There is no magic trick behind a pregnancy diet, but a nutritious and balanced diet will promote the baby’s growth and help you maintain a healthy weight. It majorly involves basic rules of healthy eating such as consuming plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein dairy products and healthy fats. If you incorporate a few macronutrients and micronutrients in your diet, it can make all the difference
It’s normal to be concerned about what foods can keep you and your baby healthy. An expecting mother should follow a diet rich in calcium, folic acid, iron and protein as the goal is to be eating nutritious foods most of the time. The focus should be on eating unprocessed and whole food.
To maintain the right weight as per each trimester it is crucial to eat food which is more efficient and effective, especially when you have difficulty in gaining weight. If you have a tendency of putting on weight and just want to be on the right weight, then also consume complex carbs and foods which are nutrient-dense and have some calories.
The following are the balanced diets while preparing for motherhood:
Macronutrients
Carbohydrates: Choose wholegrain, wholemeal or multigrain versions of eatables such as bread, rice and pasta which are rich in carbohydrates. Include a variety of vegetables and fruits having fibre to fill you up more and other nutrients in your diet.
Protein: To ensure proper growth of the baby’s tissues and organs protein is critical. Dairy products, beans, pulses, nuts, seeds and tofu provide protein as well as the nutrients like iron and zinc. Protein builds new tissue for bones, muscles and organs and thus it is vital for the baby’s growth.
Fats: We have heard that not all fats are bad but it the key is to choose the right variety of fats to be included in your diet. Many vitamins are depended on fats to be utilised in our body. Like Vitamin E, K, D and A. You must include, avocado, almonds, mixed seeds and walnuts since these are a good source of fat.
Special requirements of micronutrients
Iron: During pregnancy, the iron requirement increases significantly. Your body needs this iron to make more blood to supply oxygen to the baby. Iron can be sourced from leafy greens, seaweed, dried fruits, pulses, wheat germ, nuts, seeds, parsley and jaggery.
Folic acid: During early development, folic acid helps form the neural tube. Folic acid is crucial because it can help prevent some major birth defects in babies. Consume vegetables (especially dark green leafy vegetables), fruits and fruit juices, nuts, beans, peas and dairy products.
Calcium: During pregnancy, adequate amounts of calcium is necessary to support the musculoskeletal, nervous and circulatory systems. Pregnant women need 1000 mg of calcium per day. Dairy is the best source of calcium and green vegetables (broccoli, spinach, and greens), seafood, dried peas are also rich in calcium.
5 easy asanas to boost your health
1. Tadasana (Mountain Pose): Tadasana is a standing asana in modern yoga as exercise. It improves the function of the respiratory and digestive system.
2. Virbhadrasana (Warrior Pose): Virbhadrasana is an effective asana for strengthening the lower body.
3. Sukhasana (Easy Pose): Sukhasana relaxes your mind and body, it stretches knees and ankles and strengthens the back.
4. Marjaryasana (Cat-cow pose): Marjaryasana tones the abdomen and also helps the body deal with additional weight during pregnancy.
5. Shavasana (Corpse Pose): Shavasana helps with sensory stimulation and external distractions are minimised to help the body completely relax. Additionally, this asana is known as a great way to calm the mind, reduce stress and fatigue, lower blood pressure, relieve headache pain as well as improve sleep.
The writer is sports nutritionist and yoga practitioner.
