Superfoods for a Healthy Pregnancy
1. Fatty fish (ie. salmon and cod)
Salmon and cod are great sources of omega-3 fatty acids and protein. Omega-3 fatty acids are good for the heart and can promote fetal brain development.
Salmon is a fantastic provider of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid that is a primary structural component of the human brain, cerebral cortex, skin, and retina. Salmon also contains calcium and vitamin B12. When choosing salmon, it is best to go for wild salmon as they have superior nutrition, lower levels of contaminants, and are better for the environment as compared to farmed salmon.
Cod is a low-level mercury fish that is considered safe for pregnancy. During pregnancy, you can safely eat up to 6oz of cod per month. You can also choose to have your omega-3 fatty acids through cod oil supplements.
2. Lean meat (ie. chicken, pork, beef)
Lean meats are a good source of protein to support your baby’s growth, and have fewer calories than non-lean meats. Go for breast meat, lean minced pork/chicken, and grass-fed beef where possible. In the case of beef, grass-fed beef is not only lean, but also juicer than its grain-fed sibling! You can also take extra caution by not consuming the fatty parts of meat, eg. chicken skin.
Iron Rich foods for pregnancy
Pregnancy increases your หรือถ้าคุณสนใจแทงบอลออนไลน์ UFABET คือเว็บที่มีอัตราต่อรองดีที่สุดในประเทศไทย สมัครเลยตอนนี้ที่ UFABET แทงบอล blood supply by up to 50%. This means that you’ll need more red blood cells and more iron to make those red blood cells. The body, however, does not naturally make iron. It can only be obtained through the diet or supplements.
Sources of pregnancy-friendly, iron-rich foods include, fully cooked red meat, chicken, salmon, sardines, trout, cod and light tuna. You can also try plant-based sources of iron including, beans and lentils, spinach, kale and broccoli.
Soups for pregnancy
Soups and broths are great ways to keep up your nutrient intake especially when you are having morning sickness and you don’t feel like eating much. Make a broth from grass-fed beef bones, which has a lot of minerals in the bone marrow. If you’re feeling very nauseous, adding in some fresh ginger can help. Beans and lentils are also good ingredients for soup as they are packed with various vitamins and minerals.
3. Whole grains
Brown rice, quinoa and millet have their grains intact without losing essential nutrients like protein, minerals and dietary fibre. White rice, on the other hand, is a grain with the hull, bran layer and germ removed, thus stripping off its key nutrients.
Eating whole grains is one of the ways to keep your blood sugar level low, reducing the likelihood of gestational diabetes and keeping you full for longer. Whole grains are also dense in dietary fibre, which is good for the digestive system. Eating more whole grains would make it easier for pregnant women to get sufficient nutrition without eating too much. During pregnancy, women are advised to eat at least 3 servings of wholegrain foods each day.
4. Vegetables
When it comes to veggies, eat a rainbow of colours! Different-coloured vegetables contain different vitamins and minerals, so having variety will introduce your growing baby to different types of tastes in vegetables. Dark, leafy greens like spinach, kale, and Swiss chard contain lots of vitamins, minerals and folate.
While it is safe to eat raw vegetables during pregnancy. It is best to avoid raw sprouts, including alfalfa, radish, clover, and mung beans. These vegetables generally need warm and humid conditions to grow and would be carriers of dangerous bacteria such as E.coli, salmonella, and listeria.
5. Fruits
It is beneficial to eat more fruits during pregnancy as they contain important vitamins and nutrients like vitamin C and folate. The daily recommended intake of vitamin C for pregnant women is 70mg.
Fruits have high fibre content and can help prevent or ease constipation, which is common during pregnancy. Eat a variety of fruits such as oranges, berries and apples.
Avocado
Avocado, in particular, is full of healthy fats and is a good natural source of folate, a type of vitamin B that helps to prevent birth defects. It is rich in iron, vitamins A, C, E and K, all of which are good for both you and your baby. Avocado also contains potassium, which can help relieve leg cramps, a common symptom in pregnancy.
Papaya
Papaya, when ripe, is a great source of nutrients such as beta-carotene, choline, fibre, folate, potassium and vitamins A, B and C, and can be a beneficial part of nutrition during pregnancy. You should however avoid semi-ripe or unripe papaya (identified by its green skin) as it contains latex and papain, which can trigger uterine contractions leading to early labour or miscarriage.