5 Healthy, Power Foods Pregnant Women Should Eat

Eating a well-balanced diet is essential to keeping your body healthy and strong. This is even more important during pregnancy, because you’re now eating for you and your unborn baby. During pregnancy, your body requires more nutrients such as folic acid, protein, calcium, and iron. Here is a list of the top five healthy foods to eat during pregnancy. These foods are packed with multiple benefits for both you and your baby.

1) Healthy Foods to Eat During Pregnancy–Legumes

(lima beans, black-eyed peas, garbanzo beans or chickpeas, black beans, dried beans and peas, lentils, soybeans)

Legumes are high in folic acid (folate), which is vital to the development of the baby’s neural tube. The neural tube forms during the first month of pregnancy and later develops into the baby’s brain and spinal cord. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a daily consumption of at least .4 milligrams of folic acid (a B vitamin) to decreases the risk of neural tube defects, such a spina bifida.

Legumes are also filled with a high content of iron. Iron is necessary to the development of red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body. Without enough oxygen, the body’s organs and tissues cannot operate well. Iron also helps fight pregnancy symptoms of tiredness, irritability, and depression. During pregnancy, iron is absorbed at a quicker rate so a higher intake is required to ensure both mother and baby get the adequate amount. The recommended daily intake (RDI) of iron during pregnancy is 27mg per day.

Another added benefit of legumes is they are loaded with fiber. This helps combat the discomfort of constipation, a common problem among pregnant women.

2) Healthy Foods to Eat During Pregnancy–Dried Fruit/Nuts

(raisins, apricots, cranberries, cherries, almonds, walnuts, unsalted peanuts)

Dried fruit, such as raisins, apricots, cherries, and cranberries are high in essential iron. Cranberries are also helpful in preventing urinary tract infections that can occur during pregnancy.

Nuts, such as almonds, walnuts, and unsalted peanuts, are excellent food choices (unless, of course, you have a nut allergy). Almonds are a good source of cancer fighting antioxidants and calcium. Calcium is a nutrient needed for the development of strong bones and teeth. Your growing baby requires calcium to develop. If you don’t consume enough calcium (1000 to 1300 mg) to meet the needs of both, your body will take the calcium from your bones and give it to the baby. This can cause you a loss of bone density and put you at risk for osteoporosis.

Nuts, especially peanuts, are a great source of protein. This is especially helpful if you suffer from an aversion to meat or maintain a vegetarian diet. Protein is a vital building material for both you and your baby. It helps make infection fighting antibodies, builds blood, and supplies energy.

Nuts also contain folate and unsaturated fat that is critical to the development of your baby’s brain.

This dried fruit/nut mixture was one of my favorite foods to eat during pregnancy. It was a delicious and portable snack. I often craved sweets and a few handfuls of this mix satisfied the desire while providing my body and my baby’s body with many essential ingredients.

3) Healthy Foods to Eat During Pregnancy–Fresh Vegetables and Fruits

(spinach, kale, broccoli, bananas, oranges, tomatoes, cantaloupe, peppers, leafy green lettuces)

Fresh vegetables and fruits are loaded with nutrients and benefits for pregnant mothers and their unborn babies. They provide Vitamins C and E, which may help reduce the risk of eclampsia. Some green vegetables, such as broccoli and spinach, contain high levels of folate, calcium, and iron.

Fresh fruits, like oranges and bananas, offer other benefits in addition to providing necessary nutrients. Bananas, which are full of potassium, help fight pregnancy fatigue by giving quick energy. They’re also gentle on a nauseous stomach. Oranges, in addition to providing Vitamin C, folate, and fiber, also contain almost 90% water. Eating an orange daily will help meet the daily fluids needed to stay healthy and energized.

It’s recommended that all pregnant women should eat fiver or more servings of vegetables and fruits each day. To get the most from these portions, select foods from a wide range of color and flavor.

Please remember, it is crucial to always thoroughly wash all produce before eating or cooking them to avoid potential illnesses.

4) Healthy Foods to Eat During Pregnancy–Whole Grains

(bread, pasta, rice, wheat germ, and fortified cereal)

Whole grain foods are rich in folic acid, calcium, fiber, zinc, Vitamin E, iron, and Vitamin B1, B2, B3, and B6. By trading your plain white bread, pasta, and rice for whole-grain varieties, you do yourself and your baby a huge favor. If the idea of eating all whole grain foods is too much for you to accept, try sprinkling a few spoonfuls of wheat germ in your meals as you prepare them.

In addition to being a great breakfast food, fortified cereals were often my preferred healthy snack during pregnancy because they contain helpful nutrients (Vitamin B3 and Vitamin B6) that relieve pregnancy discomforts. Vitamin B3 (Niacin) aids in digestion and Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) is helpful in combating morning sickness. A small serving of cereal does wonders for settling a queasy stomach!

5) Healthy Foods to Eat During Pregnancy–Milk and Other Dairy Product

(skim or low-fat milk, low-fat ice cream, frozen yogurt, low-fat yogurt, low-fat cheese)

Milk and other dairy products are excellent sources of calcium, protein, vitamin D, and phosphorus. It’s important to remember to drink only pasteurized milk and eat only products made from pasteurized milk. Avoid soft cheeses such as feta, Brie, Mexican-style, and gorgonzola. Imported soft cheeses may contain bacteria called Listeria which can cause miscarriage. Hard cheeses, like cheddar and mozzarella, and cream cheese, cottage cheese, and yogurt are all safe to eat during pregnancy.

If you have trouble digesting lactose, you may try eating just the low-fat yogurt to get your required nutrients. The active cultures in it yogurt make it easier to digest the lactose than other dairy products.

Milk also offers an additional benefit for pregnant women. Drinking a glass of milk right before consuming a meal may help reduce heartburn, an affliction that spares very few pregnant women. This was a lifesaver for me during both of my pregnancies. Just about everything gave me heartburn during pregnancy and drinking a small glass of milk relieved some of that pain.

When making decisions about what healthy foods to eat during pregnancy, remember that eating for two doesn’t literally mean eating twice as much or simply increasing the quantity you eat. It means making smarter choices by eating healthy foods that are rich in vitamins, minerals, and additional benefits needed by your developing baby and your changing body.

Reference:

• www.webmd.com/