Eating for two? Expecting mothers, whether for the first time or not, are undoubtedly concerned about what to eat during pregnancy. After all, what you eat while pregnant can greatly affect the health and well-being of your unborn child. So are you consuming the following pregnant-friendly foods?
What to Eat When Pregnant
1. Avocado. For many, avocados do not provide a lot of flavor. However, what they lack in flavor, they make up for in nutrients. An avocado is full of folic acid, which is important when it comes to the development of your baby’s nervous system and brain. This fruit is also rich in potassium and vitamins B6 and C. Avocados are known to be high in fat (the good type of fat!) so if you’re at a phase where eating is a struggle and you find yourself losing weight while pregnant, then do give avocados a try.
2. Carrots. Readily available, carrots can be one of those ‘power foods’ you can eat during pregnancy. You can easily add or mix them into almost anything. You can make veggie sticks out of them, dice them and mix in a salad, shred them and mix them in muffins and cakes, and more! But why would you do that? Carrots are rich in Vitamin A, which positively affect your baby’s eyes, teeth, and bones.
3. Mangoes. Who doesn’t like a nice, sweet, juicy mango? They are rich in potassium and each mouthful actually offer more Vitamin A and C than each mouthful of salad. Mangoes are also extremely versatile. They can be eaten as is, blended into a delicious drink or smoothie, mixed in a salad, or chopped and mixed into your favorite salsa!
4. Spinach. Ok, so not many may be crazy about this vegetable, but hear me out. Spinach is rich in iron, folic acid, calcium and Vitamin A. And truly, it’s not hard to incorporate spinach in your diet at all. Nowadays, you can buy them pre-washed and packed in the supermarket so there’s no lengthy preparation needed. You can open a bag and toss some leaves into a salad, or pan fry or sautรฉ them with just about anything else you have cooking in your wok (or pan).
5. Nuts. Yes, go nuts with nuts while pregnant. And why not? Nuts are rich in Vitamin E, calcium, copper, manganese, magnesium, potassium, selenium, and zinc. And again it’s easy to add this to your list of eatables while pregnant. Just eat them as is, or chop and add in salads or any dish you wish.
6. Yogurt. Want something to eat during pregnancy that’s not a fruit or a vegetable? How about yogurt? Since it’s dairy, it’s packed with calcium but it provides a good dose of folic acid as well. Add your favorite fruit to it and they make a yummy dessert. Add it to some chopped bananas and a dash of soy milk and you have a great and healthy smoothie. Yogurt is of course known for the ‘good bacteria’ it contains, which can help settle a disruptive stomach.
What foods to eat while pregnant – Diet & nutrition during pregnancy
There you have it; six excellent food items to eat while you’re pregnant. Just these six items alone can provide numerous healthy drinks and meals so do give them a try.
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