Pregnancy is a stage of continuous changes and your body
demands an extra of nutrients, vitamins and minerals that you did not need
before.
During the second and third trimesters, in fact, you should
consume between 350 and 500 calories more than usual (1).
But how can you cover these new needs that you face?
I present you with a list of 13 nutritious and healthy foods
that will help you to take a balanced diet to guarantee 100% a safe pregnancy
during which your child will grow healthy and strong.
1. Eggs
Eggs have a high and varied concentration of nutrients and
are an ideal food for pregnant women.
They are low in calories, rich in vitamin B2, vitamin B12,
phosphorus and healthy fats, and are one of the best sources of complete
protein that exist (2).
Also, eggs contain large amounts of an essential nutrient
for brain function: choline.
A large egg gives you 113 mg of choline, which is involved
in different functions of the body and plays a vital role in the development of
the fetus.
It has been found that pregnant women with low choline
levels have a 4 times higher risk of giving birth to a baby with neural tube
abnormalities (3).
According to several studies, the minimum consumption of
choline during pregnancy should be 500 mg per day and a single egg already
provides you around 25% of this amount.
2. Salmon
Salmon is a fatty fish characterized by its high content of
omega 3 fatty acids, an essential fat for the proper functioning of the
organism.
Omega 3 fats are part of the human brain and the retina and
its consumption during the gestation of the fetus is crucial, since the omega 3
ingested by the mother passes to the fetus through the placenta (4).
In fact, an optimal consumption of omega 3 during pregnancy
benefits the baby in different ways: it increases his visual acuity, learning,
concentration and sociability and reduces the risk of autism, paralysis and
delays in development, among others (5).
In contrast, the omega 3 deficiency has been linked to
vision problems, lower intelligence levels and increased risk of cardiovascular
disease in infants and children.
Several studies have revealed that pregnant women who
consume between 2 and 3 servings of fatty fish a week get the recommended daily
amount of omega 3 fatty acids, in addition to increasing the levels of omega 3
EPA and DHA (6).
On the other hand, salmon is also rich in selenium, vitamin
B12 and vitamin B6 and protein.
Learn more omega 3 rich foods in my post 12 delicious and
healthy omega 3 foods that scientists recommend eating every day.
Note: avoid the consumption of raw or undercooked salmon, as
well as other types of fish, as they may contain bacteria or parasites that are
harmful to you and the baby.
3. Dairy products
Dairy products are very rich in calcium and protein, two
nutrients that have to be consumed in high amounts during the pregnancy period.
When a pregnant woman does not take enough calcium, there is
an increased risk of bone loss, producing low-calcium breast milk and an
increased risk of bone development problems in the child (7).
Although all dairy products are optimal sources of calcium,
yogurt can be an ideal food, mainly for people who are lactose intolerant.
In addition, some types of yogurt contain live cultures of
probiotics, benign bacteria that improve the digestive system, help fight
infections and increase defenses (8).
Probiotic foods can also reduce the risk of complications
during pregnancy, such as gestational diabetes, allergies, vaginal infections
or preeclampsia (hypertension and protein in the urine) (9).
Finally, it is important to note that the protein present in
dairy products contains casein and whey, so it is a very good quality protein.
Likewise, dairy products are rich in minerals such as
phosphorus, magnesium and zinc, and vitamins, mainly in group B.
Note: special care must be taken with fresh dairy products,
ie those that have not been pasteurized, since they may contain bacteria,
parasites or viruses that could infect the mother and the fetus (10).
4. Avocados
Avocados are an incredibly beneficial fruit due to their
unique composition of monounsaturated fatty acids, among which oleic acid
stands out.
Consuming avocado gives you a lot of fiber, vitamin K, folic
acid, vitamin C, potassium and certain amounts of B vitamins and minerals (11).
But if you are pregnant, you are interested in eating
avocados frequently for 3 reasons:
Avocado fatty acids contribute to the formation of the skin,
tissues and brain of the fetus.
Folic acid prevents abnormalities in the neural tube and
other congenital malformations (12).
Potassium calms the cramps and numbness of the legs that
many pregnant women suffer.
Another interesting quality of avocados is their cholesterol
and triglyceride reducing effect (13).
5. Lean meat
Lean meat is meat made up mainly of muscle fiber and,
therefore, with very little fat, which makes it especially rich in high quality
protein.
Red meat is rich in choline, iron and B vitamins, all
essential nutrients in a pregnant woman's diet.
However, I am going to focus on iron and now you will know
why.
Studies show that pregnant women who suffer from anemia have
a 2.66 times higher risk of having a premature birth and 3.1 times more risk of
the baby being born with a low birth weight (14).
The amount of iron required during the pregnancy period
varies from one woman to another, but could be interpreted as follows (15):
1st trimester: 0.8 mg / day.
2nd quarter: 4.4 mg / day.
3rd trimester: 6.3 mg / day.
That said, it is essential that you increase your
consumption of red meat during your pregnancy or take iron supplements to
prevent complications and later problems.
Oh!
Foods rich in vitamin C, such as kale, oranges, cranberries,
garlic or peppers, increase the absorption of iron, so your intake will also be
favorable.
6. Water
During pregnancy and pregnancy, a woman is exposed to
numerous physiological changes that affect various aspects of her body and
organism (16).
One of these changes is the increase in blood volume, which
can increase up to a liter and a half.
For this reason, the pregnant woman must pay attention to
the daily intake of water, taking care to take enough to avoid dehydration.
Generally, the recommended daily intake of water is 2
liters, but some people may need to drink more or less, and, personally, a
pregnant woman should drink more.
To know if you are at risk of dehydration, these are the
most common symptoms:
Headaches.
Fatigue.
Anxiety.
Bad mood.
Finally, drinking water has other benefits such as the
prevention of constipation, kidney stones or urinary tract infections, which
are very frequent in pregnant women (17).
One thing is clear: if you are thirsty, drink until you feel
satiated.
7. Red fruits / berries
The red fruits are a group of fruits that traditionally grew
wild, among which are strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries ...
This species of fruit stands out for its high content of
water, fiber, vitamin C and other plant compounds.
As I mentioned in the previous point, pregnancy requires a
greater intake of water, which can also be covered by eating red fruits.
Foods rich in vitamin C, such as strawberries, improve the
absorption of iron and help prevent the anemia that frequently attacks pregnant
women.
In addition, vitamin C is vital for the maintenance of
bones, muscles and skin, among other functions (18).
8. Legumes
Legumes are one of the richest foods that exist in both protein and fiber.
This type of food includes seeds that develop into pods:
chickpeas, peas, lentils, beans or beans, soybeans and peanuts.
The vegetables contain a bit of all the nutrients that a
pregnant woman needs the most and of which I have already spoken previously:
folic acid, iron, protein, fiber ... (19).
A reduced level of folic acid is associated with an
increased risk of abnormalities in the neural tube of the fetus, low birth
weight, premature delivery and growth retardation in the fetus, among others
(20).
In order to give you an idea about the amount of folic acid
that legumes provide, I will give you several examples:
One cup of cooked lentils gives you 90% of the CDR
(recommended daily amount) of folic acid.
One cup of cooked chickpeas gives you 71% of the CDR of
folic acid.
One cup of cooked black beans gives you 65% of the folic
acid CDR.
9. Whole grains
Whole grains, unlike refined grains, are a very nutritious
food rich in fiber, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, manganese, selenium and B
vitamins (21).
A delicious whole grain and full of healthy properties is
oatmeal, which gives you up to 44% of the RDA of magnesium per 100 grams.
Because ... did you know that low levels of magnesium
increase the risk of preeclampsia and premature birth? (22)
Quinoa, considered as pseudocereal, is also rich in
magnesium, contributing 16% of the CDR per 100 grams.
10. Green leafy vegetables
Green leafy vegetables are a very diverse food group that
includes vegetables such as kale, purslane, spinach, broccoli or Swiss chard.
These vegetables stand out for their high content of fiber,
vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin A, folic acid, iron and other minerals.
They are rich in antioxidants, such as kaempferol, and
thanks to the large amount of fiber they have contribute to the prevention of
constipation, a problem quite common in pregnant women (23).
Likewise, it has been shown that the consumption of vegetables
favors the growth of the fetus, reducing the risk of low birth weight (24).
11. Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are one of the healthiest starchy foods.
They are very nutritious and rich in some fundamental
nutrients such as vitamin A (from beta carotene), vitamin C and potassium.
A cooked sweet potato of medium size gives you almost 5
times the CDR of vitamin A, necessary for the growth and development of the
fetus (25).
However, not all sources of vitamin A are safe for pregnant
women.
Vitamin A from foods of animal origin, such as organs, can
cause malformations in the fetus if consumed excessively (26).
They are also relatively rich in fiber: a serving of 100
grams gives you 3 grams of fiber.
12. Fish liver oil
Fish liver oil, commonly cod, is one of the best known omega
3 supplements.
It is extremely rich in omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA,
vital for the development of the fetus' brain and retina, as well as helping to
prevent perinatal depression (27).
On the other hand, fish oil has a high content of vitamin D
and vitamin A (28):
Vitamin D: one tablespoon of fish oil gives you 3 times the
CDR.
Vitamin A: a spoonful of fish gives you 2 times the CDR.
According to several studies, the optimal consumption of
vitamin D during pregnancy reduces the risk of suffering from preeclampsia,
which, as I mentioned previously, is characterized by hypertension, the
existence of protein in the urine and swelling of the hands and feet (29).
I have also indicated that vitamin A is important for the
development of the fetus, but remember that when it comes from foods of animal
origin can be counterproductive.
For this reason, if you are pregnant and want to take fish
oil, take a single spoonful per day and you will avoid vitamin A toxicity,
which hurts the baby.
Finally, another benefit of fish oil discovered by science
is its relationship with a greater weight of the child at birth and a lower
risk of suffering diseases during his life (30).
13. Dry fruits
Dried or dehydrated fruits have the same nutritional value
as a piece of fresh fruit, but without the water content.
However, they usually contain more calories due to the sugar
in the fruit, so it is advisable to avoid candied or candied dried fruit, which
contains even more sugar.
Even so, dried fruits are rich in fiber, iron, potassium and
folic acid.
Prunes or dates, two of the best-known dried fruits, can be
a delicious snack with a great nutritional value for pregnant women.
In a 4-week study during which a group of pregnant women
consumed 6 dates a day, it was proven that the need to induce or stimulate
labor was significantly reduced compared with the group of women who did not
consume dates (31).
