Fruits, vegetables, water are essentials in your Pregnancy!
I am sure that you have heard this enough number of times – “The baby is eating what you are eating”. This is one of the most common statements that are repeated time and again to pregnant moms by well meaning family and friends. Most of us do know that eating right is helping the baby develop physically and mentally. Besides this it also helps the mom to stay fit and healthy, gain the right amount of weight and have a better birth experience. But then there are so many foods out there, so what exactly am I supposed to concentrate on? A Balanced Diet, Yes. But besides this a special focus on some of the vital nutrients would be great as well.
Fruits and vegetables are loaded with valuable vitamins and minerals. Also they are low in calories and hence can be consumed in larger quantities to satiate hunger. Whenever you are hungry you may want to have a fruit or a salad. Choose a wide range of colors as in some senses every color denotes a different nutrient. It does not mean that you have to eat every color every day but over a week have as many colors as possible. Vegetables and Fruits should be of a multitude of colors. A rainbow diet is what is recommended. The recommendation is 2 servings minimum from fruits and 3 servings from vegetables per day. Each serving is considered as about 100 grams of the fruit or vegetable. Do not fry your vegetables as this will kill the nutrition value. A juice or soup without the fibre is also very low in nutrition so try and eat your fruits and veggies and not drink them. If you do feel like drinking a juice or soup make sure that you do not strain it. Vegetables and Fruits are rich in vitamins and minerals and help you to maintain a healthy pregnancy.
Water is a must for absorption of nutrients and also to ensure that you do not get dehydrated. Mild dehydration can result in pre term contractions hence ensure that you keep that bottle of water close to you and keep sipping. A minimum of two litres and then drinking to thirst is the rule to follow.
Supplements prescribed by your doctor must not be ignored. They ensure that any dietary deficiency is taken care of but they are not considered a substitute for a healthy diet.