Food is utmost important for everyone including the unborn baby in the womb. Good nutrition leads to proper development of the fetus, during infancy and beyond. During pregnancy, a mother needs to increase the intake of certain nutrients to avoid low birth weight and other complication.
Top 7 diet during pregnancy
- Energy: During the first trimester, a pregnant woman requires about 1,800 calories for a woman with sedentary lifestyle, about 2,000 calories for moderately active one and about 2,200 for a woman who is active. However, during the second and third trimester, one should take an additional 340 and 450 calories per day respectively.
- Carbohydrate: During pregnancy, one should take about 175 to 265 grams per day for proper growth of the baby. Carbohydrate sources are: whole-grain breads and cereals, brown rice, root vegetables, legumes, and fruits.
- Protein: Protein helps to build muscle, tissues, enzymes, antibodies, and hormones both in the baby and mother. Recommended Protein: 71 grams per day. Source: lean red meat, white-meat poultry, legumes, nuts, seeds, eggs, and fish, low-fat milk and other dairy products.
- Fat: About 25 to 35 percent of daily calories should be in the form of fat. Sources: Avocados, salmon, sunflower or safflower oil.
- Fiber: Total 25 to 30 grams of dietary fiber should be taken per day. Sources: whole grains, fruits, vegetables, dried peas, beans, oats and barley.
- Fluid: Pregnant women should drink 2.3 liters of liquids per day.
- Vitamins and Minerals
Nutrients | Quantity |
Vitamin A | 770 mcg |
Vitamin B6 | 1.9 mg |
Vitamin B12 | 2.6 mcg |
Vitamin C | 85.0 mg |
Vitamin D | 5.0 mcg |
Vitamin E | 15.0 mg |
Calcium | 1,000.0 mg |
Folate | 600.0 mcg |
Iron | 27.0 mg |
Magnesium | 360.0 mg |
Phosphorus | 700.0 |
Riboflavin B2 | 1.4 mg |
Thiamine (B1) | 1.4 mg |
Zinc | 11.0 mg |
Niacin (B3)
| 18.0 mg |
Why a healthy diet is a must in pregnancy?
Pregnancy is one of the crucial stages of women when they face physical and mental health problems, if not care for properly may affect both mother and child, so utmost heed should be taken during this time. Diet can play important roles during pregnancy and for the overall development of the unborn baby as well as maintaining a healthy mother.
Healthy diet & food for Pregnancy
The following diet should be preferred during pregnancy and lactation period
- Green leafy vegetables, beetroot, carrot, spinach, tomato should be preferred.
- Soups of spinach, carrot, beetroot and pomegranate juice may be given.
- Unpolished rice is good.
- In sweet, honey/ jaggery should be taken.
- Sprouts of different grams like green gram, Bengal gram, alfa-alfa, is extremely beneficial.
- Fresh fruits like guava, pear, apple, sapota, orange, sweet orange, etc. may be given weightage.
- Juice of apple, carrot, and orange can maintain HB count during pregnancy.
Pregnancy diet chart
- Drink two glasses of water on an empty stomach followed by simple Yogasana and exercise from 5:00 am to 6:00 am.
- Breakfast in the form of seasonal fruits and sprouts and juice by 7:00 am to 8:00 am.
- Lunch as roti, boiled vegetables, salads should be taken by 11:00 am to 12:00 pm.
- Juice of seasonal fruits/herbal tea may be taken by 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
- Dinner must be taken in the form of Whole wheat roti, boiled vegetable curry with less oil and spices, salad/wheat dhaliya + green vegetables/ curd/green vegetable soups by 8-9 pm
Foods should avoid during pregnancy
- Tea
- Coffee
- Sugar
- Candy
- Maida products
- Garam masala
- Fried and Oily items
- Egg, Non-veg etc.
Note: Diet scheduled may be changed as recommended by the physician.
