When you’re pregnant, anything and everything that you eat or do affects your baby as well. So eating for yourself and your baby can be a nerve-racking responsibility, especially when you are bombarded with a stockpile of suggestions. It becomes quite overwhelming in what food to eat during pregnancy. In order to make it easy for you, I have come up with 10 important foods to eat during pregnancy that are highly recommended by nutritionists.
Go through these foods for pregnant women and maintain a healthy pregnancy!
These powerful healthy pregnancy diet foods stockpiled with nutrients keep both mom-to-be and baby healthy throughout the period and also help them stay healthy post delivery as well.
Following are the top 10 important foods to eat during pregnancy –
1. Sweet potatoes
These are among the most underrated vegetables. But fact is, sweet potatoes are laden with nutritious fibers, potassium even more than bananas, Vitamin B6, iron, Vitamin C, beta-carotene and copper.
While other food items in the list offer ample nutrients, sweet potatoes stand out because of their beta-carotene composition. This is an anti-oxidant that get converted into Vitamin A after consuming, which plays a key role in the development of baby’s eyes, skin and bones.
Beta-carotene is also a great substitute for iron and its copper content easily absorbs iron in the body.
So replace your fried snacks with sweet potatoes.
2. Eggs
Here is another important food to eat during pregnancy. No matter in which form you like to consume eggs – boiled, scrambled or simply omelet, they offer you with a high dose of proteins. Besides, they are also great source of choline, iron and folate.
[Also Read: Dry Skin Pregnancy Tips]
Not only eggs are a convenient source of proteins, but they also contain choline that is essential for the baby’s brain development. Besides, choline also helps in reducing the risk of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida.
Go for fortified eggs as they come with omega-3s.
source:vitamin.healthfoodxdrinks.com
3. Nuts
Eating cravings are common during pregnancy and this habit may provoke you to munch upon unhealthy snacks and fried foods. In order to make your hunger pangs to rest, you can add nuts to your snacks that are laden with brain-boosting omega-3s, fiber, proteins, vitamins and minerals. 1/4th cup of nuts offers you 98 milligrams of magnesium, so expecting mums should immediately include this diet during pregnancy. The magnesium-rich nuts prevent the risk of premature delivery, reduce labor pain and also help in the development of fetal nervous system. Shelled pistachios can control cravings as they take longer to eat and keeps your stomach full for some time period.
[Also Read: Saffron During Pregnancy – Benefits and Side Effects]
4. Beans and lentils
If you are a vegetarian or do not like meat then you can substitute the nutrients from beans and lentils, as these are also a great source of proteins, iron, fibers, calcium and folate. Besides, beans are also laden with zinc. Beans contains minerals that you can get from animal products. And the rich zinc content present in beans and lentils lowers the risk of premature delivery, prolonged labor and low birth weight.
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5. Lean meat
Lean meat is loaded with iron and B vitamins that are essential for RBC formation, thus preventing anemia. It consists of Vitamin B6 that helps in baby’s brain and tissue development’ while its B12 helps in maintaining nervous system of the fetus.
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9. Leafy greens
Expecting mothers should add leafy green vegetables to their diet, such as spinach, brocoli, kale and asparagus.
They are loaded with anti-oxidants and are a good source of calcium, potassium, fiber, folate and especially Vitamin A that is key to baby’s eyesight development.
10. Salmon
Salmon is an important diet for pregnant women. Not only expecting moms, but everyone who eat non-veg should add salmon to their diet, as it is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids and proteins.
So those were the 10 important foods to eat during pregnancy. Hope this helps!
