5 healthy meals for expecting mothers this summer

Pregnancy is the time when mothers need extra care and nutrition. Especially during the first three months, a pregnant mother needs extra 300-350 calories more than regular time. Nutrition has a deep impact on not only the mother, but also on the upcoming newborn.

For the wellbeing of herself and the upcoming child, pregnant mother has to maintain an ideal routine. Not all food has nutritional value. Pregnant mother has to take enough amounts of calcium, iron, zink, folic acid, vitamin A, C, D, and items containing iodine.

These are the five food items that may be beneficial for a pregnant mother.

Yogurts and Milk items
The first food that a pregnant mother needs is milk and other items containing milk. When you know you are expecting, you have to take milk and other milk based dairy items regularly. Milk has a lot of carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamin, and minerals.That is why it is called the complete food.

A pregnant mother also needs a sufficient amount of Calcium, Phosphorus, Vitamin B, Zinc, and Magnesium for the physical development of the baby. Yogurts may be useful food for this purpose. Yogurts contain calcium more than any other milk-made items and also have probiotics which helps in digestion. Many pregnant mothers can not take milk directly for lactose intolerance, so yogurt may be a good alternative for them.

Lentils, beans, and seeds:
Every pregnant woman should keep lentils, beans, and legumes in her daily routine. Green peas, chickpeas, nuts also carry a good amount of protein. Lentils and seeds have a notable amount of Fibre, Iron, Calcium, and Vitamin B9 or folate. Scarcity of Vitamin B9 or folate can lead a pregnant woman to pregnancy complications like underweight of mother and baby, risk during childbirth etc. Folate or Vitamin B also plays an important role in the production of red blood cells and helps your baby’s neural tube develop into her brain and spinal cord. A cup of lentils has around 65-90% folate. Lentils also boast protein and iron. Plus, they’re particularly intestine-friendly. That is why lentil is an ideal food for any expecting mother.

Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes contain beta carotene named compound which helps to build Vitamin A in our body. Vitamin A plays a pivotal role to build the cells and tissues of the newborn. A pregnant woman should have an extra amount of Vitamin A in her regular menu than the usual times. Vitamin A from animal sources should be avoided as much as possible. So at least 100-150 grams of sweet potatoes should be taken in pregnancy time.

Sea fishes
Seafoods contain a great amount of Omega-3 fatty acid and Vitamin D. Normally a pregnant mother does not contain much Omega-3 in her daily routine. However, Omega-3 fatty acid helps to develop the brain and eyesight of your unborn baby.

Seafood or sea fish also help to enhance the level of hemoglobin in the body of pregnant mothers. Salmon, tuna, and bombay duck (latia fish) contain Omega-3 and Vitamin D which helps to develop the immune system of the mother.

Egg
Egg is an item which contains a huge amount of nutrition. Egg not only has calories, but also a high amount of protein, fat, vitamin, and minerals. Egg contains an element called choline which is essential for both mother and the baby. Choline helps to develop the brain of a baby. If the level of choline is not sufficient in the body, it may harm the fallopian tube of the mother. So the newborn may face many complexities like underdevelopment of the brain and body as a result. So eggs are an indispensable item for a pregnant mother.

The first and foremost thing during a pregnancy period is to take care of your own health if you are expecting. If the mother is not well, the baby may be affected too. So to maintain the amount of nutrition and calorie, you should include healthy items in your daily food Chart. It will help reduce pregnancy complexities and pave the way to bring a healthy baby to the world.