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Throughout life we experiment with diets and more diets and weight loss plans, or even make the decision to follow a stricter menu in order to improve health or in the vast majority of times after taking a scolding from the doctor due to the weight above the indicated, diabetes and high cholesterol.
This is not very different from the case of the vast majority of women when they discover pregnancy, being advised to follow a diet during pregnancy in the name of the best fetal development and the mother’s good health.
Why Pregnancy Diet?
The diet in pregnancy must be strict and well balanced, so that it can provide the nutrients and vitamins necessary for the best development of the baby and ensure a healthy pregnancy and with less chance of complications.
The healthy diet also acts directly on the development of the fetus’ brain, which in the absence of certain nutrients can present problems in IQ, affecting important brain areas.
It is possible to follow a diet during pregnancy where weight gain is controlled, which should not exceed 12 kg and maintain a quiet, healthy pregnancy and generate a healthier baby. Some foods are essential and should not be discarded from the food menu under any circumstances, due to their importance in the supply of nutrients, such as:
- Fruits and vegetables – Watermelon, apple, pear, orange, strawberry, carrot, tomato, lettuce, pumpkin, cabbage, broccoli.
- Lean meats – Chicken and turkey
- Vegetable Proteins – Rice, beans, wheat, corn-based cereals
- Fish – Sardines, tuna and salmon
Derivatives of milk such as cheese, yogurt and milk itself are foods rich in nutrients and calcium and must always be present in the food menu, especially during pregnancy, which requires calcium for the development of fetal bones and teeth.
Foods Not Indicated During Pregnancy
Some foods that are considered so nutritious at any stage of life, in this period are not indicated for presenting risks to the health of the pregnant woman and the baby, as is the case of seafood.
Raw fish and molluscs are not recommended during this phase because they present a high risk of toxoplasmosis contamination and infections, and can even cause blindness and serious brain damage to the baby.
Milk and unpasteurized cheeses should also be cut from the menu, as they present a risk of contamination with the listeria bacteria. Bacterium responsible for spontaneous abortions , premature births or even the development of fatal diseases to the fetus.
This bacterium is also found in sausages, cold cuts and sausages in general, so they must be properly cooked before consumption, otherwise there is a great risk. Eggs are indicated in the diet, but should never be eaten raw or undercooked.
Soft yolk eggs should be avoided due to the chances of contamination with salmonella. Teas that seem so harmless because they are natural, can present great risks to pregnancy, as is the case of boldo, mint, cinnamon, rue tea .
Coffee in Pregnancy
Another food that should be reduced daily consumption is caffeine. This food, if ingested in excess, can cause premature birth or act on the baby’s development, resulting in a child with low weight.
Caffeine is not only found in daily coffees, but in soft drinks based on cola, chocolate, mate tea and mate. Alcohol consumption should be removed entirely from a pregnant woman’s food menu.
Since no amount of these substances is safe, it can cause fetal harm including mental retardation. Pregnancy is such a magical phase and goes by so quickly, why not follow the recommendations and enjoy this moment wasting health and give life to a healthy child, right?
See also: Postpartum Diet – Eating with Quality
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
