Eating a nutritious and balanced diet is the first and best gift you can give to your baby. After all, your baby’s source of nutrition lies in your diet. If you eat healthy foods on daily basis, your baby will grow into a strong and healthy boy/girl and will prevent nutrition loss from your bones and blood.
We are recommending dietary guidelines for average pregnant women who are supposed to be in the 25-30 years age group and who exercise moderately for 45 to 60 minutes, 4-5 times a week. If you are underweight or overweight, do hard manual labor or exercise strenuously then your nutritional needs can differ. Check with your dietitian for the best tailor-made diet regimen.
Diet Tips For Pregnant Women
Whole Grains
Whole grains provide carbohydrates primarily which is the main source of body’s energy. Besides carbs, whole grains also provide fiber, vitamin B, iron, minerals, etc.Make sure to include 6-11 servings of breads and grains out of which 50% should be whole grains. Avoid sugary and refined cereals and try to include brown rice, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat bread, etc. in your diet.
Fruits And Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables form very important part of your pregnancy diet since they contain a host of vitamins and minerals. They also contain fiber which aids in digestion and keeps your hunger pangs under control. You should include one good source of vitamin C like oranges, melons, broccoli, papaya, cauliflower, etc. in your diet as pregnant women need 70 mg of vitamin C in their daily diet.
For fulfilling your daily requirement of 0.4 mg folic acid per day include at least one thing from dark green leafy vegetables, legumes and veal. Likewise choose at least one source of vitamin A per day from cantaloupe, carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, spinach, etc.
Eggs, Poultry, Fish And Beans
This food group fulfills your daily requirement of protein. It also contains plenty of iron and B vitamin. Protein plays a very important role in development of your baby during second and third trimester. Aim to eat three servings of these foods.Though fish is an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids but some fish contain high amounts of mercury and should be best avoided during pregnancy. Examples include mackerel, swordfish, shark, tilefish, etc.
Milk, Yogurt, Cheese And Other Dairy Products
Aim to include four servings of dairy products to fulfill your calcium needs. Calcium is required for development of bones and teeth of your baby. Dairy products also contain vitamin D and protein.If you find it hard to digest so much of dairy products then include calcium fortified foods in your diet. You can also confirm with your doctor if you can take lactase enzyme based product for digestion of dairy products.
Water/Fluids
Drinking enough amount of water is important during pregnancy to prevent constipation, urinary tract infection, hemorrhoids, etc and to provide for the expanding blood volume that carries nutrients for mother and baby. Drink 10-12 glasses of water per day and include healthy drinks like milk, buttermilk, vegetable and fruit juices in your diet.
