A pregnancy diet is extremely important as it determines the health of both the mother and her baby. Most women believe that they can meet their nutritional requirements from a regular balanced diet, but this is not true. A pregnant woman has unique nutritional requirements and so you should find out more about your dietary recommendations from your obstetrician. Once you have defined your requirements, you can make a list of healthy foods to eat and include these in your regular diet plan.
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Foods To Eat During Pregnancy
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Fruits and vegetables are obviously healthy foods but there are certain fruits and veggies that are especially beneficial for pregnant women. Given below are some of the foods that should be included in your daily pregnancy diet plan.
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Fruits: Oranges are a very important ?pregnancy fruit? as they have a high Vitamin C content.
Vitamin C is necessary for the development of your baby?s cartilage, tendons, and bones. Oranges also contain folic acid, which is a vitamin that helps to prevent serious birth defects. In addition to oranges, other great fruits during pregnancy include bananas, grapes, watermelon, dates, and passion fruit.
Vegetables: Green leafy vegetables are a must in any pregnancy diet as they are an excellent source of folate and iron. These nutrients are among the most important, as a deficiency in either one can have extremely serious and lasting effects on the baby?s mental development. Asparagus, sweet potatoes, avocados, and beets are excellent sources of vitamins and minerals.
Dairy: Yogurt is a good source of calcium and protein and it is an important part of a pregnancy diet as it is easy to digest. Milk and milk products can aggravate nausea and morning sickness but a dry cracker smeared with a little yogurt will help to soothe your digestive tract and reduce morning sickness. Homemade yogurt popsicles are an excellent dessert, especially during hot summer afternoons.
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Meat: Skinless poultry, lean meats (98 % fat-free), and fish are healthy sources of proteins, amino acids, and Vitamins A, B, and E. Proteins are the body?s building blocks and so a protein deficiency can impair your baby?s physical development
Nuts & Seeds: Nuts and seeds contain various vitamins as well as minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, and manganese. Your baby requires just small amounts of these minerals but these trace amounts play an important role in both physical and mental development. Also see diet during ninth month of pregnancy.
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Pregnancy Diet Plan
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It is not always easy to keep a track of your diet and nutrition during pregnancy, and so a diet chart will help you to track your requirements. A diet for pregnant women should also include healthy snacks so that you do not binge on chips and junk food. Typically, a healthy pregnancy diet chart would include the following:
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Breakfast: You can include a bowl of whole grain cereal or whole wheat toast for the fiber value. If that doesn?t sound appetizing you could have a cup of low fat fruity yogurt. A cup of fruits like grapes or strawberries with a glass of fresh fruit juice would also work fine.
Morning Snack: A cup of fresh fruit juice with a small bowl of either fruit or vegetable salad would work fine. A fresh fruit smoothie may be a lot more appetizing, but make sure you don?t exceed your caloric requirements.
Lunch: Your lunch should be wholesome and nourishing, so try and include a lot of greens in whatever dish you?re eating. Salads like a Spinach Fettuccine with Chicken and Saut?ed Greens, or Sunset Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup would work well. You could also include a simple pasta dish or a soup like ginger carrot soup.
Dinner: Make sure your dinner isn?t too heavy. You can have a lean meat burger with some lettuce and tomatoes, on a whole wheat bun. You could also opt for a salad meal again with some fruits like oranges and raspberries and greens like lettuce or spinach.
Evening Snack: You can go healthy again with some fruit juice and a bowl of fruit salad, but if you?ve been moderate in your other meals, you?ve probably earned yourself some chocolate chip cookies and muffins. Indulge those taste buds, but don?t pig out!
There are several herbs such as Peppermint Leaf, Ginger root, and Slippery Elm Bark that are considered to be effective in reducing pregnancy symptoms but you will need to discuss these pregnancy herbs with a certified herbalist as well as your obstetrician. Your OB/GYN may also recommend pregnancy supplements such as a multivitamin supplement, a folic acid supplement, or Vitamin D supplements. Read more on diet menu for 4 week pregnant women
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List Of Foods To Avoid By Pregnant Women
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Pregnancy may be a time to indulge those taste buds, but you need to exercise some amount of caution. During pregnancy certain foods pose a higher risk of food poisoning and may threaten the development of your baby.
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Seafood: While fish are typically included in any healthy diet, you need to limit your intake and there are some seafoods that you need to avoid altogether. While oily fish like tuna should only be consumed in moderation, avoid consuming fish like shark and marlin completely. Some varieties of fish contain high levels of mercury that can threaten the baby?s development. Seafoods like shellfish also put you at risk of severe food poisoning and should be avoided.
Meats: Meat products may be consumed in moderation, but you need to make sure that they are well cooked. Avoid eating any raw or undercooked meat, whether poultry or fish, as they pose a high risk of infection.
Cheese: Mould ripened varieties of cheese like camembert and blue-veined cheeses such as stilton should also be avoided, as they contain a bacteria (listeria), which can threaten the unborn child.
Unpasteurized Foods: Avoid the consumption of unpasteurized milk or any dairy product prepared from unpasteurized milk like soft goats? cheese. If you only have access to raw milk, make sure that is boiled.
Caffeine: Your caffeine intake should be severely restricted during pregnancy because of the risk it poses to the baby. In some cases it could even cause a miscarriage. Pregnant women are advised to limit caffeine intake to no more than 200mg of caffeine per day. Caffeine is present not just in tea and coffee, but it is also a common ingredient in many aerated drinks and colas.
Alcohol: Restrict your alcohol intake or abstain completely, as increased alcohol consumption can severely threaten the unborn child.
It is advisable that you maintain high standards of hygiene when handling and preparing meals. Consult with your health care provider for more specific instructions on foods to avoid during pregnancy.
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