The moment you have been tested positive after doing a pregnancy test, it is expected you work on your diet for the sake of your health and your baby’s health. Diets for pregnant women aids in maintaining or regulating the mother’s weight and that of her fetus.
A Pregnancy diet is crucial for the mother and the baby, as what the mother drinks and eats during pregnancy are her baby’s only source of nutrients.
Nutritionists recommend that a pregnancy diet should include a variety of healthy foods and beverages to give the baby he/she needs for healthy growth and development.
There are some rules in pregnancy, on what to eat and what not to eat:
Examples Of Diets For Pregnant Women
1. Protein
Protein is described as a builder nutrient. It helps to build the baby’s organs, such as the brain and heart.
Therefore, Nutritionists recommend pregnant women should eat, minimum of 60grams of protein per day. More protein is needed during pregnancy.
2. Calcium
Calcium is a nutrient needed by all living organisms, including humans and especially pregnant women. Calcium is a mineral, used to build the bone and teeth in the human body, which can also be used to build the baby’s bones and teeth. An example of foods with calcium is dairy, including milk. yogurt, sardines, spinach, beans, seeds, leafy greens, and cereals.
If the mother does not consume enough calcium, the calcium will b taken from the mother’s stores in her bones and given to the baby to meet the extra demands of pregnancy. Many dairy products are also fortified with Vitamin D, another nutrient that works with calcium to develop a baby’s bones and teeth. Pregnant women need to take daily prenatal vitamins to obtain some nutrients.
3. Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits such as ripe pawpaw have lots of health benefits during pregnancy. Lots of fruits and vegetables give a healthy pregnancy, woman’s second and third trimester, it’s recommended to five to ten tennis ball-size servings of produce every day. These foods are low in calories and filled with fiber, minerals, and vitamins.
4. Whole grains
Pregnant women’s carbohydrate food each day should come from whole grains, such as whole-wheat pasta, rice, and oatmeal, etc. These food are an important source of energy, they provide vitamin B, iron, and fiber.
READ ALSO: How To Treat Ulcer With Unripe Pawpaw
What NOT To Eat During Pregnancy.
1. Unwashed Fruits
Unwashed fruits and vegetables may be contaminated with bacterial parasites, such as salmonella, Listeria which can be gotten from the soil or handling of the unwashed produce, and this can be harmful to the baby. Also, there are pesticides contaminations in recent years that farmers used in preserving their products. You must wash your hands and the fruits and vegetables with a little salt before consuming.
2. Alcohol
Development of the baby’s brain occurs throughout pregnancy, so consuming alcohol can significantly affect the unborn baby’s brain. These drinks increase the risks of miscarriage. A little amount of alcohol can affect the baby’s brain development. Taking alcoholic drinks while pregnant can cause fetal alcohol syndrome, which involves heart defects and intellectual disability. So it’s advised to completely avoid alcohol during pregnancy.
3. Undercooked raw and processed meat.
Eating this kind of food raises the risks of infection from bacteria or parasites including toxoplasma, salmonella.
Most bacteria are found on the surface of the meat.
Bacteria threaten the health of the baby, leading to serious neurological illnesses, including epilepsy and blindness.
4. Raw eggs
This food is contaminated with a bacterial called salmonella, symptoms of this bacterial infection are, fever, stomach cramps, vomiting, etc.
In Uncommon cases, this infection may cause, cramps in the uterus, causing premature birth.
Common food that holds raw eggs are:
Lightly scramble eggs, poached eggs.
