Essential Pregnancy Nutrition: A Complete Guide for Healthy Moms and Babies
Pregnant women's nutrition has special importance and specifications. Her food is no longer hers alone, but her fetus shares it with her. Whether she is satisfied or not, it has become obligatory for her to provide her child with all the nutritional elements necessary for his growth through the food she eats, even if it is at the expense of her body. The food that the pregnant woman eats is absorbed into the bloodstream and becomes ready for the tissues of her body or the fetus's body to select from it the nutritional elements necessary to build the body. If this food is rich in these elements, the fetus can obtain everything it needs to grow normally. If the food lacks these necessary elements from her body, she becomes vulnerable to weakness and disease, and her child is exposed to weakness and stunted growth. It is also noted that mothers who eat appropriate food during pregnancy have easier births and are less exposed to the possibility of premature birth than other pregnant women who do not pay good attention to their food..
It is not important for a pregnant woman to eat a lot of food, but what is more important is that the food contains the necessary nutrients for her body and her fetus during pregnancy, the most important of which are: proteins, vitamins of all kinds, iron and calcium. Proteins are what build body tissues, calcium builds bones, iron is necessary for blood formation, and vitamins are needed by the body's cells to be able to perform their normal activities. As for the rest of the nutrients that we eat in our daily food, such as starches, sugars and fats, the pregnant woman only needs them to complete the amount of calories (energy) that the body needs to perform its various functions, but they are not necessary for the fetus, and it is better to reduce them so as not to expose the pregnant woman to more excess weight.
Pregnant women should be careful to eat certain foods daily to provide their bodies with the necessary nutrients mentioned above..
Milk
Milk is one of the most important foods for pregnant women, thanks to its high calcium content, which is necessary to ensure the safety of the fetus’s teeth and bones. It is also an important source of proteins necessary to build its tissues..
Vegetables and fruits
Both are rich sources of vitamins, iron and calcium, and therefore should be included in the daily diet of the pregnant woman, taking into account allocating a portion for fresh, uncooked vegetables, some of which should have green leaves. This can be eaten in a plate of vegetable salad such as arugula, lettuce, cucumber and tomato. The pregnant woman is free to choose the rest of the types of vegetables and fruits, and citrus fruits such as oranges are preferred.
Meat
It is a rich source of proteins, and white meat is preferable to red meat, i.e. fish and poultry meat such as chicken, and it is preferable that it be free of fat... meaning that the outer layer of skin should be removed. Some types of meat in particular have a great nutritional value, provided that they are eaten fresh, such as liver, kidneys, heart, and brain. It has also been proven that fish meat is one of the best types of meat, and all types of fish and marine animals can replace meat in general... because it contains a large amount of proteins and minerals necessary for the body, in addition to the fact that its oils help reduce cholesterol levels in the blood and control blood pressure, in addition to being easy to digest.
legumes and bread
It is beneficial for pregnant women to eat some legumes such as beans with bread (wheat), as these grains provide the body with the energy needed to perform various activities, in addition to the nutritional elements they contain that are generally beneficial. The preferred types of bread are: brown bread (local), as it has been proven to be of great benefit to the body, and helps prevent constipation as it increases the mass of waste, and thus it is of great benefit to pregnant women, especially those who are often exposed to constipation during pregnancy..
Eggs
Eat at least one egg daily, as eggs are a very beneficial food for pregnant women because they contain a high percentage of iron necessary for the formation of the pregnant woman’s blood and the blood of her fetus..
Vitamin D and Iodine
Pregnant women need more vitamin D, especially in winter, when they are less exposed to the sun. It is known that sunlight helps in the formation of this vitamin, which is essential for the body..
Cod liver oil is considered one of the richest sources of this vitamin. It can be taken concentrated through some medical preparations. You should consult your doctor to determine the appropriate dose. The body's need for iodine also increases in some areas where water lacks it. In this case, the pregnant woman should take an additional amount of iodine, either through some foods, most importantly fish and marine animals in general, or through one of the medical preparations, and this should be done after consulting your doctor.
Liquids
Paying attention to drinking fluids is beneficial for both pregnant and non-pregnant women, so that the pregnant woman can choose whatever she wants, such as soup and fruit juices, but she should not neglect drinking an adequate amount of water. This should be at a rate of six cups a day. Water cleanses the blood of toxins and waste, helps regulate the various functions of the body, and rids the kidneys and urinary tract of any waste and sediment that clouds them..
0 Comments