With pregnancy comes responsibilities of taking care of your child as well as your own self. Be it during the last stages or early stages of pregnancy, what you eat is critically significant for you and your unborn baby’s health. Consuming healthy food can reduce the risk of far-reaching health hazards on your newly born.
Healthy body is a key for survival; consequently, it leads to better health for your child. Let us look at some food items that pregnant women need to obtain or should consider eating during pregnancy to avoid any difficulties related to them or their babies.
In this article, we will look at 9 food items, to start with we have:
1. Folate or Folic acid
Folate or Folic acid is salient when conceiving a baby, it is a B vitamin which helps to generate new healthy cells in the body. This type of acid is prime for every individual and especially for pregnant women as it prevents birth defects on the child’s spine or brain.
Folate helps produce enough red blood cells, that carry oxygen; not enough consumption of folate can lead to generation of abnormal large red blood cells that could tamper the system of our body.
Foods that are high in folic acid include avocados, Brussel sprouts, green vegetables like lettuce, spinach and also garden asparagus. Chickpeas, kidney beans, broccoli can also be counted upon while in need of folic acid for the body. Pregnant women are required to take minimum 0.4 milligrams of folate on a daily basis before they conceive, and even after birth for 3 months to prevent health hazards.
Benefits:
- Used to: treat or prevent folate deficiency anaemia
- Help your unborn child’s skull, brain and also spinal cord to develop adequately
- Avoid developmental issues (called neural tube defects) such as spina bifida
- Repair and methylation – the addition of a methyl group – of DNA
- Cellular division
Side Effects / Precaution:
- High level consumption of folic acid may lead to increased blood levels of un-metabolized folate.
- Recent study conducted for about 200 mothers showed that mothers with higher blood concentrations of folic acid at their 14th week of gestation were more likely to have baby with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
- Intake of folic acid higher than 400 mcg, especially during 14th week of gestation is more likely to exhibit challenged mental abilities of their child.
- Another study conducted for about over 1000 mothers consuming more than 1000 mcg of folic acid on a daily basis during pregnancy manifested lower score on a test that assessed their child’s mental abilities.
- Another vital risk of high intake of folic acid is that it may lead to B12 vitamin deficiency.
- Risk of cancer can also be witnessed from a study conducted showing significant increase in prostate cancer in people who in took high amount of folic acid compared to the control groups.
2. Legumes
Legumes are great for the body and provide enriched source of fiber, protein, iron, folate and also calcium. They are rich in folate, benefits of which have already been mentioned; it is important to feed yourself legumes to avoid health hazards on your child especially during the first trimester or even before.
Benefits:
- Soybeans, lentils, peas, chickpeas, peanuts et cetera are example of legumes and can be added to your food during pregnancy to purify your health.
- Legumes are extremely filled with fibers, potassium, iron and can be obtained adequately with your doctor’s advice.
Side Effects:
- Legumes, such as kidney beans can come off as unhealthy if their intake or consumption is not within the prescribed limits.
- Kidney beans includes purines that sometimes lead to gout or kidney stones and not adjusting their intake during pregnancy can lead to slow pregnancy.
- Chickpeas sometimes also cause allergy to the mother during pregnancy and they also often lead to the issue of kidney stones.
- High consumption of soybeans can also cause harm to the body and hamper the baby’s development process during pregnancy as it contains isoflavones – these are chemicals that mimic the hormone estrogen of the body
3. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes, even though they don’t look healthy, they are highly good for your health and are very tasty!
Benefits:
- They are enriched with beta carotene, fiber which improves our digestive system and also prevents blood sugar spikes.
- Enriched with Vitamin A, leads to smooth development of your child.
Side Effects:
- Eating or consuming sweet potato in large quantity or not in its prescribed amount can lead to noticeable color change of your skin and nails from neutral shade to a shade of orange.
4. Berries
Berries, which are highly enriched with healthy carbs, vitamin C, fiber, water and also antioxidants.
Benefits:
- Berries have a relatively low glycemic index value, and so they have low risk of spikes in blood sugar.
- Berries are great to munch on whenever the body needs something light, yet healthy as they provide nutrition but low chance of gaining calories.
Side Effects:
- High intake of berries over the course of pregnancy can lead to high blood sugar level; this can eventually lead to shakiness, increased heartbeat etc.
5. Whole Grains
Whole grains, as we all are aware of their importance for our body and how healthy they can seem to be.
Benefits:
- They are high in fiber, vitamins, plant compounds, iron and provide a whole source of nutrition to the body, when they are included with our daily meals.
- Oats, wheat berries, quinoa, barley, brown bread are some of the sources that are examples of whole grain. B vitamins, iron and magnesium can be easily obtained from them and these are critically missing in women during pregnancy.
Side Effects:
- Even though whole grains are beneficial but eating these kind of food leads to overeating and increased consumption is often linked to type 2 diabetes or any heart disease.
6. Avocados
Avocados, may seem unusual and less healthy when it comes to health, but its benefits make them efficient for our health.
14 Reasons To Eat Avocados During Pregnancy: https://www.momjunction.com/articles/reasons-eat-avocadoes-pregnancy_0085824/
Benefits:
- Avocados are enriched with monounsaturated fatty acids, which make them tasty and help to build the tissues, brain and also the skin of your unborn baby.
- They’re also high in fiber, B vitamins (especially folate), vitamin K, potassium, copper, vitamin E, and vitamin C.
Side Effects:
- According to numerous studies and collected data, it is said that avocados should be avoid during breast feeding.
- Avocados should be taken in a limited amount during pregnancy to avoid the risk of damage to the mammary gland or upset stomach for the baby.
7. Eggs
Eggs, even though not all of us consider eating them, depending on our choices and staying true to our religion; apparently.
Benefits:
- They are extremely healthy for our body, contain almost each nutrient that our system requires, high-quality proteins, minerals and other vitamins.
- Eggs provide us with choline, a vital nutrient during pregnancy. It’s important in baby’s brain development and further avoid any brain abnormalities.
Side Effects:
- Undercooked egg during pregnancy is not at all healthy as it can lead to food poisoning and that illness can be transferred to the baby as well.
- Passing of the illness can gradually lead to an infection of the amniotic acid.
8. Broccoli, Leafy Greens
Broccoli, leafy greens; I don’t think I even need to give detailed information about how important it is for children and also adults to obtain green vegetables.
Benefits Of Eating Broccoli During Pregnancy: https://www.momjunction.com/articles/benefits-of-eating-broccoli-during-pregnancy_00353677/
Benefits:
- Green vegetables, acquire so many nutrients and include other necessities like fiber, vitamin K, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, folate, iron, calcium, proteins, potassium.
- Due to all these nutrients that are covered, they can seem to have reduced risk of low birth weight of your child during pregnancy.
Side Effects:
- Broccoli is hands down one of the best food options during pregnancy but consuming it in large amounts can back fire.
- High or increased intake of broccoli can lead to rashes or hives on the body of the mother and also gastric problems or other stomach related issues.
9. Salmon
Salmon, being rich in omega-3 fatty acids, have a lot of benefits and can seem to be tasty as well!
Benefits:
- These omega-3 fatty acids seem to build the eye and brain tissues of the baby and also improve gestational length.
- However, there are few high mercury fish that you need to avoid during pregnancy, swordfish, shark, king mackerel, marlin, bigeye tuna and tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico.
Side Effects:
- High intake of salmon and especially the un-prescribed ones can make you very ill.
- Study reports show that increased consumption of salmon during pregnancy can lead to artery-clogging cholesterol and various heart diseases.
Choosing food during pregnancy can be a tough task but, getting to know the advantages and side effects of each food item is crucial. Eating the right type of food items is necessary to avoid any health hazards on the child.
You can also read about these facts, precautions, benefits on trusted sites likes:
