Oatmeal is one of the best breakfast foods to start your day healthily. During pregnancy, nausea and morning sickness can make it difficult for you to eat in the mornings. However, easy oat preparations such as overnight oats, oatmeal dosa, and oats upma ensure low-calorie and high-fibre breakfast options during pregnancy. Oats in pregnancy offer low-cost protein with good nutritional value.
Some benefits of oats during pregnancy include.
Balanced Proteins
During pregnancy, your body needs adequate protein to support your baby’s growth and development. Oats during pregnancy are an excellent source of highly-nutritional protein. In fact, compared to other cereal grains, oat has unique protein composition and high protein content of 11–15 %.
Oatmeal has balanced protein apart from several other nutritional components. Uncooked oats contain about 16.9 protein per 100 g. Raw oats during pregnancy may be tough to digest, so it is better to go for soaked overnight oats or cooked oats.
Beta Glucan-rich Food
Beta-glucans, a type of dietary fibre that lowers cholesterol, are the most valuable component of oats. Many women suffer from digestive issues during pregnancy, and constipation is prevalent. Fibre-rich oats for pregnancy can help in preventing constipation.
Breast Milk Improvement
A regular diet of oatmeal during pregnancy may improve your breast milk production. Beta-glucans in oats promote prolactin hormone production, enhancing breast milk production.
Energy Booster
Oats are good for pregnancy-time low-energy phases that can strike anytime. A bowl of oatmeal can boost your energy quickly and get you back on your feet. With both carbs and calories, oats during pregnancy’s first trimester can battle sudden dips in energy and stamina. Oatmeal can be prepared in a jiffy and consumed to get your energy back. Overnight oats during pregnancy are an easy breakfast choice that needs no cooking at all.
Healthy Sugar Levels
You should be cautious not to spike your sugar levels during pregnancy as it can affect you and your baby. Oats for pregnant ladies are good as it takes care of blood sugar balance. Since oat has complex carbs, it breaks down and gets digested very slowly, thus minimising the risk of blood sugar spikes. Oatmeal also wards off the threat of gestational diabetes.
Satiating Food
Keeping weight under a tab is important during pregnancy. If you suffer from frequent hunger pangs and reach for snacks in short breaks, you could put on an unhealthy weight, thus stressing your bone and joints. Oats for pregnant ladies do a great job of getting rid of hunger pangs for longer.
Rich in Minerals
Look at the packet of your Saffola oats during pregnancy. Oatmeal has many necessary minerals, including potassium, selenium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, and calcium. All these minerals are essential for a healthy pregnancy. Therefore, by having oats, you can be assured that you are not missing out on them.
Folic Acid
Adequate intake of folic acid right before and during pregnancy lowers the risk of birth defects, say experts. Oat is a great folic acid source and a good diet option through pregnancy. While the common notion is that folic acid is critical during the first trimester, research shows that this nutrient can boost cognitive development in the child during the last trimester. That’s a great reason to take oats during pregnancy third trimester.
How Can You Include Oats In Your Pregnancy Diet?
Overnight oats during pregnancy are a good breakfast option, especially in the first trimester. For women who have lost their appetite and are experiencing morning sickness, zero-fat foods that are fresh and zingy may be more palatable. Overnight oats with fresh fruits can become a tasty alternative to regular breakfast options.
Regular cooked oatmeal is a good choice too. Add nuts, fruits and berries to increase the nutritional content. You can have oat-based snacks anytime, anywhere, by making oats cookies or oats pies.
Oats porridge is a quick, easy breakfast or mid-day snack. Load it with chopped nuts, seeds, raisins, and dates for added benefits. You can carry it with you as a quick snack when your energy levels are dipping.
Making a tasty, seasoned khichdi or upma with oats is best when your taste buds are finally reviving and demanding yummy food. Saffola masala oats in pregnancy can be a big hit at this stage.
Just remember that oats are safe during pregnancy unless you have a gluten allergy. In case you do, it is best to avoid oats. If you experience any reaction after taking oats, stop at once and talk to your doctor. As you can see, oats during pregnancy are an excellent food choice. Packed with nutrients, capable of satiating your hunger, and easy to make, eating oats during pregnancy is both an easy and nutritious option.