10 Foods to Eat When You’re Pregnant

Pregnancy, a journey full of joy and affection, relies deeply on your food during pregnancy. The food that nourishes your body will nourish the body of your little one too. Moreover, the food determines the entire development and delivery of your little one. It is very crucial to take your Prenatal nutrition seriously.

 

Dieticians can keep you a step ahead by enlightening you about nutrition in different phases of pregnancy. With a proper diet, you can eat the right food during pregnancy and have a safe delivery of a healthy baby. 

Importance of Nutrition During Pregnancy

1. Fetal Development and Organogenesis:

The fundamental building nutrients are vital for rapid cell division and organogenesis, the formation of the baby’s organs. Therefore, the food during pregnancy makes sure your nutrition promotes it. 

 

There are vitals like folic acid, which are crucial for the development of the neural tube in the first weeks. Furthermore, they lay the basic foundation for lifelong health and preventing major birth defects in babies.

 

2. Supporting Maternal Physiological Changes:

Practically, Pregnancy increases the mother’s metabolic demands and circulating blood volume in your body. With the apt food during pregnancy, particularly iron, the blood volume of the mother can increase up to 50%. Moreover, it can counter the risk of anemia, preterm birth or low birth weight. 

 

3. Programming Fetal Health and Disease Risk:

The quality of the mother’s diet can “program” the fetus’s metabolism and organ function, a concept known as the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD). Poor nutrition in utero can interrupt gene expression and cell development. Thus, increasing your child’s susceptibility to diseases later in life.

 

4. Optimal Birth Outcomes and Preventing Complications:

Proper weight gain, by nutritious food during pregnancy, is directly proportional to the fetal growth. This makes sure that your baby has a healthy birth weight. Moreover, it also reduces the risk of serious pregnancy complications for the mother, such as high BP and organ damage.  

 

5. Building Fetal Nutrient Stores for Postnatal Life:

The mother’s diet builds up the baby’s nutrient reserves. It is crucial for your baby’s growth and development for the first six months. Especially, if they are exclusively breastfed, as their nutrient intake solely depends on breast milk.

 

Best Foods to Eat in Each Trimester

 

Your food during pregnancy should be medically guided by a dietician in each trimester. In addition, your baby’s development direct this change in your diet and should be as:

First trimester:

 

Key nutrients	Why?	Foods to eat:
Folate/ Folic acid	Preventing neural tube defects.	leafy greens Broccoli
Protein	Development of foetal tissue and organs.	Lean meats Eggs Beans Dairy
Vitamin B6	Can help with nausea and vomiting	Banana Poultry Potatoes
Iron	Supports blood volume to prevent anemia	Spinach Beans Lean red meat

 

Food during pregnancy- Second trimester:

 

Key Nutrients	Why?	Foods to eat:
Calcium	Develops baby’s teeth, bones, nervous system.	Low fat dairy Dark leafy greens
Vitamin D	Helps body absorb calcium	Fatty fish Egg yolks Exposure to sunlight
Omega-3 Fatty acids	Baby’s brain and eye development.	walnuts Salmon & sardines Seeds

 

Food during pregnancy- Third trimester:

 

Key nutrients	Why?	Foods to eat
Iron	Supports the large increase in maternal blood volume. Moreover, builds the baby’s iron stores for the first six months of life.	Poultry Fish Beans Lentils
Choline	Brain and nervous system development	Eggs Chicken  Salmon
Protein	For foetal growth along with growth of placenta and amniotic fluid.	All protein sources above

 

Food during pregnancy: Fruits & Vegetables to Include

 

Learn about these must-haves in your journey of pregnancy:

 

• Apples: 

Your diet should have an apple everyday due to the Fiber, antioxidants, and its ability to support fetal development.

 

• Berries: 

Your fruit salad bowl must have this food during pregnancy as it has a combination of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

 

• Leafy Greens: 

Greens like spinach and kale can supply your pregnancy with Iron, folate, and calcium.

 

• Sweet Potatoes: 

In addition, this food during pregnancy can fuel your body with vitamin A, fiber, and minerals for the growth process along with other healthy foods.

 

• Carrots: 

Due to their pigment called Beta-carotene, fiber, and antioxidants, carrots are a good food for pregnant women.

 

• Broccoli: 

Folate, vitamin C, and cancer-fighting compounds in broccoli make it ideal to feed to a pregnant woman.

 

Foods to Avoid: worst foods for pregnant women

When eating your food during pregnancy, make sure you skip these foods as they can lead to serious complications: 

 

1. Raw or undercooked eggs: 

They put you at a high risk of catching bacteria like salmonella in your system.

 

2. Pineapple:

Pineapple for pregnant women is a dangerous one. Moreover, this fruit is known to trigger miscarriage or contractions and thus, must be avoided. 

 

3. Raw sprouts(alfalfa, bean): 

Furthermore, it is the same case of getting salmonella and other bacteria in your system.

 

4. High-mercury fish(shark, swordfish): 

This fish can greatly interrupt the fetal brain development and shouldn’t be eaten with the food during pregnancy.

 

5. Papaya:

Papaya for pregnancy is the worst trigger food to cause contractions or even miscarriage.

 

Daily Diet Chart Sample with best food during pregnancy

This is a sample of a meal plan for pregnant women:

 

Breakfast:

 

– Oats or Dalia with fruits and nuts

– Avocado or peanut butter sandwich

– Idli/Sambar with vegetables

– Fresh fruit smoothie

 

Lunch:

 

– Brown rice, Moong dal and vegetable curry

– Roti with Matar Paneer curry and lentils

– Salad using the best food during pregnancy.

 

Snacks:

 

– Fresh fruits chopped and diced

– Nuts and seeds 

– Yogurt with honey and fruits

– Roasted chickpeas or makana

 

Dinner:

 

– Grilled fish or chicken with roti or toast

– Mixed veggies and paneer pulao

– Lentil soup with atta roti

 

Indian Superfoods:

Moreover, when looking for food for pregnant women, do not miss the superfoods like:

– Gagglet (ghee)

– Turmeric

– Ginger

– Leafy greens like spinach and kale

– Nuts& seeds  

 

Conclusion

The best way to celebrate your gestation period is to nourish yourself and  your baby. Healthy food during pregnancy can make sure you meet all your needs to develop a little baby. Meal timings along with your meal plan play a key role in nutrition.

You can talk to a dietician to get your customised meal plan. In addition, if you need any supplements, even your prenatal vitamin, first talk to your dietician. Healthy food during pregnancy will help you meet all the needs naturally.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Can I eat papaya for pregnancy in the first trimester?

No, do not eat such fruits as they can trigger contractions and even miscarriage in cases.

Question: Can I eat pineapple while pregnant?

No, you should avoid pineapple for pregnant women.

Question: How to plan a balanced pregnancy diet?

You can do so with the help of a pregnancy dietician by setting meal timings and best food during pregnancy.