Healthy Diet for Pregnant Ladies

Nutrition plays a very important role in the realms of pregnancy. You can look and feel gorgeous not only by pampering your outer beauty but by taking your daily nutrient dose. Try the following diet tips and dos and don’t s to remember in pregnancy –

Diet Tips and Food for Pregnant Women

• Your calorie needs are increased but you actually need not double the amount of food you eat, as it is often said eat for two. Don’t get obsessed with food because if your weight is normal then you need only extra 300 nutritious calories to gain 12-13 kg by the end of third trimester. The focus should be on increasing the quality of food in terms of proteins and good carbohydrates instead of excess fatty and sweet foods.
• The basis of your diet should be carbohydrates in the form of whole grains, cereals and its products, fresh fruits and vegetables, pulses and legumes. These foods will not only provide complex carbohydrates but also supply many other essential nutrients including fiber. Avoid processed and refined grains or cereals and its products as their nutritional value is low.
• Get enough proteins from fish (Low in mercury like Bombay duck, blue fish, salmon, or trout. Also avoid fish oils high in mercury), eggs, sprouts, low fat dairy products, lean meats and poultry without the skin. Make sure that you cook the fish, eggs, meat and poultry thoroughly before eating to avoid any kind of infections.
• Excess fats and fatty or oily foods should be avoided and the focus should be laid on quality of fats and quantity of fats both. Sometimes the cravings for junk foods and sweets can be too tempting to avoid. But an important point besides satisfying your craving is to watch your portion size.
• Don’t forget to get all your essential nutrients like folic acid, iron, calcium and water in right doses.
• Although weigh gain is essential during pregnancy excess weight can cause many pregnancy complications like gestational diabetes or pre-eclampsia or cesarean delivery. Similarly even if you are overweight you should not plan to lose weight while you are pregnant and there should be a strict no to all the fad diets which restricts your food intake.
• Don’t forget to exercise regularly. Swimming and walking can be best options, but you can start an exercise regime after talking to your health care specialist. Also before taking any diet supplements or before changing your diet in a major way talk with a specialist or a registered dietician.