Would you like to be energetic and vigorous throughout the entire day? And do you want to give your baby a great deal of important nutritional ingredients? It all begins with a good breakfast!
Almost every nutrition expert agrees with the saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And as you probably realized by now, whatever was important in your diet before the pregnancy –is even more important while pregnant…!
The Importance of Breakfast while Pregnant
But why is breakfast so important? Mostly because breakfast provides our body the energy it needs for the beginning of the day. A good breakfast would keep the body energized for many hours, even beyond the hour of lunch (although there’s no need to skip lunch – it is another important meal…!).
It is extremely important to keep your energy levels high during pregnancy. Now that you are pregnant your body needs more of it to sustain itself, and to provide your baby the nutritional ingredients he or she needs. Skipping breakfast while pregnant might easily lead to fatigue and weariness throughout the day, and if missed frequently it might even harm the proper development of your baby.
Breakfast: What to Eat for Breakfast while Pregnant
The key for a good, healthy, energizing breakfast isn’t so different from having a good pregnancy diet in general – a bit of everything will give you and your baby all that you need.
To be a bit more specific, try including in your breakfast the at least three of the following:
- Grain: 1-2 slices of bread (preferably whole grain), cooked oats or even a healthy sort of breakfast cereal will give you the fiber you need for the beginning of the day. Fiber has many benefits for you and your baby, including preventing constipation, keeping you sated for a long while and more.
- Dairy: a cup of low fat milk or yoghurt, some light cheese and other low fat dairy products will provide you with important vitamins and minerals, including a nice amount of calcium – one of the most needed nutritional ingredients a pregnant woman needs (about 1000mg per day).
- Meat, fish or egg: these foods will provide you with many vitamins, minerals and most of all high value protein, which the baby needs for building muscles and other tissues. These foods will also provide you and your baby with a nice amount of iron – which is an extremely important nutritional ingredient for both you and your baby.
- Fruit and/or vegetables: a fresh orange, apple or any other fruit will provide you with many vitamins, including vitamin C which both your pregnant body and your growing baby need for many reasons (including building the baby’s immune system). A cucumber, some lettuce, avocado or another vegetable will provide you with vitamins, minerals, folic acids and many other nutritional ingredients.
Including 3-4 of the foods mentioned above in your breakfast is a guaranty for a lively morning for both you and your baby. Have just a bit of everything during the week, don’t overeat and allow yourself few minutes of rest before getting up.
It is very important to eat in the morning especially if you feel nausea – a light breakfast will actually help you feel better. Try having some light foods, such as whole wheat bread/toast or a cracker with light white cheese or cottage. You can also reduce nausea by eating a small slice of lemon or drinking fresh lemonade.
