Seven Superfoods For a Healthy Pregnancy

Motherhood is one of the defining phases of a woman’s life. Bearing a child exposes a woman to a kind of beauty and happiness that she hasn’t experienced before, and also significantly impacts her mental maturity. When a woman is pregnant, it’s not only her own life that is at stake but also the life of her unborn child. Under such circumstances, no one would want complications to arise during or after their pregnancy. Hence, it’s necessary that the would-be mother takes extra care of her health. Maintaining good nutrition is one essential component of that endeavor. Here is a list of seven superfoods to bolster your health during pregnancy: -

1. Green vegetables - From broccoli to spinach, leafy vegetables contain several vitamins and minerals. Also, they are easy to digest and thus are the go-to food in case you wish to play safe for nine months and not have any health complications. Greens are rich in folic acid too, which is scientifically known to prevent birth defects. The presence of fibers also helps curb constipation, which is common during pregnancy.
2. Root vegetables – Considered healthy carbohydrates, root vegetables supply you with significant energy while also not being as unhealthy as other carbohydrates. They are also rich in vitamins and minerals. Examples include potatoes, yams, carrots and beetroots.
3. Dairy products – Unless you are lactose intolerant, dairy products should be a regular feature of your pregnancy diet. Their richness in protein and calcium makes their consumption extremely valuable for your own well-being and your unborn child’s bone growth. Besides that, yogurt is well known for being particularly beneficial for pregnant women.
4. Eggs – Eggs contain protein, fat, vitamins and minerals. Since they contain a bit of almost every nutrient, eggs act as a “complete package” food item. Adding them to your pregnancy diet is highly recommended.
5.  Whole grains – Regular intake of whole grains will help pregnant women keep up with their increased calorie requirements while at the same time not having an adverse impact on their health as other high-calorie foods tend to. They also contain protein, fiber, magnesium and vitamins.
6. Dry fruits – Highly nutritious in value, dry fruits contain vitamins, minerals, fibers and calories. Like eggs too, they are considered a “complete package” food item. And since they are compact and don’t require any preparation, you can carry them around with you and munch a few whenever you feel hungry.
7. Water – Not exactly a food item. And is an entity that is consumed by everyone regardless of whether people advise you to do so or not. But not adding water to a list for a pregnancy diet would be a little crime. Staying hydrated during this phase is of utmost importance. The simple act of chugging a few glasses regularly helps prevent a host of possible issues – constipation to headaches to urinary tract infections to anxiety.

Apart from ensuring a healthy diet, it is also of primary importance that you control your temptations for unhealthy food items and drinks– especially fast foods. It is understandable that it might be difficult to do so, but better to curb your tastes for a few months than to shed regret over birth complications for the rest of your life.

Stay Tuned, Stay Relevant!