Best Foods in Pregnancy
Mother needs more protein, iron, calcium, and Folic Acid than you did before pregnancy. Mother also needs more calories. A few nutrients in a pregnancy diet deserve special consideration. Consume about 300 more calories per day than you did before you became pregnant, healthy diet is very important for baby to grow and develop. Get plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein.
Diet during the Pregnancy
Mother daily meals should embrace a wide range of foods from the four main food groups:
- Fruits and vegetables. These can be fresh, frozen, tinned, dried or juiced. Aim for at least five portions each day.
- Starchy food. It includes bread, pasta, rice and potatoes, choose wholegrain options.
- Foods rich in protein. These include lean meat and chicken, fish, eggs and pulses. Try to aim for at least two portions of fish a week, including of oily fish.
- Dairy foods. These include milk, cheese and yoghurt, which contain calcium.
Folic Acid
Folic acid is a B vitamin (vitamin B9). It occurs naturally, in the form of foliate, in foods such as dark green leafy vegetables, oranges, whole grains, pulses, and yeast and beef.
· Protect your unborn baby from developing neural tube defects such as spina bifida.
· Help to prevent other birth defects, such as a cleft palate.
· It is good for mothers help
Health Supplements during Pregnancy
Mother shall take a daily supplement of folic acid as soon as decide to try for a baby. Then keep taking it for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. It’s recommended that you take two important supplements during your pregnancy:
- 400 micrograms (mcg) folic acid a day for the first 12 weeks
- 10mcg of Vitamin D a day throughout your pregnancy
Folic Acid Rich Foods
Mother should also eat plenty of foliate-rich foods.Foliate dissolve in water, it is better to steam or microwave vegetables, rather than boil them. Include some of these foliate-rich foods in your meals:
- Brussels sprouts
- Black-eyed beans
- Asparagus
- Broccoli
- Baked potatoes
- Bran flakes
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Tinned salmon
- Yeast extract
- Orange juice or an orange
- Brown rice
- Granary bread
