Pregnancy Diet: Do You Know Which Food Is Good And Bad For You?
During the pregnancy period, most women are always cautious about what they eat. They will be on the constant lookout for the right pregnancy diet that will enable them to provide sufficient nutrients to nourish their growing fetus.
Such foods should be good for the health of the pregnant mothers while at the same time ensuring that they keep their bodies fit by not gaining too much weight. There is a lot of conflicting information on what is good for you and what is not when you are pregnant. Read on and get to learn the facts.
What is Good for You
Proteins
The amount of protein your body needs when you are pregnant is more than that you need when you are not. Always include great protein foods in your diet. Some of the protein sources that I would recommend are milk, meat, cheese, nuts, eggs, seafood, and poultry.
Seafood has omega-3 fatty acids which are responsible for enhancing the brain development of your baby. This will, in the long run, improve her vision, brain development, language, motor skills, and memory. These bodybuilding foods will be sufficient to support your growth and that of your baby.
Veggies and fruits
Fruits and vegetables are some of the foods every pregnant woman should focus on. During your second and third trimesters of pregnancy, make sure that you get enough of the colorful foods. They are rich in minerals, fiber, and vitamins. They also have low-calorie content. Fiber will help a great deal in preventing constipation.
Whole grains of Carbohydrates
Whole grains are an ideal source of energy for your body. During each day of your pregnancy, make sure that you derive your carbohydrates from whole grains such as brown rice, oatmeal, and bread.
Iron
During your pregnancy, you need twice as much iron as what you previously needed. This is so because there is a 50% increase in the amount of blood in your body to support you and the fetus. Iron is vital for the transportation of oxygen from which your fetus will benefit.
Per day, you will need approximately 30 milligrams of iron. To ensure that this amount is attained, have some foods such as liver, beef and oysters among other foods rich in iron.
Legumes
Legumes are a great source of iron, fiber, calcium and folate. Folate B9 is one of the items that most pregnant women do not have enough of. Due to this, there have been very many instances of low birth weight and neural tube defects. To avoid this, include beans, peanuts, chickpeas, lentils and peas in your diet.
Dairy Products
Dairy products are ideal when included in the diet of a pregnant woman. They contain whey and casein in abundance which is very important in meeting the nutritional needs of a growing fetus. In this case, I would recommend yogurt to you. It is appropriate for all, inclusive of the lactose intolerant mothers.
What is Not Good for You
Alcohol
Avoid alcohol at all costs during your entire period of pregnancy. Once the alcohol gets into your blood, it will certainly pass through the umbilical cord, directly to your baby. When a pregnant mother is an alcoholic, the baby is prone to conditions known as fetal spectrum disorders. These will cause your baby to be impaired physically or to experience difficulties in learning.
Caffeine
Consuming a lot of coffee during pregnancy could cause premature birth or miscarriage. Limit the amount of caffeine you take to less than 200 mg per day. This will be good to keep you going when you just can’t help it. If you can, steer away from caffeine and you will be sure that your little growing bundle of joy will be safe in your tummy.
Unpasteurized food
Unpasteurized food is unsafe for pregnant women. Pregnant women who consume unpasteurized food are prone to suffering from two kinds of food poisoning, toxoplasmosis which is a parasitic infection and Listeria, a bacterial infection.
The bacterial infection is bound to cause pregnant women preterm labor, stillbirths, miscarriage, illness or death to newborn babies. To avoid this condition, avoid meat which is unpasteurized and refrigerated, deli-salads from stores, unpasteurized milk and any products made from it, for instance: cheese and feta.
Conclusion
If you have been worried about knowing the right pregnancy diet, now you have some clue. Motherhood is an important part of every woman. For this reason, it is only important that you know the right pregnancy diet that will be safe for you and your growing baby. Be keen on what is good and what is not for yourself and your fetus.
Kindly comment on the article and let us know if we have left out an important detail regarding the right diet for pregnant mothers. Also, where you need clarification, feel free to make inquiries.