Are You Pregnant, Hangry and Looking for Snacks That Will Satisfy Both You and Baby? A nutritious food variety during pregnancy is key.
We want your pantry to become an all-in-one resource of nutritious yet delectable food options that will give your child the best start in life.
As part of your healthy eating plan, when pregnant or nursing you’ll want to prioritize whole food varieties that provide greater quantities of the essential nutrients you would otherwise need for optimal pregnancy health – like antioxidants and other vital minerals.
- protein
- vitamins and minerals
- healthy kinds of fat
- complex carbohydrates
- fiber and fluids
Here are 8 highly nutritious food varieties to eat during gestation to meet all of your supplement requirements.
- Dairy Items
Dairy Products Pregnancy requires you to consume additional protein and calcium. Dairy items like milk, cheddar and yogurt should be on your agenda as sources of extra nutrition for you and your developing baby.
Dairy products contain two of the best sources of protein – casein and whey. Dairy is also one of the primary dietary sources of calcium, while also providing high amounts of phosphorus, B vitamins, magnesium, and zinc.
Yogurt, specifically Greek yogurt, provides more calcium than most dairy items and is therefore exceptionally valuable. Furthermore, certain varieties may include probiotics to enhance digestive health.
If you are lactose intolerant, yogurt might also be an option – particularly probiotic yogurt. Check with your primary care physician to see if testing it out would be possible and discover an array of smoothies, parfaits and lassis with yogurt as a base!
- Legumes
Legumes. This food group encompasses legumes such as lentils, peas, beans, chickpeas, soybeans and peanuts – known as an assortment of incredible ingredients!).
Legumes are rich sources of fiber, protein, iron, folate and calcium – essential elements during gestation.
Folate is one of the essential B vitamins (B9). It plays an essential role for you and your unborn baby during the first trimester, and even before.
Your body needs at least 600 micrograms (mcg) of folate daily, which may be difficult to achieve through food alone. But legumes may help get you there with supplementation prescribed by your primary care provider (PCP).
Legumes are packed with fiber, as well as iron, magnesium, and potassium. Try including legumes in your daily routine with meals like hummus on whole grain toast, black beans in taco salads or lentil curries.
- Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are not only tasty, they’re also full of nutrients such as beta carotene that your body turns into vitamin A.
Vitamin A is essential to child development. Just watch out for too much animal-derived sources of Vitamin A such as organ meats that could potentially contain too much Vitamin A in large doses and cause harm.
Sweet potatoes are an excellent plant-based source of beta carotene and fiber, which help you remain full for longer, reduce glucose spikes, and support digestive health (something which could come in handy during a pregancy blockage situation).
Try serving sweet potatoes as the base of your avocado toast breakfast to create an unforgettable breakfast experience!
- Eggs
Eggs Remarkably tasty eggs are an outstanding health food source, packed full of essential proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals – not to mention deliciousness! A single large egg offers around 80 calories as well as great sources of protein, fats and vitamin-packed goodness!
Eggs are an exceptional source of choline, an essential supplement during gestation. Choline contributes significantly to infant mental wellbeing while helping prevent formative anomalies of both brain and spine formation.
One whole egg provides approximately 147 mg of choline, bringing your daily consumption closer to the recommended intake of 450 mg during gestation (though more studies are underway to ascertain whether that level of intake suffices).
Here are two of the healthiest methods for cooking eggs. Give spinach-feta wraps or chickpea scramble a try.
- Broccoli And Dark, Leafy Greens
Broccoli and dark-green vegetables such as kale and spinach contain an abundance of essential vitamins and minerals that will provide your body with essential nutrition. Even if they’re not your favourite snack food, these vegetables can easily fit into many dishes for added nutrition.
Benefits of greens include fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin A, calcium, iron, folate and potassium – providing an invaluable source of nutrition.
Snacking on green veggies is an excellent way to replenish vitamins and reduce constipation caused by all that fiber. Vegetables have also been linked with lower birthweight risk.
Make this Florentine egg formula or throw some spinach into a green smoothie without knowing it! No one will suspect a thing!
- Lean Meat And Proteins
Lean meat and proteins Meat, poultry, and pork all provide great sources of superior proteins, while hamburger and pork also boast large quantities of iron, choline, and other B vitamins that you’ll require during gestation.
Iron is an essential mineral for red platelets to form hemoglobin. Your blood volume increases significantly during gestation, necessitating additional iron supplements during this important third trimester period.
Low iron levels during early and midpregnancy could increase your risk of low birth weight and other issues, increasing paleness.
Covering all your iron requirements through dinner alone may be challenging if you have an aversion to meat, prefer veggie-rich diets or are vegetarian or a pescetarian – however for those able to, eating lean red meat regularly may help increase how much iron is obtained through food sources.
Expert Tip: Combining vitamin-C rich foods such as oranges or bell peppers with iron-rich food sources could aid with increasing assimilation.
Provide your turkey burger with vitamin C-rich tomato slices or prepare this steak and mango salad!
- Berries
Berries contain many nutrients such as water, healthy carbs, vitamin C, fiber and cell reinforcements in just their small packages.
Berries boast a moderately low glycemic index rating, so they should not cause sudden spikes in glucose.
Berries make an excellent snack because they contain both water and fiber. Not only do they add delicious flavor and nutrition, but their calories tend to remain relatively low as well.
Blueberries, raspberries, goji berries, strawberries and acai berries are some of the best fruits to include when pregnant – see this blueberry smoothie as motivation!
- Whole Grains
In contrast to their refined counterparts, whole grains contain loads of fiber, vitamins, and plant compounds – such as oatmeal, quinoa, earthy colored rices, wheat berries, and grains – unlike white bread, pasta or white rices.
Oats and quinoa both offer plenty of protein. Furthermore, these whole grains help meet several essential prenatal nutritional needs: B vitamins, fiber and magnesium.
There are so many different ways to incorporate whole grains into our dinner, yet our personal favorite is this quinoa and roasted sweet potato bowl.
Also Read: The 10 Life-Changing Benefits Of Meditating For Your Body
