Nutritional Requirements for Pregnant Women

It is no news that certain foods or individual nutrients can play a vital role in preventing life-threatening diseases, ranging from cancer and diabetes to heart disease and beyond. Every day researchers learn some new things about the foods one can eat to boost his immune system, creat anti-cancer chemicals and help keep the arteries clear and open so that blood can flow freely.

In this article, I will be revealing to you some Nutritional Requirements for Pregnant Women, you must know to help you stay healthy during the period of pregnancy and to ensure successful delivery without complications.

See Also; Causes and Effects of Poor Diet in Pregnancy

1. Folic Acid

Pregnant women need more folic acid than others and deficiency of it can cause a birth defect

Sources: Dark-green leafy vegetables, dry beans, peanuts, wheat germ, whole grains, and liver. It is hard to get enough folic acid from food. Women need 400 micrograms of folic acid.

2. Fibre and Vitamin A

A high-fiber diet can protect against colon, lung and other cancers, as well as reducing the risk factors for heart disease.

Sources: Apple, kidney beans, raw carrots, dark-green vegetables score high on the less valuable fiber you get. The more overcooked and canned food you eat, the more the less valuable fiber you eat.

3. Iron

The major cause of chronic fatigue is caused by hormonal changes, weight gain, and anemia. Hormonal changes and weight gain are experienced by all pregnant women but only a few can have anemia.

To prevent anemia during pregnancy, it is advised that pregnant women should take the food rich in iron.

Sources: Red meat, chicken, fish, liver, dark green vegetables. Pinto and kidney beans (if you know you cannot get enough iron from foods consider multivitamin supplements with iron.

4. Calcium

This one of the nutrients not only for pregnant women but women in general. Every woman’s magazine tells them to get enough calcium.

Sources: Milk, yogurt, fish, fruits and vegetables, food sources cannot give you the whole of calcium you need, consider calcium-rich supplements.

5. Fat

Eat less fatty foods because excess fat can cause a build of cholesterol in the blood, which is known as cholesterolemia. However, this will increase the risk of heart diseases, more obesity, more cancer, and related disease.

Sources: Saturated fat in butter and margarine, beef, pork, eggs oils, and salad dressings.

Nutritional Guidelines for Pregnant Mothers

• Maintain ideal body weight
• Reduce your consumption of processed and refined sugar, and foods high in sugar.
• Cut down on your consumption of salt and salt-rich foods.
• Avoid tobacco, alcohol, heavy spicy meal, caffeine products.
• Reduce the intake of foods high in fats
• Increase your consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain and cereals,
• Cooked dried beans and peas.
• Limit prepared and canned foods

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