7 Nutrition for consumption during pregnancy

Eating enough nutrients during pregnancy helps reduce the risk of certain chronic diseases in infants. Other research shows that the lifestyle of pregnant women can affect the risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease in infants.

These are some of the reasons why it is important to eat well during pregnancy and what kind of nutrition a pregnant woman should consume. What are these important nutrients?

1. folic acid

Consuming enough folic acid will increase the chances of a baby being born healthy. Especially during the first month of pregnancy, where folic acid can reduce the risk of neural tube defects, including spina bifida.

Make sure you consume at least 400 mcg of folic acid a day or replace it with prenatal vitamins and mineral supplements, as directed by your doctor. In addition, you can also consume folic acid from several foods, including cereals, bread, rice, and pasta.

2. multivitamins

Multivitamin supplements also help meet daily folic acid needs. In addition, studies have shown that taking prenatal multivitamins or vitamins early in pregnancy will reduce the risk of preeclampsia by 45%.

Preeclampsia can cause an increase in blood pressure and protein in the urine, which is a major cause of premature labor and fetal death. It should be noted that pregnancy supplements usually contain high doses of iron which can irritate the stomach and cause constipation.

3. calories

Pregnant women should consume extra calories that are rich in nutrients to optimize the growth of the baby. Ideally, 300 extra calories a day is enough to meet those needs.

For the record, don't consume too much food to meet your daily calorie needs. Here's how to handle 300 extra calories every day:

• 16 ounces of low-fat milk (1%).
• 2 slices of bread, 2 ounces of chicken, plus 1 teaspoon to reduce fat on mayonnaise.
• 8 ounces of non-fat vanilla yogurt mixed with 1/2 cup of fruit and 1 ounce of whole-grain cereal.

4. Protein

Protein is the structural material of every cell in the baby's body. Lack of protein intake can inhibit fetal growth. Pregnant women need at least 70 grams of protein during pregnancy.

5. iron

Iron plays an important role in the formation of hemoglobin, a protein that carries oxygen in red blood cells. The need for iron and hemoglobin will increase (50% more), especially during the second and third trimesters.

6. Calcium

The nutrition of a pregnant woman is very important for fetal development. If you don't consume enough calcium, your body will defend it from bones. This can cause a decrease in bone mass and an increased risk of osteoporosis.

7. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)

DHA is important for brain and eye development. This type of omega-3 fatty acids can be obtained by consuming fish.

However, avoid eating shark meat, swordfish, horse mackerel, and porbeagle, because it is potentially contaminated with methylmercury, a heavy metal that is very dangerous for the development of the baby's nervous system. Conversely, a safe source of DHA can be obtained from salmon and eggs.

This is a list of nutrients for pregnant women that are highly recommended for consumption during pregnancy. For healthy babies, why not?

Share this post