It is essential to eat healthy during pregnancy, as we all know that "EAT FOR TWO" but how??? All the diet plans for pregnant women are aimed at this premise that she should have the basic building nutrients for two with the maintenance nutrients for her body. This doesn't mean she should eat for two, but she needs to be healthy enough to sustain two lives and two healthy systems.
A fetus is like a parasite. It grows on the mother's store of nutrients, even at the cost of her health. Life ensures that the new bud is more potent and survives better, and sometimes, in the process, expectant mothers fall short of vital nutrients like calcium and iron in their system.
This is why old wives condone the fact that new mothers lose hair and even teeth. But if one plans a healthy diet during pregnancy, no teeth or hair may be lost; it should be the other way around.
Almost every dietician has a take on a healthy diet; meat eaters consider meat an indispensable food for strength, while vegetarians will not even look that way.
The basic premise is that a pregnant woman should eat little but often, maybe six instead of four meals, and never eat so much that she feels bloated. The thumb rule is to eat only when hungry and leave the table before one is complete.
The food the expectant mom is given should be as natural as possible, preferably utterly devoid of chemicals and preservatives, and should be untreated. It should neither have too much fat, sugar, or seasoning, little oil, and preferably minimal strong spices.
Some cravings must be addressed, but healthy alternatives can be found. A passion for sweetness can be met with sweet fruits or juices, and a passion for spices can be satisfied through roasted nuts.
MEAT SERVING:
Meats should, in general, be avoided, as it always carries the risk of toxins entering the system, especially red meat, but fish is healthy- with its wealth of minerals. However, vegetarians can have as much a nutritious diet, so roots are only partially indispensable.
In fact, iron is one mineral found much more plentifully in leafy vegetables and fruits, and mothers with a complete meat diet (in the mistaken belief that all their baby needs are meat proteins) tend to suffer from iron deficiency.
This can be made up by consuming more liver and kidneys, but nothing beats leafy veggies because they also provide much-required fiber to clean the system. Remember, constipation and indigestion are almost universal problems during pregnancy.
CEREALS SERVING:
Across all diet types, cereals are a must - wheat, oats, rye, rice, wholemeal bread, wholemeal flour, and among lentils, dried peas, chickpeas, beans, soya-beans or bean sprouts, and tapioca contains adequate amounts of protein. Dairy products are also good, but milk causes flatulence in many women, so cottage cheese and yogurt are better options.
In fact, fruit yogurts are a good choice for a breakfast accompaniment, but of course, not the off-the-shelf variety; it must be preferably mixed and eaten fresh. Cottage cheese contains a good amount of protein and is easier to digest than plain hard cheese, so it is a better option.
VEGETABLES and FRUITS:
Citrus or juicy fruits like lemons, oranges, pineapple, papaya, apples, and all green vegetables contain a lot of vitamin C, while soya and nuts contain calcium. The vegetables that provide the golden nutrients are spinach, lettuce, potatoes, celery and artichoke hearts, apples, bananas, and papaya have large quantities of iron. The vegetables that provide the golden nutrients are spinach, lettuce, potatoes, celery, artichoke hearts, apples, bananas, and papaya contain large quantities of iron. The vegetables that provide the golden nutrients are spinach, lettuce, potatoes, celery artichoke hearts, apples, bananas, and papaya, which have large quantities of iron. These can all be easily integrated into the diet.
DRIED FRUITS:
In addition, the consumption of dried fruits, especially figs and almonds, also provides many nutrients. Dates and fresh figs provide instant energy, while grapes and stewed prunes suit solid digestion.
HOW TO GET STARTED?
Like an average, healthy person, an expectant mother's activity level during the day also depends on her nutritionist's meal of the day, breakfast.
BREAKFAST:
The first thing in the morning should be unsweetened juice or a piece of fresh fruit. This can be followed up by porridge, cereals with fruits, dried fruits, liquid, or milk. Egg lovers could have an egg or two, preferably with as small a frying medium as possible, so boiled eggs do just fine. This could be tipped off with a freshly blended cold milk and fruit smoothie, with some almonds and honey thrown in.
LUNCH:
Lunch must begin with a salad of fresh garden vegetables, an abundance of carrots, tomatoes, and greens. It can be followed up by wholemeal bread or rice, accompanied by grilled meats or vegetables, always fresh. No canned foods in this state!! Stewed fruit or pudding could cater to the sweet tooth.
SNACKS:
The whole idea of having an easily digestible, healthy lunch is that the stomach may be empty by tea time to cater for the regular cravings as per the mother-to-be's bio- clock So teatime, if hungry, a cup of lemon tea with some gingerbread or wholemeal bread with honey would be a good idea. Or else, even fresh juice with the snack will help. One should avoid fries or such overtly salted and greasy foods, even at teatime.
DINNER:
Dinner, too, should be a light affair or digestion suffers, so it should preferably be a mixed vegetable and meats soup or broth with wholemeal bread or pasta, with a light sauce and vegetables or grilled meats. Steamed vegetables are also a good idea for dinner, or they can be a side dish of cubed cottage cheese (or tofu) and mixed grilled vegetables. It is refreshing and light after the soup and does wonders to the system, not to mention cleansing.
HERE ARE A FEW HEALTHY TIPS!!
Apart from eating, a few diet tips can help an expectant mother maintain a healthy pregnancy. Eating at odd hours or late at night is not advisable, so an early dinner is a good idea.
Besides avoiding constipation, some women may find a cup of valuable warm milk before bedtime, but this is purely dependent on the lactose tolerance level of the mother-to-be. Ayurveda recommends a cupful with a teaspoonful of honey as a sweetener, which induces a relaxing sleep.
Generally, an expectant mother shouldn't have excessive salt, fat, and water in her diet for fear of water retention or edema from the seventh month onward. Pregnancy is the time to sit back and account for all the good things life has given us and the better things in store.
Diet alone does not ensure a healthy, happy child; it is also the mother's disposition. So a comfortable, cheerful environment, hope, meditation, and being in touch with one's inner self go a long way in making a good diet effective in creating a lovely and loving baby.
