There’s nothing more magical and beautiful than embracing the nine-month journey of motherhood. But, both you and the little one inside you are undergoing several changes in the body and mind.
To support the changes and to further promote your health and the health of your baby, you do not just need to stay active, but also have food in the right quantity.
After all, a proper dose of nutrition is an absolute must for both. So, with World Food Day approaching, here are a few superfoods enlisted both for you and the baby growing up inside you.
Have Some Eggs
Eggs happen to be a source of iron, choline, folate, protein as well as Omega-3 fatty acids. Both choline and folate is a foetal brain booster and tends to keep the problem of neural tube defects lower. So, you can make yourself some hard-boiled, fried, or scrambled eggs.
Enjoy a Treat With Meat
Among meat, you can have chicken, mutton, or pork, as per your choice. While both chicken and mutton are known for being excellent sources of protein, mutton, and pork is packed with iron, vitamin B12, zinc, and potassium.
Iron and protein help in developing your baby’s bones and muscles, while they are cuddled up inside you. Intake of iron from meat also helps in developing red blood cells in your body thus preventing you from anaemia.
So, you can have your favourite meat par-boiled, stir-fried, soupy, with gravy, or by making yourself a bowl of stew. How about making some grilled meat and adding it to your favourite salad? Yummy! Right?
Beans and Lentils
You may not prefer non-vegetarian meals during this time, and that’s not a problem at all! You can have some beans baked and lentils boiled, fried, and dunked into your creamy soup or added to your favourite veggie salad.
While beans are a very good source of zinc which can lower your chances of preterm delivery, and low-birth-weight, lentils are an excellent source of calcium, iron, folate, and fiber. Good for your breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Leafy Greens to Add to a Healthy Pregnancy Diet
Include broccoli, asparagus, spinach, peas, and other green veggies. These vegetables are stocked up with various nutrients and antioxidants.
So, you can enjoy a bowl of spinach soup, or add some spinach to your mixed fruits and veg salad. Be a little experimental with peas. Make yourself some peas pulao for your lunch or dinner. If you want to have paneer, have it with peas. Or have them boiled and stir-fried and season them with salt and pepper.
Make Yogurt Your Best Friend
Yogurt is an excellent source of protein and probiotics. Probiotics like yogurt, not just combat a few unhealthy bacteria, but also reduce the chances of preterm labour, infection, and allergies to your baby while being inside your womb.
Have some lassi any time of the day. Add some yoghurt while you’re preparing your meat (chicken, mutton, or pork). Also, punch the fruits and veggies with yoghurt to make yourself some healthy and nutritious salad or a bowl or glass of yoghurt fruity.
Munch on the Nuts
Nothing on the crunchy nuts is indeed healthy and nutritious for you, the preggy-mommy. After all, it is filled with fiber, protein, different types of minerals and vitamins as well as fats, all for your health and the health of your growing baby inside. It may be walnuts cashews, or almonds they help in keeping the risk of preterm labour lower. You can also have them when pregnancy cravings strike you.
Whole Grains are Wholesome
Why not start your day with oatmeal? A nice bowl of oatmeal in chicken or mutton stew or porridge in your breakfast, lunch, or dinner sounds healthy to your stomach. Isn’t that so? After all, it is full of protein, fiber, and Vitamin B6. In addition to this, it can keep you energized and feel less constipated (Pregnancy constipation is a common symptom).
Have some toasted brown bread with some scrambled eggs in the morning or make yourself some filling egg chicken cheese sandwich. Have some healthy brown rice instead of white paired with lentils, just some fries, and fish or meat, to reduce your carbs – intake and keep yourself healthy with zinc, folic acid, vitamin B, and fiber.
Remember, all that you’re consuming is going to your baby inside you, for your health and the health of your baby inside you. The above list of superfoods will surely be of your help.
So, enjoy your pregnancy to the fullest!