vitamin A is essential for your baby’s bone growth, vision, and skin development. You should consume 770 micrograms of vitamin A daily.

Vitamin C

You need 85 mg of vitamin C daily for the development of the gums, teeth, and bones of the unborn baby. Various citrus fruits like lemons, oranges, grapefruits, broccoli, tomatoes and strawberries, contain vitamin C.

Vitamin D

Sunlight, fortified milk (milk with extra vitamins and minerals), fatty fish like salmon and sardines—these will help you get the 600 international units of vitamin D you need every day. Vitamin D will help your baby develop bones and teeth, as well as good eyesight and skin.

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 will help your baby make red blood cells. You need to take 1.9 mg of vitamin ‘B6’ daily. Beef, pork, whole-grain cereals, and bananas are good sources of vitamin B6.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is important for your baby’s nervous system development and red blood cell production. Fish, meat, poultry, and milk are sources of vitamin B12. You should consume 2.6 micrograms of vitamin B12 daily.

Folic acid

Folic acid is especially important for expectant mothers. This B vitamin plays a special role in preventing birth defects of the baby’s brain and spine, and it helps in the growth and development of the fetus and placenta. Nuts, dark green leafy vegetables, beans, and orange juice will help you get the 600 micrograms of folic acid you need every day. However, food alone is not enough to meet this amount of folic acid. 

How do you ensure adequate folic acid intake?

Since it is difficult to get 600 micrograms of folic acid daily from food alone, you can take at least 400 micrograms of folic acid daily as a supplement. It will fulfill your needs. You can start taking it when you plan to have a child or when pregnancy is confirmed. Talk to your doctor to find out which supplement is right for you.

What foods should be avoided during pregnancy?

Pregnant women are at risk of getting sick from certain foods. And it can cause pregnancy complications. Foods you should avoid during pregnancy:

• Raw, unpasteurized milk and soft cheeses made from such milk. They may contain a type of bacteria called listeria, which can cause a disease called listeriosis.
• Expired food. Because they may contain bacteria.
• Raw and undercooked meat products such as sausages and cold cuts. They may contain parasites, such as Toxoplasma gondii, and bacteria, such as Salmonella and Listeria.
• Raw fish and seafood. Because they can contain high levels of bacteria and parasites.
• Some fish contain high levels of mercury and should be avoided. Most predatory fish, such as sharks, swordfish, marlin, and king mackerel, are high in mercury.
• Smoked but uncooked fish, such as smoked salmon,.
• Uncooked sprouted seeds, cereals, and beans. Raw radishes, beans, alfalfa seeds, and ready-to-eat salads should be avoided. Because they contain Listeria, Salmonella, and E. May contain harmful bacteria, such as coli.
• Raw or undercooked eggs. It may contain salmonella bacteria.
• Liver and other organ meats. Although the liver contains a lot of iron, it is not recommended for pregnant women. Because it contains high levels of vitamin ‘A’ and there is a risk of poisoning in this meat.

How do you prepare food safely for expectant mothers?

• Wash your hands with soap before eating.
• All utensils should be washed thoroughly after use.
• The meat should be cooked completely.
• Uncooked vegetables, salad vegetables, and fruits should be washed very carefully.
• Food should be stored at the proper temperature.
• Food should be eaten immediately after cooking.

How much should I eat during pregnancy?

You don’t need any extra food during the first three months. In the second trimester, you will need an additional 340 calories per day. And in the last three months, you’ll need an extra 450 calories per day. Keep healthy, light snacks like nuts, yogurt, and fresh fruit on hand for that extra boost of energy. Talk to your health care provider to get the right plan for this.

Should a vegetarian or vegan diet be followed during pregnancy?

If you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, you need to ensure that you are getting enough iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin B12, and vitamin D. Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian or nutritionist to get a solution.