Almost pregnant women need to get more certain vitamins and minerals like iron and folic acid, more protein, and more calories for energy. Well, if your current diet is poor to start with, making the transition to eating healthy, nutrition meals is considered as one of the best thing you could do for both the health of your baby and yourself.

This article from VKool.com will show you useful advice about nutrition during pregnancy so that you can maintain healthy pregnancy eating easily.

Good Nutrition During Pregnancy – 25 Healthy Tips For Healthy Baby

1. Cauliflower 

The first tip on nutrition during pregnancy is to make use of cauliflower. Green cauliflower (broccoli) are considered a healthy food for pregnancy because its vitamins and minerals which are capable of preventing cancer.

The amount of vitamin C in broccoli is 2.5 times higher than the amount of vitamin C in oranges.

2. Canxi 

In the third stage of the pregnancy period, the demand for calcium of pregnant women should be strengthened. The reason is that, at this time, the child’s bones and teeth have been fixed.

Research shows that babies need about 13mg of calcium per hour from the mother’s blood (about 250-300mg of calcium in food per day). Good sources of calcium are milk, soy milk, tofu, broccoli, leguminous vegetables, fish (especially salmon), and so on.

3. Foods Rich In Omega-3 Acid And DHA

Those foods which are abundant in DHA and omega-3 acid are not only important for the health of the mother, but also necessary for the development of the fetus. DHA helps babies develop their brain, nervous system and major organs in the body.

In the third quarter, when the baby’s brain thrives, the demand for DHA also increases. The foods rich in DHA and omega-3 acid are fish, eggs, oysters (or other types of seafood else), chicken, beef, liver of animals, etc.

4. Compliance And Salty Foods 

Compliance is one of the problems that many pregnant women have to face with. This will be a serious disease if you are maintaining a salt-rich diet. This does not mean you should eat a light diet, that you should avoid eating salty foods.

5. Folic Acid 

When it comes to good nutrition during pregnancy, it is important to mention to folic acid. Folic acid is a vital nutrient before and during pregnancy. Research proves, women who often indulge in foods rich in folic acid before and during pregnancy might reduce the risk of malformations in the baby.

The needs folic acid to women of childbearing age is about 400mg per day. Foods rich in folic acid are beans, animal liver, milk, soy, broccoli, sunflower seeds, cereals, and green leafy vegetables, etc.

6. Gestational Diabetes 

Approximately 2% of women suffer from gestational diabetes during their pregnancy. This disease can be controlled through diet, which means you should limit foods high in carbohydrates and sweets.

The typical signs of gestational diabetes are the increased thirst, painful urination, weight loss and fatigue.

Check out: tips for weight loss after pregnancy

7. Hemoglobin 

Hemoglobin (a substance in the blood) has the function of transporting blood and oxygen from the lungs to the body organs of the mother and fetus. Iron plays an important role in hemoglobin production.

In the third quarter, demand for maternal and fetal iron are elevated. Iron rich foods are fish (seafood), meat (cattle and poultry), eggs, leguminous vegetables, dried fruits, etc.

8. Eat Many Small Meals 

Instead of focusing on 3 main meals, you should eat as many small meals more frequently throughout the day. This way, you will minimize heartburn. This illness is originated from hormonal changes during pregnancy.

Foods worsen the condition of uncomfortable heartburn are the foods that are high in fat, sugar; spicy foods; chocolate; and caffeine drinks.

9. Junk Foods

You should control the volume of junk foods, do not eat too much and do not eat too little. Appropriate and healthy snacks will help you avoid morning sickness, providing about 300kalo (this calorie amount is consistent with the needs of pregnant women). Appropriate snacks are fresh fruit, juice, bread, cakes, biscuits, milk, etc.

10. Limit Snacks Rich In Sugar And Fat

You should limit snacks which are rich in sugar and fat. This kind of food can provide energy but lacks of necessary vitamins and minerals for the body. About 30% of snacks are related to fat.

11. Red Meat And Poultry 

Red meat and poultry are really good sources of protein – essential nutrients during pregnancy. Protein helps build and form the main body parts of a fetus and it is able to against infections, prevent blood clots in the mother’s body.

12. Vomiting 

If you suffer from persistent vomiting, you should snack more often. Maintain a regular diet is the best way to compensate for the nutrients depleted when you vomit.

13. Nitrate

Nitrate (a chemical form of salt) is often enhanced in canned meat, bacon, and fast food. It works to keep the colors, aromas and against the intrusion of bacteria for canned foods. If you use a lot of this type of food, your body will be prone to retain excess salt.

14. Vitamin Supplements 

Vitamin supplementing is important aspect in terms of nutrition during pregnancy. You can consult your doctor about vitamin supplements before you intend to get pregnant.

Keep in mind that, maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle before you get prepgnant will be better than any prescription from a doctor.

15. Fruits And Vegetables 

The fruits and tubers which are are yellow (or orange), vitamin A-rich and beta carotene-rich can help develop bones, skin, vision for fetus; at the same time, they also strengthen the immune system, reduce the risk of lung cancer and throat cancer for the mother. However, you should not take vitamin A supplementation arbitrarily. That is because excessive vitamin A (over 4,000 IU vitamin A / day) would be harmful to the overall health.

16. Aquatic Foods 

The meat, aquatic (marine) products, which are unprocessed, can make you suffer from intestinal diseases. You absolutely should not eat raw fish and undercooked meats. You should only use food which are cooked.

17. Soft Cheese 

The soft cheese may contain Listeria. You should avoid eating cheese to prevent Listeria from invading through the placenta, affecting pregnancy; even, it also causes miscarriage, and stillbirth. Even those creams manufactured using raw cheese are also potential health risks to pregnant women.

18. Heartburn

When pregnant, you may feel nauseous or many bouts of heartburn. In that case, you should eat more fresh fruits, fiber-rich foods such as green vegetables, legumes (bean), and drink fresh juice.

19. “Eating For Two People” 

Many women misunderstand the meaning of “eating for two people (mother and baby) during pregnancy”. In fact, you do not need to double the eating rations, you should only increase by 300kalo day. Weight gain during pregnancy can vary among different women. Ideal weight gain while pregnant is between 10-15kg.

20. Maintain A Balanced Nutrition

Each day, you should eat a variety of foods, including meat, fish, milk, nuts, green vegetables, fresh fruits, and so on. That way, you are providing all the nutrients necessary for healthy growth of both mother and baby. You absolutely avoid dietting as meat is a rich source of iron and protein.

21. Control The Habit Of Drinking Coffee And Tea 

You should control the habit of drinking tea and coffee during pregnancy. Research shows that, if a pregnant women consume over 300 mg of caffeine (substances found in tea and coffee) per day, then she has a higher risk of miscarriage.

22. Water 

If your urine is darker than normal, then the reason may be because you do not drink enough water. Hence, when having a pregnant, you should drink water regularly in the morning, noon, afternoon and less in the evening. You should get more water after exercise.

23. Appetite

Appetite during pregnancy can be caused by nutritional deficiencies; for example, if you crave potato chips or pickles, the more likely that your body needs more sodium (a chemical form of salt).

Appetite is largely due to hormonal changes during pregnancy. This is normal unless you crave things that are not food, such as sand, fabric, wood … If so, you should talk to your doctor.

Recommend reading: how to control your appetite

24. Stop Smoking

You should stop smoking and avoid the environment containing tobacco smoke. Tobacco smoke increases the risk of low-weight babies and causes many other health problems for the baby. Remember that, everything you absorb into your body affects your baby.

25. Warm Milk 

A glass of warm milk can help you sleep better. Milk contains amino acids and tryptophan, which have a sedative effect. Milk also works to reduce heartburn after eating during pregnancy. Also, do not forget going to bed on time each day will help give you a sense of relaxation. Do not stay up too late to work or do housework. Remember that a good night’s sleep will help you handle job better in the next morning.

These are top 25 tips on nutrition during pregnancy that all pregnant women should acknowledge to give the best things for the baby’s health and your own health.

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