It is important to keep a healthy diet during pregnancy.
Your body requires additional nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and some 300-350 more calories each day during pregnancy. You should talk to your gynaecologist during pregnancy.
A diet lacking in nutrients, poor eating habits may lead to some pregnancy problems. Similarly over eating or eating all the wrong things may lead to excess weight gain and may also increase your risk of gestational diabetes.
So keeping a healthy, nutritious diet will help assure that you and your baby both are healthful.
Yes, certain foods can lead to pregnancy problems and one should know about them.
• From conception onwards, it is very necessary to have folic acid.
• Vitamin D is an important thing wanted during pregnancy.
• Iron and Calcium along with some minerals is also required. Protein and fibre in diet is also important.
Legumes are excellent sources of folate (folic acid), fiber and several other nutrients. Folate is a vitamin that decreases the risk of neural tube defects in the growing baby.
Fruits are a great source of many vitamins and fibre. Fibre helps in decreasing the problem of constipation often bothering a pregnant lady.
Green vegetables are a good source of iron. Avocados contain high amounts of fibre, folate and potassium. Potassium helps to reduce leg cramps that are normal in pregnant women.
Sweet potatoes are a great source of beta-carotene, which is important for the growing fetus.
Full eggs are a good source of protein (the white part) along with many nutrients in the yellow part. You can have two eggs daily. Chicken and fish provide you a quantity of protein as does paneer for vegetarians.
Dairy products like milk, yoghurt should be consumed in sufficient quantity as it is a good source of protein and calcium..
Dry fruits like almonds and walnut are good for pregnant women but make sure to limit your portions.
Drinking water is very important during pregnancy. It may also help stop constipation and urinary tract infections which are comparatively more common during pregnancy.
Some foods are to be avoided during pregnancy.
Raw fish and shell fish, Raw or undercooked meat, and raw eggs must be avoided as they may lead to infection if contaminated.
Pregnant women should restrict their caffeine intake to one or two cups of coffee. High caffeine intake during pregnancy is bad. Try to have decaffeinated coffee. Also, decrease tea consumption to two to three cups. Green tea should not be taken during pregnancy.
Pregnant women should not drink alcohol as it raises the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth.