What to eat during pregnancy?

What to eat during pregnancy?

What not to eat?

What will be the food routine?

One day our family physician told me a story of a patient and that was:"Jessica is very fond of sour food. When she was pregnant, she ate a good amount of raw papaya mixed with tamarind one day. Soon after eating, she started having stomach pains and had an abortion" 

So, we learn from this story.

Yes, such unfortunate incidents often happen due to ignorance. So it is important for a woman to know what to eat and what to avoid during pregnancy.

To stay healthy, you should always eat a balanced diet. But it is more important for pregnancy. You need to make sure that the fetus gets the nutrition it needs. So the expectant mother has to eat nutritious food. Again, there are some foods that are not safe to eat during pregnancy. Let's find out what kind of food a woman should eat during pregnancy and what foods she should avoid.

Foods to eat during pregnancy:

1. Fruits and vegetables:

Try to eat fruits 5 and vegetables 7 times a day. Eat more vegetables than fruits. You can also drink juice and smoothies. However, their sugar can increase blood sugar levels and can also damage teeth. So it is better to drink a limited amount of these. It is healthier to eat fresh fruits and vegetables.

2. Starchy foods:

Put starchy foods like potatoes, red rice, bread, pasta, etc. in your daily diet. Carbohydrates help provide energy to the body.

3. Protein-rich foods:

Eat protein-rich foods like lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, pulses (peas, lentils) etc. Try to eat fish 2 days or more a week. You can eat oily fish or sea fish like sardines, salmon 1 day a week. Non-vegetarian foods help in the formation of new tissues in the fetus.

4. Dairy foods:

Milk, cheese, yogurt, etc. are excellent sources of calcium. It should be noted that the amount of sugar and fat in them should be less. Fatty foods help build a baby's brain cells.

Many people have iodine deficiency in their bodies. Iodine is a mineral that is essential for the formation of the baby's brain. Dairy foods and seafood are excellent sources of iodine.

The mother's body does a lot more work during pregnancy. However, you usually do not need extra calories in the first 6 months. The best way is to eat whenever you feel hungry.

Foods that should not be eaten during pregnancy:

1. Raw eggs:

Eggs are a nutritious food. Many people have a habit of eating raw eggs. But you should refrain from eating raw eggs during pregnancy. Because raw eggs contain bacteria called Salmonella. So eggs cannot be eaten without boiling well.

2. Half-cooked meat:

Half-cooked meat may contain bacteria. You should also refrain from eating packaged meat such as sausage. The meat should be cooked well.

3. Unpasteurized milk:

Unpasteurized milk or raw milk contains bacteria called Listeria. So you can't drink boiled milk without doing it well. Foods made with unpasteurized milk such as soft cheese should be avoided.

4. Foods made of liver and liver:

The liver contains retinol, which is an animal vitamin A. Excess of this can be harmful to the unborn baby.

5. Caffeine:

Although coffee is effective in relieving fatigue, it is important to drink less during pregnancy. Tea, coffee, etc. contain caffeine. It is not right to take more than 200 ml of caffeine daily. Excessive caffeine intake results in low birth weight babies. Incidents like miscarriages can also happen.

7. Sea fish:

Sea fish are beneficial for health. But eating too much can damage the nervous system of the fetus. Because sea fish contain mercury.

8. Raw or semi-ripe papaya:

It is dangerous for pregnant women to eat raw or semi-ripe papaya. This can lead to miscarriages.

The Harvard School of Public Health has published a guide for pregnant women called Harvard Healthy Eating Plate. Where they have emphasized the importance of eating whole grain foods. It is recommended to make healthy vegetable oil. Milk and dairy foods are said to be eaten in limited quantities i.e. 1/2 times a day. Red meat is recommended in limited quantities and processed meats are avoided. White bread made with refined grains and white rice is also said to be avoided. It says to drink plenty of water and to avoid sugary drinks and exercise regularly.

Let's find out what a woman's food list should look like during pregnancy.

Here we will talk about some ideal eating routines for example. However, considering your age, physical condition, weight, etc., you must know a good diet suggestion from your doctor.

In the morning - Many pregnant women feel nauseous and do not want to eat. In that case you can eat light tea (green tea) and biscuits without eating heavy food. After a while you can eat 2 loaves of bread and vegetables. It is better to boil an egg and eat it. You can eat milk or fruit or fruit juice and nuts without 1 glass of butter at 10/11 pm.

At noon - 1 bowl of rice with fish or meat, vegetable curry, vegetables, pulses, and fresh fruit and vegetable salad. Yogurt can be eaten at the end of the meal.

In the afternoon - you can eat any homemade healthy snack or cake or boiled nuts or peas without eating fried food. You can eat fruit or 1 glass of fruit juice.

At night - dinner will be like lunch. However, it is better not to eat vegetables at night. You can eat more vegetable curry. Be sure to drink 1 glass of skim milk before going to bed.

People who have problems like diabetes or high blood pressure should eat according to the list given by the doctor. Patients with diabetes should avoid sugary and sweet foods and patients with high blood pressure should eat less salt. 

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