5 Superfoods to Eat During Pregnancy

5 Superfoods to Eat During Pregnancy : There is no debate in saying that pregnancy can be the best the time of your life. Especially when you are a first-timer, you are happy and nervous and there is a strange excitement that you go through. You may also experience mode swings as your body experiences hormonal changes, which is why you must ensure a healthy diet so that you and your baby stay well and strong.

Experts suggest that your body may need as much as 350-500 extra calories every day during the second and third trimesters.

A diet rich in essential nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and proteins is critical for the healthy development of your baby’s brain. Superfood retailers like this one offer a wide range of nutrient-dense products that can contribute to a balanced and healthy diet. Whereas bad and irresponsible eating may not only increase your weight but also increase the chances of birth complications.

While you may regularly listen to your doctor prescriptions and strictly adhere to the diet plan he/she/ze provides you, there are some superfoods, that when included in your diet, not only ensure good health for you and your baby but will also help you lose weight once you have given birth. In this article, we are mentioning 5 superfoods that can help you during pregnancy.

Eggs

We all know that egg is a protein powerhouse. The proteins and amino acids are essential for your baby’s growth as well as the added power of vitamins, minerals and choline are very good for your baby’s brain development.

Egg is a wholesome food and contains a little bit of every nutrient that your body needs during pregnancy. Owing to the number of proteins that eggs contain, eggs are often referred to a gold standard of parental proteins. Choline, when combined with the power of vitamins, stimulates your baby’s brain performance and will also keep you energized all day long. However, it is advised not to consume eggs raw or uncooked eggs and else you can take them the way you like it; hard-boiled, omelet, fried, etc.
Sweet Potatoes

Unfortunately, we have exclusively reserved sweet potatoes for thanksgiving when we should be consuming them round the year as they are loaded with nutritious fiber, potassium 6 and most importantly vitamin A, which doctors advise to increase the intake by 10-40% during pregnancy.

Vitamin A plays an important in your baby’s brain development as well as stimulates the healthy growth of baby’s eyes, bones, and skin. Vitamin A is also critical in the growth and differentiation of cells and tissues in the fetus. Sweet potatoes will help you meet your iron quota as it contains minerals that will help your body absorb iron. So, switch your steak’s side with sweet potatoes and increase your vitamin A intake.
Salmon

Pregnant women must increase their intake of Omega-3 fatty acids and most pregnant women don’t get the required Omega – 3 fatty acid level through their regular diet. Omega-3 fatty acids particularly the long-chain omega – 3 fatty acids are critical during the pregnancy as it stimulates the development of brain and eyes of your fetus.

Salmon is loaded with essential Omega-3 fatty acids and is the perfect way to achieve the required level. However, you must have already heard the myths that one should avoid seafood during pregnancy as certain sea fishes contain higher levels of mercury and other harmful trace minerals. Nonetheless, fishes like salmon, sardines, herring, and mackerel have minimal levels of mercury and harmful minerals and have high omega-3 fatty acid levels. Salmon fish is also rich in vitamin D which stimulates bone health and improves the immune systems. If you like fried salmon fish, you can use black cumin oil but is advisable not to use too much of it as excessive consumption may affect the smooth muscle contractions of the uterus.
Avocados

Avocado lovers will love this. You never knew but your all-time favorite avocado is an unusual fruit and wanna know why? Because avocados are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids and also contain high contents of vitamin K, fiber, potassium, copper as well as vitamins B,C,E.

Owing to the high content of essential nutrients, avocados are possibly the best choice for pregnant women. Avocados not promote the optimal growth of skin, brain, and tissues of the fetus but also prevent neural tube defects. Aside from improving fetal health, avocados also help in relieving leg cramps that are common in pregnant women.
Oat, Nuts, and Dates

Dry fruits are rich in fibers and calories and also contain high contents of vitamins and minerals. Dried fruits contain as much as nutrients of the fresh fruit. Dried fruits particularly oats, nuts, and dates are very helpful in your baby’s healthy development.

Pregnant women often experience constipation issues and being natural laxatives, dry fruits stimulate bowel movements. Try to include dates in your daily meal especially during the third trimester and optimize cervical dilation and also minimize the need to induce labor. However, it is recommended not to consume more than one serving at a time as it may cause adverse effects.

A lot of ladies get too conscious of the weight gain but don’t worry, it normal. However you must ensure that the gains are healthy as everything that your consume during pregnancy effects your energy and also influences the development of your baby. So listen to doctors, eat healthy, have sweet dreams of the baby and good luck.

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