Eating healthily during pregnancy is important for both – the mother and the baby. Pregnancy takes a toll on the women’s body, so eating healthy foods that replenish the lost nutrients is essential. Likewise, for the optimal growth of the baby, you need to ensure you eat nutritionally-rich food that will help boost the development of the baby and aid in a better labour and delivery experience. There is a lot of pregnancy tips that you’d come across and among them, eating healthy and nutritious food and keeping yourself hydrated tops the list as it helps with physical, mental and emotional well-being.
Foods to Eat During Pregnancy
- Fruits: From healthy fats to folate to dietary fibre, antioxidants, and more, fruits help strengthen the immune system and prevents mood swings in pregnant women. From the baby’s growth perspective, fruits like berries, avocados and others help with cognitive development and to build healthy skin cells.
- Dark Leafy Vegetables: These are packed with a variety of essential nutrients and vitamins and helps prevent iron-deficiency anaemia and reduces the risk of low-birth-weight.
- Fish and Lean Meat: Fish, particularly salmon and sardines, are rich in calcium, protein and omega-3 fatty acids that help during pregnancy. Lean meat, on the other hand, is a rich source of protein, iron, zinc, etc which lowers the risk of anaemia and premature delivery. Plus, it helps with the development of the baby’s brain health and muscle.
Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy
- Raw, Uncooked and Processed Food: All raw, uncooked, canned, and processed foods should be completely avoided during the pregnancy, as they could be contaminated, which could cause serious illnesses.
- Excess Caffeine: This could lead to premature birth, hamper fetal growth and cause miscarriage. So cut down on caffeine for a healthy pregnancy.
- Street Food: This is another no-no during pregnancy as it could lead to digestive problems and in some cases, can also cause food poisoning.
- Smoking and Alcohol: These are linked with various birth complications and could cause disorders in the unborn child and other health problems.
These are some of the foods that you should eat and avoid during pregnancy. By following this advice, you would have a healthy pregnancy, minimize the risk of complications and have a safe delivery. So make sure that you adhere to it, and for more details, refer to this in-depth infographic that has listed all the information you need to know about pregnancy nutrition.
