The 12 foods that midwives recommend for a good pregnancy
During the first stage of my pregnancy I started losing a lot of weight.After the first three months, once the urge to vomit had passed, my husband began to fill me by slipping in my bag and in my pockets tablets Galak, Balisto and all kinds of sweets that I thought "important" to eat to gain weight and keep energy throughout the day.
In all good faith, I was convinced that we had to follow the phrase "eat for two" to the letter!
The neighborhood baker became my best friend (I even had a loyalty card) and I had my daily habits at Starbucks at the bottom of my job (where I ate a cheesecake every day to taste it ...).
Result of the races, I curl gestational diabetes at 6 months of pregnancy, I took 22kg and my little Joseph weighed 4kg700 at birth ...
I certainly owe my long daily walks and my passion for fruit and vegetables for avoiding all the other complications that such a diet could have caused.
I still learned from my mistakes and in my second pregnancy, I consulted a nutritionist who gave me great tips that I would like to share with you today.
Why a healthy diet during pregnancy is so important?
During pregnancy, your body needs extra nutrients, vitamins and minerals. You need 350 to 500 extra calories each day in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters (1). However, contrary to what I thought, these calories should not be brought by cheesecake or chocolate rolls!
A diet that lacks key nutrients can negatively affect your baby's development even long after birth (2).Poor eating habits and excessive weight gain can also increase the risk of gestational diabetes and complications at birth (3).
In summary, eating healthy, nutritious foods will help keep you and your baby healthy.
It will also be a lot easier to lose your pregnancy pounds after giving birth.
To help you adopt a healthy diet, here is the list of 12 highly nutritious foods that are recommended to eat when you are pregnant:
1. Dairy products:
During pregnancy, you must consume extra protein and calcium to meet the needs of fetal growth (4).
Dairy products contain two types of high quality protein: casein and whey.
Dairy products are the best dietary source of calcium and provide high levels of phosphorus, various B vitamins, magnesium and zinc.
Yogurt, and especially Greek yogurts, are especially good for pregnant women (5).
They contain more calcium than any other dairy product. Some varieties also contain probiotic bacteria, which support and protect your digestive system (6).
Those who are lactose intolerant may still be able to tolerate yogurt, especially yogurts that contain probiotics (7).
Taking probiotics during pregnancy can reduce the risk of complications such as pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, vaginal infections and allergies (8).
2. Legumes:
In this group of foods, we find lentils, peas, beans, chickpeas, split peas, beans and peanuts.
Legumes are excellent sources of fiber, protein, iron, folic acid (B9) and calcium, all of which the body needs most during pregnancy.
Folates are part of the B vitamins (B9). They are very important for the health of the mother and her fetus, especially during the first trimester.
Yet most pregnant women do not consume enough (9).
The lack of folate has been linked to an increased risk of neural tube defects and to babies who are too low birth weight.
Folate deficiency can also increase your baby's exposure to infections and illness in the early years of life (10).
Legumes contain high amounts of folate. A single cup of lentils, chickpeas or kidney beans can provide 65 to 90% of the recommended intakes for a pregnant woman (11).
3. Sweet potatoes:
Sweet potatoes are very rich in beta-carotene, a plant compound that is converted to vitamin A by our body.
Vitamin A is essential for growth as well as for building up cells and tissues. It is very important for the development of a healthy fetus (12).
Pregnant women are generally advised to increase their vitamin A intake by 10 to 40% (13).
Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of beta-carotene. About 100 to 150 grams of cooked sweet potatoes will bring you the total recommended vitamin A intake for a day
4. Some oily fish:
Oily fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, tuna and sardines are very rich in Omega-3, essential fatty acids.
Most people, including pregnant women, do not consume enough (15).
Yet omega-3 fatty acids are essential during pregnancy.
They are found in large quantities in oily fish, and they participate in the construction of the brain and the eyes of the fetus (16).
The problem is that pregnant women are advised to limit their fish consumption to twice weekly (<340 g per week), due to mercury and other contaminants they contain.
However, studies have shown that pregnant women who eat fatty fish two to three times a week get the recommended intake of omega-3s in their blood (17).
Try to eat regularly sardines and mackerel in good quality box and wild fresh fish.
5. Eggs:
Eggs are one of the best health foods because they contain a little of almost every nutrient that your body needs.
A big egg contains 77 calories, as well as proteins and fats of very good quality. It also contains a lot of vitamins and minerals.
Eggs are an excellent source of choline. Choline is essential for many organs, including brain and immune system development (18).
Too little choline intake during pregnancy can increase the risk of neural tube defects and possibly lead to weaker development of certain brain functions (19).
A single whole egg contains approximately 113 mg of choline, which corresponds to ¼ of the recommended daily intake for pregnant women (450 mg) (20).
6. Broccoli and green leafy vegetables:
Broccoli and green leafy vegetables, such as kale, green cabbage, kale and spinach, contain many nutrients that pregnant women need:
fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin A, calcium, iron, folic acid and potassium.
They are also rich in antioxidants and strengthen the immune system and digestion (21).
Because of their high fiber content, these vegetables can also help prevent constipation, which you may be experiencing, since this is a very common phenomenon among pregnant women (22)!
7. Lean meat:
Beef, pork and chicken are excellent sources of good quality protein.
In addition, beef and pork are also rich in iron, choline and vitamin B - which you must consume in higher amounts during pregnancy.
You also need to consume more iron, as your blood volume increases. This is particularly important during the third trimester of pregnancy (23).
It can be difficult to cover your extra iron needs only with food, especially as many pregnant women develop an aversion to meat (24).
However, for those who can, eating red meat regularly will be very effective in increasing your iron levels and escaping anemia.
To improve the absorption of iron during meals, it is also advisable to eat foods rich in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits and peppers.
8. Red fruits:
Berries and berries (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, currants ...) are filled with water, healthy carbohydrates, vitamin C, antioxidants and fiber.
The type of antioxidants they contain, anthocyanins, neutralize the free radicals of the body and prevent the appearance of several diseases: cancers, cardiovascular diseases and chronic diseases (25).
In addition, berries have a relatively low glycemic index, so they should not cause significant sugar spikes in your blood.
Red fruits are an excellent snack because they contain both water and fiber. They provide a lot of flavor and nutrients, but with relatively few calories
9. Whole grains:
Eating whole grains (wholegrain rice, oats, barley, quinoa ...) can help meet the increased caloric needs that come with pregnancy, especially in the second and third trimesters.Unlike refined grains, whole grains are rich in fiber and vitamins.
Research shows that regular consumption of foods containing whole grains may reduce the risk of heart disease, certain types of cancer, the onset of type 2 diabetes, and may also help to lose weight ( 26).
Finally, whole grains are usually rich in B vitamins, fiber and magnesium. All these nutrients are often lacking in the diet of pregnant women (27).
10. Lawyers:
Avocados contain high amounts of monounsaturated fatty acids, fiber, folic acid, vitamin K, C and E, copper and potassium.Because of their high content of healthy fats, folic acid and potassium, avocados are especially good for pregnant women.
Healthy fats help build fetal skin, brain and tissues, and folic acid can help prevent neural tube defects (28).
Potassium can also help relieve leg cramps, a very unpleasant side effect of pregnancy for some women.
11. Dried fruits:
A whole dry fruit contains the same amount of nutrients as fresh fruit, just without water and in a reduced form.
Therefore, a portion of dried fruit can provide you with a large percentage of the recommended intake of vitamins and minerals, including folic acid, iron and potassium.
Prunes are very rich in fiber, potassium, vitamin K and sorbitol. They are natural laxatives, and can be very helpful in relieving constipation that many of you know during pregnancy.
Dates are rich in fiber, potassium and iron. A clinical study has shown that in addition to being very rich in nutrients, dates could help to dilate the cervix and trigger delivery (see my letter on this).
Be careful however to limit yourself to 4 to 5 dried fruits a day, as they contain high amounts of natural sugar. Also be sure to avoid candied fruits, which contain even more sugar.
12. Water:
During pregnancy, blood volume increases to 1.5 liters. Therefore, it is important to stay well hydrated (29).The fetus usually gets everything it needs, but if you do not increase your water intake, you may become dehydrated.
Symptoms of mild dehydration include headaches, more anxiety, fatigue, bad mood, and small memory loss (30).
In addition, increased water consumption can help relieve constipation and reduce the risk of urinary tract infections, which are common during pregnancy (31).
You should drink about 1 to 2 liters of water a day. Just keep in mind that you also get water from other foods and drinks, such as fruits, vegetables, coffee, and tea.
As a general rule, you should always drink water when you are thirsty, and drink until you have quenched your thirst.
I hope this list of foods will have made you want to live a healthy pregnancy and full of good foods. If you want to go further and discover all the best foods and nutrition and health reflexes to adopt for nine months, I invite you to join the program Enceinte & Serene, method for a natural pregnancy.
Remember that what you eat during your pregnancy affects your energy and well-being. It can also directly affect the health and development of your baby.
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