Healthy Diet Tips: As the generations have passed, the equality between a man and a woman has been very well talked about and worked upon. The world has today accepted that a woman is very much equal to a man.
But even today, there are many instances where we have intentionally overlooked surprising and shocking statistics on gender equality; women are 47% more likely to suffer severe injuries in car crashes because safety features are designed for men.
“You educate a man; you educate a man. You educate a woman; you educate a generation.” But no one talked about keeping the women safe especially the ones who are actually going to give birth to an entire generation.
Remember, the way you look after a woman during her pregnancy is what you can expect a generation to be. After all, whatever a woman eats and drinks during pregnancy is the ultimate source of the baby’s main source of nourishment.
Thus, here we are to talk about healthy diet and nutrition tips for women during pregnancy so that she can provide the important nutrients a baby needs for growth and development.
Table of Contents
Important Nutrients Required
1. Folic Acid
Folic Acid, if present in foods, acts as a B Vitamin which is vital in helping to prevent birth defects in the baby’s brain and spinal cord, known as neural tube defects.
Experts suggest taking a daily vitamin supplement containing 400 micrograms of folic acid per day for at least a month before becoming pregnant and increase the amount to 600 micrograms a day during pregnancy.
Food Sources: leafy green vegetables, breads, and pastas, beans, citrus fruits.
2. Calcium
We all know the importance of this mineral in our life, similarly, calcium is used to build a baby’s bones and teeth. If there is a lack of calcium consumption during pregnancy, the mineral will be drawn from the mother’s bones by the baby to meet the extra demands of pregnancy.
Pregnant women of age over nineteen need 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day and those aged 14 to 18 need 1,300 milligrams daily.
Food Sources: milk, cheese, yogurt, sardines, or salmon with bones.
3. Iron
On a regular basis, pregnant women need 27 milligrams of iron a day and these additional amounts of the mineral are needed to make more blood to supply the baby with oxygen. Lack of iron can lead to anemia that results in fatigue and an increased risk of infections.
Food Sources: meat, poultry, fish, dried beans, and peas.
4. Protein
Excess protein, also known as “a builder nutrient”, is required during pregnancy and in general pregnant women don’t face issues in getting enough protein-rich foods in their diets.
Food Sources: meat, poultry fish, eggs, nuts, tofu.
Foods to be Consumed
1. Fruits and Vegetables: Women must focus on having fruits and vegetables especially during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Five to ten tennis ball-size servings of it is a must per day.
2. Lean Protein: Good protein sources at every meal is a vital ingredient to support the baby’s growth.
3. Whole Grains: Whole Grains are an important source of energy in the diet providing fiber, iron, and B-vitamins and is required during pregnancy which acts as carbohydrates in them.
4. Dairy: Three to four servings of dairy foods a day is a must because it provides calcium, protein, and vitamin D to pregnant women.
Foods to be taken in limits
1. Caffeine: A consumption of more than 200 mg of caffeine a day which is equivalent to one 12-ounce cup of coffee is harmful to pregnant women.
2. Fish: Though fish is a good source of lean protein, pregnant women should limit albacore or “white” tuna to no more than 6 ounces a week because of its high levels of mercury which can be harmful to a baby’s developing brain.
Foods to be avoided
Alcohol for pregnant women is a complete no. Alcohol in the mother’s blood enters into the baby directly through the umbilical cord and heavy use of alcohol during pregnancy can lead to fetal alcohol spectrum disorders as well as learning and behavioral difficulties in babies and children.
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So, these were a few vital health diet tips that must be kept in mind by all pregnant women. Create your diet chart in tandem with these tips, so that the little one is all fit and healthy when it comes into this world!
