If you are someone who puts a lot of thought into the food you eat, then, the thinking just doubles when you are pregnant. When you are pregnant, you are making food choices for yourself and the baby. Thanks to the way Indian society is, we are never short of advice. You will get those from all sides when you are pregnant. Sometimes, what two people advice might funnily contradict too. Just laugh it off because we know after a point it may get on to your nerves. That’s why we are here giving you tips backed by facts and science that will help you with your diet during pregnancy.
Let’s address the obvious first! CRAVINGS!
Pregnancy and cravings are better halves like bread and butter (Now someone’s craving bread and butter). It is common for pregnant women to crave certain foods or taste or texture and hate a few food items. And it is not predictable. You may start liking what you used to dislike and have an aversion towards something that was like bread and butter (Can’t seem to get it off my head).
In general, pregnant women tend to crave sour/tangy, sweet, spicy, and a lot of carbs. The important thing to remember is to not be too conscious about your weight and give in to your cravings. The mantra is to not overeat but to eat until you are full. A couple of kilograms will not do much harm unless you have existing health conditions. However, remember to not replace nutritious food with junk food. Not giving in to your craving might make you feel upset and make you desperate. Control your cravings when it is something that you know is harmful to you. After all the cravings’ satisfaction, don’t forget to involve in some kind of mild physical activities. It helps with your hormones, weight, backaches, and strengthening of your muscles.
Now let’s get to the bitter part that has many benefits. Just like a bitter gourd. There are a few food items that pregnant women should consume during the gestation period that will aid the growth of the baby and health of the mother.
Here are a few things that you should consider eating throughout your pregnancy
Dairy products
Dairy is one of the best sources of protein and tummy satisfaction. Cheese, milk, paneer, curd, and other dairy products help with the calcium and protein requirement for you and your baby. If you are lactose intolerant, then chicken, eggs, fish, nuts, and soy or almond milk are the best substitutes.
Leafy vegetables
The number of benefits of leafy vegetables is numerous as they are rich in antioxidants, folate, protein, fibre, vitamins, potassium, calcium, and more. Inculcating leafy vegetables in your everyday diet will help you stay healthy and receive nutrients while you gorge on food that crave once in a while.
Iron requirements
Citrus fruits, cereals, poultry, eggs, green vegetables, dates are a few items that you might want to add to your routine. 10.5 to 11 grams per decilitre is the normal hemoglobin level. You need normal level iron content throughout your pregnancy and also during breastfeeding.
Homemade food
Do yourself a favor by sticking to homemade food. Be it paani puri or pizza or chicken samosa, try to have home-cooked food. This way, you reduce the risk of falling sick due to hygiene reasons for eating outside. You don’t want to add more to your morning sickness! Especially with COVID-19, it is of absolute importance for you to take all the precautions. Consume food with Vit C and immunity boosters like broccoli, ginger, almonds, spinach, button mushrooms, etc. Indians are lucky in a way that our general diet consists of abundant nutrients. Therefore, you just have to ensure if you are including the above-mentioned ingredients in your diet.
On the whole, keep you hydrated, have a lot of seasonal and nutritious food, and give in to your cravings that are not unhealthy. With homemade food, you can also monitor the allergens and aversion-causing ingredients. You have to be mindful of that.
Healthy food and happiness should be the priority. Keep your tummy happy with homemade food and your mind happy by not having to worry about cooking. Masala Box will door deliver your favorite food made by home chefs around you.
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