Consuming a healthy diet while you’re pregnant is very important. During this season, your body would need additional vitamins, minerals, and nutrients for the growing baby. Here are 5 foods you should be consuming more of!
- Dairy products
A pregnant mother would need to consume more protein and calcium for the growing foetus to build strong bones and teeth. We recommend greek yogurt as it contains more calcium than most dairy products in the market. Choose greek yogurt that contains probiotics as probiotics are known to help with digestive health as well as reduce the risk of complications. - Legumes
If you’re wondering what legumes are, examples of them include lentils, peas, beans, chickpeas, soybeans, and peanuts. Legumes are high in fibre, protein, iron, folate, and calcium. Folate, especially, is very important during the first trimester. Insufficient folate is often linked to the increased risk of neural tube defects and low birth weight. - Sweet potato
Sweet potato is rich in beta-carotene, which will be converted into Vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is essential for growth and differentiation of cells and tissues. It is an important vitamin for healthy foetal development. Pregnant women would, therefore, need to increase their Vitamin A consumption, however, they are to avoid animal-based Vitamin A sources as it may result in toxicity when consumed in excess. - Salmon
Although pregnant women are often told to avoid fatty-fish as they are said to be high in mercury and other contaminants, pregnant women should still consume some fatty-fish as they are often high in omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon, is a good example of a fish rich in essential omega-3 fatty acid. Omega-3 fatty acids help to build the brain and eyes of the foetus. Salmon is also a natural source of vitamin D, which is not common in most foods. - Wholegrains
Wholegrains should always be the main source of energy in the diet. Unlike refined grains, wholegrains provide fibre, iron, and B Vitamins. Some examples of wholegrains include brown rice and quinoa.
