Is your food safe for Your Baby: A smart eating guide during Pregnancy

Eating a well-balanced diet is essential at all times, but it is even more critical during pregnancy. It is one of the moats vital and sensitive periods in a woman’s life, and we know how hard it can be to fight off the urge sometimes. During pregnancy, everything you eat is directly shared with your baby, and eating anything wring can directly harm the unborn child. Some types of food may not do anything to you, but it can hurt your little one, so a safe eating guide is all you need while you’re eating for two.

What to avoid?

Eating shouldn’t stress you out! Expecting moms, don’t listen to “those old wives tales.” Here’s what you need to know about the smart pregnancy diet, whether you have to give up on your favorites or limit them, let’s start.

Stay away!

Some foods are now off-limits. Why? Because something that would’ve meant stomach upset before could soon lead to food poisoning, dehydration, and even miscarriage. It’s because of the changes in the immune system that makes you vulnerable to food-related borne illness.

Here’s what you should avoid:

Fish: Some fishes like big eye tuna, orange roughy is extremely rich in mercury and can seriously harm the parent and the fetus. Avoid uncooked fishes in the sushi, too; they may contain parasites. You can have salmon or canned light tuna but take them in limited quantities, these are a clean source of nutrients, proteins, and fatty acids and can be a healthy option.

Alcohol: Although some may suggest taking light quantities actually there’s nothing light in here! Avoid it because the alcohol in your blood will reach the fetus too and it may cause complexities and developmental issues with the child.

Raw or undercooked food: Be it meat or greens, undercooked food can harbor bacteria like Listeria and Salmonella. This, in turn, can cause infection and are potentially fatal during pregnancy.

Soft Cheese: Avoid cheese made from unpasteurized milk like Feta, Queso Fresco, and Brie. Although you can go for hard variants like Cheddar or Swiss, check the label and ensure that it’s made from pasteurized milk.

Fruit Juices and Caffeine: Even the fresh apple and orange juice may contain cider so boil it for at least 1 minute. A fetus is unable to break caffeine, so avoid it in any form.

Limit that!

We know you love that sweet stuff and it’s hard to let it go, here’s what you can have but mind that, don’t go crazy!

Sugary food: They don’t have any nutrients, and also most of them contain additives that can kick the sugar in your blood sugar level. Limit the intake of natural sweeteners like honey and corn too.

Dried Fruits: They are high in sugar and don’t contain water; this means they are not going to aid in digestion so limit that candied fruits.

Limit fat intake: Vegetable oil, whole milk dairy products,and all that creamy food contain stored fats that you might not need immediately, so avoid taking it in large quantities.

Eat me!

You don’t want to gain excess weight and you definitely don’t want your child to lack nutrients, here are the foods that will ensure good health of you and your baby.

Yogurt: Is a great source of calcium and other nutrients, it contains probiotics that aid digestion, taking it can cure yeast infections naturally as well as allergies too.

Sweet potato is a rich source of beta-carotene that forms Vitamin A in the body. It is an excellent food as it contains fiber, that makes you feel full and also helps indigestion.

Legumes: Peas, beans, soya beans, and lentils are an excellent source of folate, iron, protein, and calcium, which is extremely necessary, especially during the first trimester. Insufficient folate intake can cause low birth weight and can even harm the child’s immunity.

Broccoli: This dark green flower is a packed source of rich antioxidants and can help prevent constipation too, a widespread problem among pregnant women.
Berries: Rich in vitamin C, berries help the body to absorb iron and also maintain skin health. They provide a lot of flavors and also don’t cause many hikes in blood sugar.

Avocado: It contains high amounts of monounsaturated fats, that help build the skin, brain, and tissues of your fetus, also they help in relieving leg cramps so you should definitely try it.

Pregnancy and Cravings

Some women crave for chocolates and spicy food while others crave nonfood items like cornstarch and clay. It’s normal to want for specific foods during pregnancy only as long as it doesn’t affect your health or your child’s. In scientific terms, we call it Pica.
Craving foods that contribute to a healthy diet is okay, but if you’re craving for nonfood items, you should notify your doctor.

Take care of the baby

Prevent nausea, constipation, and Gas, take crackers and toast to treat nausea. Pregnant women should drink plenty of water to soften the stool and don’t forget to take a stroll.

We wish you a happy baby bump and excellent future health, for you and your child!

Author Bio:

Jennifer is a proficient writer who firmly believes in the age-old remedies and holistic medicine as a primary cure for several diseases. After graduating she embarked on a journey to find the truth about holistic and natural remedies.