Pregnancy is a complex process in which diet plays a critical role. The pregnant mother’s body undergoes a tremendous amount of change, and nature has provided us with all the programming to be able to deal with it. The body becomes much more efficient, developing muscles and tissues to protect the life that is growing within you. The ground rule is to listen to your body and eat when hungry, eat what your body feels like, and to stay away from foods that your body feels averse to. Many myths abound about what you can and cannot eat when pregnant, and how you should be eating for two. While it is true that both calorific quantity and nutritional quality become more critical during these months. a little attention to what your body is saying to you, along with awareness of what science has found to be essential, can help you decide on a pregnancy diet that is adequate and complete in all aspects.
Here is a list of foods that you should include in your pregnancy diet.
1. Beans
Beans in all their forms are rich in iron, folate, and zinc, all essential to your baby’s development. They are also excellent sources of fiber and vegetable protein. You can throw an extra helping of beans into your cooking wherever possible, in your sandwiches, soups, and salads, as well as in your main courses.
2. Broccoli
Broccoli packs in good amounts of calcium, potassium, and carotenoids, and aids in overall neurological development of your baby, as well as being an excellent source of fiber. If you have stayed away from broccoli much of your life, this is payback time, and payback that will contribute to your baby’s and your health. You can have broccoli along with other vegetables or by itself, baked, grilled or boiled.
3. Sweet potato
Sweet potatoes are abundant in potassium, vitamin C, folate, and carotenoids. Like broccoli, these are essential for your body to synthesize vitamin A. Sweet potatoes also are full of fiber. Remember that fiber is very important as your pregnancy advances since bowel related problems such as constipation and flatulence tend to arise in the later months, and a fiber rich diet all through your pregnancy can help prevent them.
4. Whole grains
Most of the enriched whole grains that you will find in stores come with additional amounts of all the B vitamins, along with iron and zinc. Processed grains products like white bread and white rice are better replaced by whole grains since they are low in fiber and trace nutrients. You can add whole grains to your diet by having oatmeal in the morning, replacing all processed flour breads with wholegrain or multi-grain bread, replacing polished rice with brown rice, and using popcorn and whole grain biscuits for snacks.
5. Beef
In moderation, all cuts of beef are a good source of zinc, iron, and B vitamins, apart from being among the best sources of animal protein. If you are concerned about your fat intake, opt for the leaner cuts. You can control your fat intake by using ground beef in sauces, or baking them with after a deep marinade.
6. Eggs
Eggs are easily the one-stop shop for all the nutritional needs of an embryo, since eggs are embryos themselves. With almost all the vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that are needed for all round development of the baby, eggs are also the best source of proteins that you can get. With an endless variety of ways in which you can cook eggs, adding one or two of them in your daily diet can cater to many of the dietary requirements during pregnancy.
7. Lean pork
Pork is rich in iron, zinc and choline, and lean cuts of pork such as tenderloin compares favorably with white meat in terms of fat content. Pork is also rich in B vitamins, which are essential for the development of the baby. One of the balancing acts that is necessary during pregnancy is to ensure the presence of a reasonable amount of red meat and dairy in your diet so that you get adequate amounts of zinc. For vegans and vegetarians, this has to come from beans, nuts, and whole grains. However, like with beef, it is good to remember that most cuts of pork can be very high in fat content and may add to unwanted weight gain during pregnancy.
8. Salmon
Salmon and other fatty fish, are a good way to get the nutrients that aid in the development of the baby’s nervous system and vision. They are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins B and D. You can toss them into your salads, in sandwiches, or grill them with a dash of olive oil and lime juice as a stand-alone dish. Since fatty fish tend to contain industrial contaminants in certain areas, you may want to check whether it is safe to consume locally caught fatty sea-fish in your area.
9. Berries
Not only are berries rich in vitamin C, folate, and potassium, they are also packed with phytonutrients and antioxidants which fight against cell damage and free radicals. You can consider having an all-berry snack, or add them to yogurt or milk as smoothies, or chop a little of them into your salads.
10. Milk and yogurt
Like eggs, milk is nature’s all-purpose food for both the mother and the baby during pregnancy. With all the calcium, phosphorus and vitamins required for a healthy gestation, milk is easily broken down and absorbed during pregnancy. Just adding a couple of glasses of plain milk to your daily diet can take care of much of your needs, but you can also include milk in your diet by having oatmeal in milk instead of water for breakfast, blending fruits with milk to make shakes and smoothies, and using it for desserts like puddings and custard. Yogurt is extremely helpful not just for the nutrients in it, but also because it helps preserve the balance of your intestinal flora with the help of what are known as friendly bacteria. Plain yogurt also packs in more calcium than an equivalent amount of milk.
11. Chees
This concentrated dairy product gives you a solid dose of all that milk does and then some more. Again, if you are concerned about your fat intake or about weight control, you may want to choose low fat cheese, since cheese packs in large doses of fat and cholesterol. If low fat cheese is a no-no for you, ensure that you stay within limits on your cheese intake during pregnancy. A layer of grated cheese over anything you bake can change it into a delight. You can also add it to soups and salads.
12. Orange juice
The enriched packaged orange juice that you get in stores comes with added doses of calcium and vitamins, along with potassium and folate. Fresh orange juice too is an excellent source of all of these. You can also use fresh oranges in salads, smoothies, and just by itself.
13. Sunshine and exercise
All of the wonder foods for pregnancy listed above need to be broken down and absorbed by the body in order for them to be of use. Two ingredients that will help make the most of these foods are exposure to sunlight and exercise. Make sure that you are getting some amount of sunlight, preferably early in the day or in the late afternoon, along with a moderate level of regular exercise every day. This will not only make the best use of the food you are eating, but also keep you limber, well and happy.