Pregnancy is an important stage in the life of every woman. It is the most beautiful phases of her life. Nutrition plays an important role to have a healthy pregnancy. Pregnancy happens to be most demanding period of a woman, hence, eating a balanced diet becomes all the more important. Pregnancy brings along all sorts of aches. So, you need to beat those blues away with a well-balanced diet.
The healthier you eat, the better it is for you and your baby who is in the womb. It is because whatever you eat or drink is the main source of nourishment for your baby. So, it becomes all the more important to indulge in right kind of foods especially during pregnancy.
Let’s begin by breakfast. Eating a healthy and a nutritious breakfast is ‘indispensable’ for giving you a kickstart for the day. You will feel vitalized and full of energy whole day long. Your breakfast can be a healthy combination of lots of fresh, seasonal fruits along with a glassful of milk.
Eat small but healthy foods throughout the day to overcome the feeling of nausea or bloating which is commonly found during pregnancy. Anything you eat passes to your baby during pregnancy. So, gorge on healthy snacks and stay away from junk or fast foods as much as possible.
Balanced diet during pregnancy should be a combination of nutritious diet comprising of 3 helpings of proteins, 2 helpings of iron-rich foods, 3 helpings of green vegetables or fruits, 2 helpings of vitamin C foods, 4 helpings of carbohydrates and whole grain.
Water is an important source of keeping the body adequately hydrated, especially during pregnancy, as dehydration might spell serious problems for many pregnant women including water retention, dizziness, cramps, headaches, swelling and nausea. It is needed for proper functioning of vital organs of our body and pregnant women need more water to cope with the changing requirements of their body. Every pregnant woman must drink at least 8-10 glasses of water every day. As the pregnancy progresses to later stages, you must increase your water intake to keep the baby healthy and safe in the womb.
Being rich source of instant energy, carbohydrates like honey, sugar, fruit juice etc. must be included in the diet of a pregnant woman. Complex carbohydrates including potatoes, rice, cereals, breads and whole grains provide energy over a longer period of time and help relieve such common problems like constipation.
Iron is needed for both the mother and the child. So, the requirement of iron almost doubles during pregnancy. a pregnant woman needs extra iron as there is an increase in the maternal blood volume and the baby needs iron to support itself after birth. A good source of iron is provided by meat.
Calcium also forms part of the balanced diet of during pregnancy. it is needed to keep your and your baby’s teeth healthy. It can be easily found in milk and milk products like yoghurt, cheese, curd. Additionally, broccoli and canned fish also contain calcium.
Last but not the least is protein which provides essential elements needed during pregnancy to help the body tissues grow. Fresh fruits and green, leafy vegetables are a good source of protein. Green beans, carrots, peas, sweet potatoes, dals, milk, cheese, yoghurt and nuts are great for you and your baby. Non-vegetarians can also include fish, beef, pork, lamb to cope up with their protein requirements during pregnancy.
A good diet is the key to a healthy and a safe pregnancy. So, you must include adequate quantities of essential nutrients to keep you and your baby healthy.
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