A well-balanced and nutritious diet is what your pregnancy diet chart should comprise. This is because you need to meet both yours and your baby’s nutritional demands. Your pregnancy diet chart should include proteins, vitamins, carbohydrates, minerals, and essential fats.
Include plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grain products like cereals and bread, fish, meat or other protein substitutes, milk, and dairy products like cottage cheese in your diet chart for pregnancy. Eat a variety of food, but ensure that you eat them in moderation. Anything in excess is not good and may contribute to excessive weight gain during pregnancy.
Stay away from canned and processed foods as far as possible, but you can definitely satisfy your cravings for sweets and chocolates. Also reduce your intake of salt as it contributes to water retention that may again lead to weight gain. Here is a list of must-haves in your diet chart during pregnancy:
Folic acid is the most important nutrient that every pregnant woman should get. So make sure you include this nutrient in your pregnancy diet chart. Folic acid helps in preventing neural tube defects and other defects like cleft lip and congenital heart disease. You can find this essential nutrient in almost all leafy green vegetables, liver, yeast, beans, citrus fruits, and fortified cereals.
The next important nutrient is iron. This is essential for hemoglobin production for both you and your baby. Iron helps build bones and teeth. So include iron rich food like potatoes, raisins, broccoli, leafy vegetables, whole-grain cereals, and dates. Do make sure that you take the iron supplements that your doctor prescribes.
Constipation is a common problem in almost all pregnant women. So make sure you include lot of fiber rich items in your pregnancy diet chart. Fruits, vegetables, brown rice, nuts, cereals, pulses are rich in fiber.
Water also forms an essential part of your pregnancy diet chart. It helps prevent constipation, hemorrhoids, swelling, and urinary tract infections. Drinking water especially in your last trimester is most important as it helps in keeping you well hydrated and helps avoid problems like premature delivery.
Calcium is essential for the healthy development of your baby’s bones and teeth. You need to double your intake of milk, yoghurt, and cheese to meet your body’s demands during pregnancy. Calcium is also found in green leafy vegetables and eggs.
Besides the above, it is a good idea to consult your doctor and get a pregnancy diet chart prepared for yourself in order to avoid any kind of complications and deficiencies.