NUTRITION IN PREGNANCY

Greetings everyone and writing the new weekly blog, continuing with pregnancy, it is about NUTRITION IN PREGNANCY.

A healthy diet is an important part of a healthy lifestyle at any time but especially vital if you're pregnant. Eating healthily during pregnancy will help your baby to develop and grow.

There are certain things you need to add to your routine diet as well as certain foods to avoid during pregnancy.

The most important myth I would be busting is – There is no need to “eat for 2”

Yes that’s correct - You will probably find that you are more hungry than usual, but you do not need to "eat for 2" – even if you are expecting twins or triplets.

Try to have a healthy breakfast every day, because this can help you to avoid snacking on foods that are high in fat and sugar.

Another important thing in pregnancy is to have small frequent meals (3+3) having 3 large meals and 3 small meals.

                                      

Fruits and vegetables: Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables because these provide vitamins and minerals, as well as fibre, which helps digestion and can help prevent constipation.

Eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day.

(80 grams of fresh fruit and 30 grams of dried fruit count as 1 portion)

                                       

Starchy foods (carbohydrates) in pregnancy: Starchy foods are an important source of energy, it helps you to feel full without containing too many calories.

They include bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, noodles, oats, and cornmeal. If you are having chips, go for oven (baked rather than fried) chips lower in fat and salt.

These foods should make up just over a 3rd of the food you eat. Instead of refined starchy (white) food, choose wholegrain or higher-fibre options such as whole wheat pasta, brown rice, brown bread, or simply leaving the skins on potatoes.

                                         

Protein in pregnancy: Eat some protein-rich foods every day. Sources of protein include: beans, pulses, sprouts, fish, eggs, meat, poultry, nuts

Choose lean meat, remove the skin from poultry, and try not to add extra fat or oil when cooking meat.

Try to eat 2 boiled eggs daily (avoid eating raw or partially cooked eggs).

For vegetarians: add extra cup of dal in each meal and include soya chunks as salad or rice (as you prefer).

                                         

Dairy in pregnancy: Dairy foods such as milk, cheese, yoghurt, curd are important in pregnancy because they contain calcium and other nutrients that you and your baby need.

Choose low-fat varieties wherever possible, such as semi-skimmed, 1 percent fat or skimmed milk, low-fat and lower-sugar yoghurt.

If you prefer dairy alternatives, such as soya drinks and yoghurts, go for unsweetened, calcium-fortified versions.
                                            

Foods that are high in fat, sugar or both: Sugary foods and drinks are often high in calories, which can contribute to weight gain. Having sugary foods and drinks can also lead to tooth decay. Fat is very high in calories, so eating too many fatty foods, or eating them too often, can make you put on weight and increase the amount of cholesterol in your blood,  which increases your chance of developing heart disease.

And I would tell you what includes in this type of food: all spreading fats (such as butter), oils, salad dressings, cream, chocolate, pastries, ice cream, cake, puddings, fizzy drinks.

If you're having such foods and drinks, have these less often and in small amounts. 

Try to cut down on saturated fat, and have small amounts of foods rich in unsaturated fat instead, such as vegetable oils.

                                             

Healthy snacks in pregnancy: If you get hungry between meals, try not to eat snacks that are high in fat and/or sugar, such as sweets, pastries or chocolate (others as discussed above).

Instead, choose something healthier, such as:

small sandwiches grated cheese, slice of cucumber, tomato, lettuce

salad vegetables, such as carrot, or cucumber                       

low-fat fruit yoghurt, plain yoghurt or curd

dry fruits like dates, cashew, almonds, figs(anjeer)

vegetable and bean soups

Sprouted green moong, kala chana (black chickpea), matki

fresh fruit

baked beans on toast or a small baked potato

                                          

Preparing food safely: Wash fruit, vegetables and salads to remove all traces of soil, which may contain parasites or other microscopic organisms which can harm your unborn baby. Wash all surfaces and utensils, and your hands, after preparing raw foods (poultry, meat, eggs, fish, and raw vegetables) to help you avoid food poisoning.

Make sure that raw foods are stored separately from ready-to-eat foods, otherwise there's a risk of contamination.

Heat ready meals until they're steaming hot all the way through – this is especially important for meals containing poultry and dried veggies.

To summarise, what all food to avoid in pregnancy:

1.     Caffeine- You can have caffeine, but no more than 200mg per day.

There is, 100mg in a cup of instant coffee, 140 mg in a cup of filter coffee, 75mg in a cup of tea (regular/ green tea), 40 mg in a can of cola, 80 mg in a 25 ml can of energy drink, less than 25 mg in a 15 mg bar of plain dark chocolate, less than 10 mg in a 50 mg bar of milk chocolate.

2.     Alcohol- If you are pregnant or planning to get pregnant, the safest approach is to not drink alcohol at all.

3.     Herbal teas- You should drink no more than 4 cups of herbal tea a day.

4.     Fruits, vegtables and salads- Be careful with fruits, vegetable and salad as they can have soil in them, so thoroughly wash all of them.

5.    Vitamins- Do not take high dose multivitamin supplements.

                                                  

 

          You never understand life

      Until it grows inside of you!!!