Diet for the First Trimester of Pregnancy

Eating healthy is a must for staying healthy and fit during pregnancy. Let us take a look at the diet for the first trimester of pregnancy.“Diet” is not just a four-letter word when it comes to pregnancy. Your baby’s health largely depends on what you consume. Maintaining a healthy balanced diet is mandatory for the baby’s well-being. It also helps in avoiding complications during the pregnancy. Healthy eating will enable you to give birth to a healthy infant.Eating a healthy nutritious diet is possibly the best way to ensure a good health for your baby, prevent birth defects, give the baby a higher chance of having normal birth weight and also enable its brain development. At least 2,200 calories should be consumed per day by the mother. Mothers who do not follow a balanced diet are susceptible to health issues like anaemia, nausea and vomiting, and other unpleasant issues related to pregnancy.Eating well is fairly important as it not only helps in building a healthy baby but also to helps you keep strong. A balanced diet during pregnancy is one which mainly provides the right and necessary nutrients essential for the growth of the infant and also the right amount of carbohydrates, fats and protein without having to consume too much of unnecessary calories.Speaking of calories, avoid eating junk food or oily food as over-indulgence might call for complications in the health of both you and your baby. Hence, carefully choosing what to eat and what not to eat is highly necessary for pregnant women. Planning a different meal plan for each day might cut the boredom. Here is a list of the important nutrients and foods needed for maintaining a healthy pregnancy. In this articleFruits and Vegetables Milk Products Prenatal Vitamins and Nutrient SupplementsGoodness of Proteins Calcium1. Fruits and VegetablesFruits and veggies should be consumed in large amounts by pregnant women. They are loaded with vitamins and nutrients which include A, C and K. However choosing a variety of fresh and colorful vegetables like broccoli, carrots, pumpkin, corn etc; are important. Each color group provides a different variety of vitamins and minerals. Limited amounts of fruit juice and citrus fruits can also be added in the diet.2. Milk ProductsDairy products provide calcium both for the need of the baby and the mother and are also excellent sources of other nutrients like Phosphorus, protein and Vitamin D. Drinking milk, Soy milk, eating yogurt and cheese etc is highly recommended to maintain adequate calcium levels in the body and also to help in the growth of the baby. However, for the health conscious, opting for dairy products which are less in calories such as skimmed milk, low-fat cheese and yogurt etc is also a good way to go.3. Prenatal Vitamins and Nutrient SupplementsPrenatal vitamins and supplements also play a major role in maintaining a nutrient balance in the mother and the baby. In a busy schedule, mothers tend to lose track in eating three nutrient-filled meals a day. The gap is filled by these prenatal vitamins and nutrient supplements to help provide the foetus with extra nutrients. But professional medical advice should be taken before consuming such supplements.4. Goodness of ProteinsIt is important for pregnant women to have at least 60 grams of protein per day. Protein not only helps in maintaining your weight but also helps in the cell growth of the baby. They also prevent complications like gestational diabetes as they help in stabilizing sugar levels and also prevent any sort of infections. Milk, lean meat, poultry, eggs, fish, cheese etc are good sources of protein.5. CalciumCalcium aids in the growth of the baby’s teeth and bones, a healthy heart, nerves, muscles and also helps to develop a steady heart rhythm. Milk and milk products are excellent sources of calcium. So is fish, cereal, soy, juice and the like. Your doctor may also recommend calcium supplements for you to aid your body’s growing need of calcium during this stage.Although the feeling of being full with the wonder of a little life growing inside you can be beautiful, it comes with very bad cravings for certain foods that you cannot possibly ignore making healthy eating during pregnancy a hard job. So making innovative, tasty and healthy recipes can help overcome the feeling.Even though you are eating healthy, mild exercising is important to keep healthy and fit. A little bit of exercise everyday can do wonders to you. It actually benefits both the mom and the baby and also helps in better blood circulation and reduces stress. However, professional help is necessary if you are not experienced much. Consuming alcohol and smoking should be avoided at all costs as it mostly results in mental retardations and physical deformities in the baby.What kind of food should be avoided during first trimester of pregnancy? What kinds of food are a must have during pregnancy? How to maintain adequate weight during pregnancy? Discuss here.