Here are 5 great foods you should include in your pregnancy diet.
Looking for a good place to start your pregnancy diet? Here are 5 foods which will make it easy for you to decide what to eat while pregnant…
Lentils: A Great Source for Folic Acid
Lentils are one of the richest sources of folic acid. One cup will provide you with 360 mcg of folate, which is 90% of the recommended daily intake for pregnant woman. This nutritional ingredient is extremely needed during the entire pregnancy for many things, including the development your baby’s brain and nervous system. In fact, many experts recommend increasing the amount of folic acids even before getting pregnant up to 800mcg.
Lentils also contain a great deal of protein, iron, calcium vitamin C and other minerals which are essential to your baby proper development and for your body functioning. All of these make lentils a superb food for every pregnant women and especially vegetarian and vegan, who don’t have meat as a source of folic acid and protein.
Banana for your Pregnancy Crams
Bananas are extremely energizing. This is why athletes have them before practice, and this is why pregnant women have them to keep their strength. But bananas have additional benefits for pregnant women. For instance, they are a great help with pregnancy cramps. It’s all connected with the minerals magnesium, selenium and potassium: during pregnancy the amount of blood in the mother’s body increases by about 50%. Her body needs more minerals to keep the chemical balance in her body. If there’s a shortage of minerals, the legs’ muscles tend to cramp. Since bananas are extremely rich with many essential minerals, including some in your daily diet when pregnant might help and even completely prevent such cramps.
In addition, bananas are a good source of vitamin B6 which is vital for making red blood cells, antibodies and neurotransmitters – essential for the development of the baby’s brain and nervous system.
Bell Peppers: Simply Great for Pregnant Women!
Bell peppers (also known as sweet peppers) are always great when you wonder what to eat when pregnant. They contain vitamin B6, folic acid, beta carotene, phytochemicals, and more. They also contain a large amount of vitamin C, which both the mother and baby need for bone growth, tissue repair and healthy skin. In addition, newborn babies require vitamin C for their mental development, and the body absorbs iron better along with this vitamin.
Pregnant women need a daily dose of about 80-85mg of Vitamin C. Women who breastfeed need even more of it – 115-120mg. Since 1/2 cup of sweet pepper contains about 190mg of vitamin C, it is highly recommended to include some of it in your pregnancy diet 3-4 times a week.
Chicken: the Ideal Main Course for your Diet While Pregnant
Chicken is highly recommended during pregnancy because it is rich in minerals (calcium, magnesium and selenium), vitamins (A, K, B, E) and protein. One cup of cooked chicken breast can give you about 70-85% of the recommended daily intake of protein. Chicken liver contains folic acid and iron which are important for the proper development of the baby’s of the nervous system. Chicken is also low in cholesterol and saturated fat. The other nutrients that chicken contains help with the development of the baby’s bones, internal organs and cells.
Sweet Potato: a Blast of Vitamin A
There are many reasons to include sweet potato in your diet when pregnant. They contain vitamins C, riboflavin, niacin, B6, and vitamin E, manganese, folic acid, copper, iron, antioxidants, protein and more. But in addition to all of these, sweet potato contains a lot of vitamin A. This vitamin is essential for the baby’s embryonic growth. It is needed for the development of the lungs, heart, kidneys, circulatory system and the central nervous system. It is recommended to include sweet potato in your diet 1-2 times a week. To get some extra fiber (great for digestion) cook the sweet potato with its skin.
