7 Essential Food Groups to Pregnancy Diet

A good pregnancy diet accommodates the changing needs of the mom’s body and to sustain her growing baby. A parent’s care and responsibility for the welfare of his or her child starts even before birth. Keeping a healthy diet and lifestyle is essential to our overall health and wellness. This is more crucial to expecting moms as they are no longer just caring for themselves, but also their babies. Getting enough rest, avoiding stress, and eating healthy are some things moms should adapt to.

Essential Foods to a Pregnancy Diet

Here are seven food groups that should always be present in an expectant mom’s diet.

Fruits and Vegetables – Getting enough vitamins and minerals is essential to you and your growing baby’s health. Fruits and vegetables are the best sources of the needed nutrients including vitamins A, C, and E, potassium, folate, antioxidants, and fibres. They are also low in calories, thus are the healthier choice when trying to take in as many nutrients as possible without the caloric intake.

Dairy Foods or Alternatives – Milk, eggs, cheese, yogurt, and other dairy products provide proteins and calcium – crucial nutrients for a growing baby. Dairy is your best source of magnesium, zinc, B vitamins, phosphorous, and two types of high-quality proteins – whey and casein. Lactose intolerant and/or vegan moms should find alternatives to supplement these nutrients.

Power Proteins – Proteins are essential to sustain the needs of a fast-growing baby. The growth and development of your child in your tummy require a lot of proteins. Great protein sources include eggs and meat – beef, chicken, and fish are leaner choices. Plant-based protein sources include tofu and other soy products, nuts, beans, legumes, and seeds.

Whole Grains – Fibre in the diet is instrumental to a healthy pregnancy. It is essential to gut health, energises the body, and reduces the risks of complications during pregnancy. Whole-grain rich foods like fruits, vegetables, sweet potato, oats, rice, lentils, and beans are great sources of natural fibre.

The Good Fat – Fat is getting a bad rap in nutrition. But the body needs fat and should be part of our diet, most especially during pregnancy. The good thing is that there is good fat and there is bad fat. Polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat are essential during pregnancy. These are commonly found in nuts, vegetables, fatty fishes like salmon and sardines, and the fatty fruit – avocado. Avoid saturated fat or the ‘bad fat’.

Complex Carbs – Another food group that is getting a negative impression in health care and wellness is carbohydrates. Carbs are often associated with sugar, obesity, and several lifestyle diseases like type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and some cancers. However, carbohydrates are vital to humans, especially for a developing foetus. Go for complex carbs like sweet potatoes, whole grains, beans, berries, and butternut squash. Avoid processed carbs found in white bread, white rice, and pasta.

Nutritional Supplements – Prenatal supplements complete any nutrient deficiencies a mother needs or might need during her pregnancy. Due to the drastic changes her body is going through, her nutritional needs also change and might not be met. Iron, folate, Vitamin D, choline, and B vitamins are some of the most common prenatal supplements prescribed to moms. Always consult with your obstetrician before taking any supplements.

Conclusion

A mom’s diet might change a lot during pregnancy to accommodate the changing needs of her body and to sustain the growing needs of the baby growing inside her. Eating a healthy and balanced diet is necessary to ensure your baby’s health and development. Aside from the food groups listed above, make sure that you also drink a lot of water. And always check with your obstetrician and/or nutritionist to help you create the best pregnancy diet fit for you and your baby’s needs.

Here are more ways to can show yourself some love and self-care during this exciting time.