Super Food of Pregnancy & Best Food To Eat While Pregnant ( Photo by Jannis Brandt on Unsplash )
Maintaining a healthy diet is important, and if you are pregnant you have to be more cautious.
This is the time when extra care is needed and so an extra amount of protein and nutrients should be consumed. Gaining weight during pregnancy is normal, however, one should keep in mind that this weight gain should happen through a normal process and healthy diet which means that weight gain shouldn’t be because you are too keen eating junk, fast food and drinking cold-drinks.
Do remember that consuming extra doesn’t mean too much. It is not about excess of diet but a healthy and balanced diet. Therefore, I am writing this post to talk about Super Food of Pregnancy & Best Food To Eat While Pregnant and My Diet Plan. My diet plan because I am no doctor and I am no one to order you and tell you what is good. There are many articles on internet already that are discussing such things. This article is more about my diet plan and if you like it you can follow after talking to your doctor/dietician.
So lets start and firstly remember, it is possible to not eat fast food and not drink cold-drinks. Yes! You read that right! I have done it and I know many ladies who did leave all such bad habits.
In this article I am sharing the food items that I ate. Kindly know that you need to ask your doctor first before starting anything new, whether it is a diet plan or any medications.
1) Lentils, Chickpeas and Kidney Beans
Lentils and chickpeas are high in fibre, protein and iron which your bones need more during pregnancy.
I was informed that one cup of lentils and chickpeas contain high amount of folate, folate a B9 vitamin which is helpful in first trimester for both mother and the baby.
Kidney beans on the other hand helps to prepare protein in your body. It is full of proteins and iron and moreover it is rich in antioxidants that is important for a pregnant woman and for the baby’s skin.
In addition to this, let me ask you something, are you tired of that morning sickness? Worry not kidney beans averts nausea that is also known as morning sickness.
My dietician tells me to consume 40 to 70 gms of protein daily.
My diet: I took 1 cup of dal (lentils) every day without fail.
I use to eat Chickpeas and kidney beans once in a week. Since I am also a non-vegetrian and consume meat it was easy for me as meat provides good percentage of protein.
If you are a vegetarian to need to care more. Just saying.
2) Milk and Yogurt
Direct source of high calcium is milk. Some varieties of yogurt contain probiotic bacteria that helps in digestion. As per a study a body needs 1,000 mg calcium during and after pregnancy.
My diet: 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt gives approx 415 mg, (I took I cup almost daily)
200 gms Milk gives approx. 300 mg calcium (I took 200 gms twice daily)
3) Eggs
There are lot of theories that suggest eggs shouldn’t be eaten during pregnancy. And as I said before, please do what your doctor suggests.
In addition to this, if you are not comfortable in adding certain food item in your diet you can always speak about it to your dietician. And she will be happy to provide you an alternate.
I took soft boiled eggs in my diet only in my 2nd and 3rd trimester. Eggs to be consumed should be boiled not less than 8 minutes and should be consumed before the best-before date. Do not try and prepare omelette out of an egg that has broken shell! I know we all have done that at some point but now be extra careful.
4) Leafy greens and Vegetables
Leafy greens are indeed best food you can have while you are pregnant. Believe me as you start eating healthy food you will feel energetic, moreover, you feel nice and refresh to be honest.
Leafy greens are good source of iron, manganese, fibre, potassium, fibre and also calcium and folate. Include leafy greens like spinach, green lettuce, broccoli(for fibre, antioxidants, iron), avacados (help in the brain and tissue growth of the baby) etc in the form of dry sabzi and salads.
My diet: My diet included 1 cup of leafy vegetables and 1 cup of other vegetables. So I ate dal, rice, chapatis and in addition to this my diet included 1 cup leafy vegetables that I took once in a day and 1 cup of other cooked vegetable(sabzi) that I took twice a day.(if not eating rajma or chickpeas in the evening).
There were days when I didn’t follow any chart and that is okay. Without feeling guilty I listened to my mind and body. Bring this change yourself, you are no more in school where a teacher stands on your head to check your homework.
5) Fruits
Fruits a good source of vitamins and nutrients. Fruits are good choice during those hunger pangs. It is advisable not to eat junk at all and have a bowl of fruits whenever you feel hungry.
My dietician when told that our body cannot store Vitamin C I was shocked! Yes, that is true and therefore we have to eat Vitamin C enriched fruits on regular basis.
So, 60-100 milligrams of it was advised to me. You can check and fix your daily diet plan with the help of your doctor or dietician.
My diet: Therefore, I had to eat 1-2 tomatoes. 1 medium orange. Occasionally, 1 cup raw spinach also added to my diet and also I took 1 cup strawberries.
The fruit I personally love is KIWI. I love Kiwi! It provided 91 mg Vitamic C and also it helped me so much in the increase of my haemoglobin percentage that went down during second trimester.
1 kiwi per day increases the haemoglobin percentage so soon you won’t be able to believe yourself. So, with an Apple which is also a must have fruit everyday add kiwis too. Apples prevent Anemia and improves digestion. Also, it contains Carbohydrates so with give you instant energy. Tried and tested!
Okay good to know information now- Kiwi has same potassium as a banana and more Vitamic C than an Orange…surprised! Now you know why I love Kiwis? Alternatively, you can add Guavas if you find Kiwis to be too sour or not easily available. Guavas contain 250 mg Vitamin C!
Of course, no food should be consumed too much unnecessarily, remember it is a process and you need to follow it strictly and gradually. You cannot eat all the fruits in one day and become a superwoman.
With all of the above, I use to drink at least 2-3 litres of water. Water hydrates your body. Drink coconut water as well if available. I will be discussing benefits of coconut water in a different post very soon!
I hope you find this post helpful. Ask me if you have any question or doubt in comments section below. Good day!
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