#HealthBytes: Pregnant? Don't miss out on these 5 super-food items
What's the story
Pregnancy can be a profound experience for a woman, physiologically, as well as psychologically. Thus, staying healthy should be the top-priority for any mother-to-be out there, and diet plays an important role in the long-term wellness of the mother and to-be-born child. Hence, here, we've listed 5 super food items which no pregnant lady should miss out on.
Eggs
Hail these pregnancy-friendly balls
Eggs are highly recommended for pregnant women, given that they have all the nutrients required during pregnancy. Eggs are loaded with protein. The amino-acids that make protein are the building blocks of your and the baby's body cells. Additionally, there's plenty of vitamins and minerals present to help in the baby's development. Boil 'em, scramble 'em, or omelette 'em, choice is yours.
Whole grains
A complete food for to-be mothers
Whole grains can help pregnant women meet their increased calorie needs, especially during the later months. The best part about whole grains is that they're all packed with fiber, nutrients, vitamins, and plant compounds, which all baby-bearing ladies need. So if you're planning to be a mother soon, whole wheat, brown rice, corn etc. should be on your diet chart already.
Sweet potatoes
There's more to sweet potatoes than just good taste
What makes sweet potatoes a great food option for pregnant women is that they are rich in a plant compound called beta-carotene, which converts into Vitamin A in our body. It is great for healthy fetal development. Moreover, sweet potatoes contain fiber, which increases fullness, lowers blood-sugar, and betters digestion, and mobility. Anyway, boiled sweet potato with lemon is a treat to have.
Leafy, green veggies
Reap the innumerable benefits of dark, leafy greens
Dark, leafy greens, such as Kale and Spinach are a storehouse of a number of nutrients. These include fiber, Vitamins C, K, and A, calcium, iron, folate, and potassium, all of which ensure good health of the mother and the baby. Furthermore, these are also rich in antioxidants. The high fiber content helps avoid constipation, a common problem among baby-bearing women.
Lean meats
Welcome to the kitchen: Beef, pork, chicken!
Lean meats happen to be a great source of high-quality protein. Furthermore, beef and pork are exceptionally rich in iron and choline, which are beneficial during pregnancy. Because of the rising blood-volume during the later stages of pregnancy, pregnant women need considerably higher amounts of iron than is normal, which can be met by consuming more lean meats. But, be careful before consuming beef. Pun intended.