Best Food for Pregnancy Women

                 Pregnant ladies should have a balanced diet during pregnancy. 

Healthy FOOD

1. Fruit

Grab an apple, banana, pear, orange, or another favorite fruit. Or if you prefer, try those handy little 4-ounce fruit cups, which count as one serving toward your daily recommendation for fruits and vegetables during pregnancy. Choose varieties packed in their own juice rather than in sugary syrup.

Find out why fruit is one of our ten best foods for pregnancy.

2. Raisins

A small (1 1/2-ounce) box provides a little boost of fiber, iron, and potassium while satisfying a sweet tooth.

3. Yogurt

One 6-ounce container of this classic nutritious-and-convenient food can provide 25 percent of your daily calcium requirement, as well as protein and several necessary vitamins and minerals. If the label says "live and active cultures," you'll also get the benefit of probiotics – helpful bacteria that aid digestion and protect your digestive tract.

Find out why Greek yogurt is one of our ten best foods for pregnancy.

4. Make-it-yourself trail mix

Add a cup of whole grain cereal to a handful of your favorite dried fruits and nuts (try dried cherries and almonds, or dried cranberries and walnuts). Keep it in a resealable bag in your desk or car for a handy, crunchy snack.

Find out why walnuts are one of our ten best foods for pregnancy.

5. Salad bar

Some fast-food restaurants and many grocery stores have salad bars where you can serve yourself practically a whole day's worth of fruits and vegetables. Load up on spinach, carrots, tomatoes, celery, cucumbers, and zucchini. Add nuts, chickpeas, and kidney beans for a protein boost, and top with raisins for iron, fiber, and potassium.

Find out why dark, leafy greens are one of our ten best foods for pregnancy.

6. Baby carrots

Carrots are full of vitamin A and fiber, and you can find them in single-serving bags. Dip them in hummus or yogurt for an extra dose of nutrition or add a dab of salad dressing for flavor. Look for other prewashed veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, and spinach to make a quick dinnertime stir-fry.

7. String cheese

If you don't know about string cheese now, just wait until your baby is a toddler – this food is likely to become a favorite snack. Low-fat mozzarella sticks are full of calcium, and one stick provides the same amount of protein as an 8-ounce glass of milk.

8. Orange juice fortified with calcium and vitamin D

Just half a cup provides half the daily requirement of vitamin C and about 15 percent of your calcium needs. Grab a juice box (check the labels for maximum fortification) when you're on the go.

9. Whole grain cereal or instant oatmeal

Stash a few single-serving packages in your desk at work for a quick, filling snack. Almost all breakfast cereal is now fortified with essential vitamins and minerals, including folic acid.

10. Fat-free or low-fat cottage cheese  

Cottage cheese is a good source of protein and a fair source of calcium. Look for single-serving containers in the dairy section of most grocery stores. Top with fruit or throw in a handful of nuts and dried fruit to make things more interesting.

Eggs

"It's amazing what you get in one egg, and for only about 90 calories," says Elizabeth Ward, dietitian and author of Expect the Best, Your Guide to Healthy Eating Before, During, and After Pregnancy.

In addition to more than 12 vitamins and minerals, eggs contain lots of quality protein, which is essential for pregnancy. "Your baby's cells are growing at an exponential rate, and every cell is made of protein," Ward explains. "Plus, as a pregnant woman, you have your own protein needs."

Eggs are also rich in choline, which promotes your baby's overall growth and brain health, while helping prevent neural tube defects. Some even contain omega-3 fats, important for both brain and vision development. (Brands that have omega-3 fats will probably state so on the label.)

As for eggs' bad rap for cholesterol? Not warranted, says Ward. It turns out that eating saturated fat does much more damage to your cholesterol level than eating the cholesterol naturally found in food. And while eggs are high in cholesterol, they're also relatively low in saturated fat, with about one and a half grams per egg.

"Healthy women with normal blood cholesterol can consume one to two eggs a day as part of a balanced diet low in saturated fat," Ward says.

Need more convincing? Eggs are cheap, easy, quick, and versatile. When you're too exhausted to cook a full meal, a couple of hard boiled or scrambled eggs are just the ticket.

Salmon

Not only is salmon brimming with high-quality protein, says Ward, but it's an exceptionally good source of omega-3 fats. And unlike swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish, and shark, salmon has low amounts of methylmercury, a compound that can be harmful to your baby's developing nervous system.

Just remember that even for salmon and other low-mercury fish, such as canned light tuna and pollock, the FDA recommends eating no more than 12 ounces per week to avoid ingesting too much mercury.

Beans

Navy beans, lentils, black beans, pinto beans, chickpeas…..there are so many to choose from. "Beans contain the most fiber and protein of all the vegetables," says Ward.

You already know protein is important during pregnancy, but you may not yet realize that fiber could become your new best friend during the nine-month wait. In pregnancy, the gastrointestinal tract slows down, putting you at risk for constipation and hemorrhoids. Fiber can help prevent and relieve these problems.

In addition, says Ward, food that contains fiber tends to be nutrient-rich. This is certainly true of beans, which are good sources of iron, folate, calcium, and zinc.

Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes get their orange color from carotenoids, plant pigments that are converted to vitamin A in our bodies, says Ward.

Although consuming too much "preformed" vitamin A (found in animal sources, such as liver, milk, and eggs) can be dangerous, carotenoids are a different story. They're converted to vitamin A only as needed, so there's no need to restrict your consumption of vitamin A-rich fruits and veggies.

Sweet potatoes are also a great source of vitamin C, folate, and fiber. And like beans, they're inexpensive and versatile. "Cook extra and save them to slice up later as a snack," Ward suggests.

Popcorn and other whole grains

Yes, you read that right. Popcorn is a whole grain. "People love it when I tell them that!" says Ward. Whole grains are important in pregnancy because they're high in fiber and nutrients, including vitamin E, selenium, and phytonutrients – plant compounds that protect cells.

Don't stop at popcorn though. There are lots of other whole grains out there, from oatmeal to whole grain bread to barley. Fluffy, nutty-tasting quinoa is one of Ward's favorites. "Whole grain quinoa is easy to make and is very high in nutrients, particularly protein, making it a superfood in and of itself," she says.

Walnuts

Don't like fish or eggs, but still want to get those omega-3s which are so important for your baby's brain growth? Try walnuts, suggests dietitian Kate Geagan, author of Go Green, Stay Lean. "Walnuts are one of the richest sources of plant-based omega-3s," she says. "A handful of walnuts is a great choice for an on-the-run snack or an addition to a salad."

Greek yogurt

Greek yogurt typically has twice the protein of regular yogurt, making it one of Geagan's favorite pregnancy foods. And any kind of yogurt is a great source of calcium, which is vital in a pregnancy diet. If you don't take in enough calcium, the limited amount you have will go to your baby, says Geagan, depleting the calcium in your bones and teeth.

"The goal during pregnancy is to make sure you provide everything your baby needs without sacrificing your own health and nutrition," she explains. "Calcium will help keep your own bones intact while laying down a healthy skeleton for your baby."

Dark green, leafy vegetables

Spinach, kale, Swiss chard, and other green leafy vegetables are loaded with vitamins and nutrients, including vitamins A, C, and K, as well as the all-important folate. They've also been found to promote eye health, Geagan says.

Lean meats

Meat is an excellent source of high-quality protein, says dietitian Karin Hosenfeld of North Dallas Nutrition. "Look for lean meats with the fat trimmed off," she says. "When buying red meat in particular, look for cuts that are around 95 to 98 percent fat-free." Beef and pork stand out among meats because in addition to protein, they contain choline, says Ward.

Don't eat deli meats or hot dogs, though, unless they're heating until steaming hot. There's a small risk of passing on bacteria and parasites from the meat such as Listeria monocytogenes toxoplasma, or salmonella to your baby, says Mayo Clinic obstetrician Mary Marnach.

Colorful fruits and veggies

Eating a variety of green, red, orange, yellow, purple, and white fruits and vegetables will ensure that you and your baby get a variety of nutrients. "Each color group provides different vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants," explains dietitian Jodi Greebel, owner of Citrition, a nutrition counseling service in New York.

Hosenfeld points out another advantage of eating across the fruit and veggie spectrum: "During the later stages of pregnancy, the baby is 'tasting' the foods you eat through the amniotic fluid," she says. "So if you expose your baby to a variety of healthy fruits and vegetables in the womb, you'll increase the chance that your baby will recognize and accept those flavors later on."

• As it has been strictly prescribed by doctors that intake of Vitamin A must be controlled because it may cause damage to embryo.
• Cabbage, Cauli-flower & all long green vegetables such as Tondali, Turai, Louki, Parwal, Spinach, Govari should be used alternately. You must keep balance, rather than eating same vegetable all the time.
• Reduce brinjal, suran/yam, papaya, celery, onion, chilli, garlic, ginger, pepper, asfoetida, mustard, bajara, carom seeds, jaggery from your diet. You must remember that those who have previous history of abortion better they must avoid these.
• Those who suffer from constipation, gas, bloating must avoid peas and other `heavy to digest' cereals, potato. They must take green gram as it is easy to digest and gives protein.
• Black grapes, banana, ripe mango, dates, cashewnuts, apricot are very beneficial.
• Butter, clarified butter, milk, honey, fennel seeds, sweets made from jaggery rather than white sugar can be taken in small quantity.
• Rice, Murmure, pulao, Bhakari, Khichri, Chapati, Paratha, Gujarati thepla are the items made from wheat and rice, so they are quite beneficial.
• Items such as sandwich, bakery bread, bun, dhokla, pizza, handva, pancake, khaman, steamed rice cake, curd, tomato, tamarind, kadhi usually increase the swellings and acidity. So, try to avoid such item but if such problems do not exist, you can take in small quantity.
• Indian women try to carry out fasts during pregnancy which is not good for health.
• Do not eat left over, frozen & deep-frozen food.
• Avoid cold drinks, mutton, cocoa, chicken, eggs, alcohol, smoking, tobacco, betel nut, pan-masala but tea, coffee & ice-creams can be taken in small quantity.
• Remember, the baby inside depends on you for proper nutrition. So, if you will take healthy & balanced diet your child will become healthy.
• During pregnancy, mother must focus on supplemental nutrients while maintaining a balanced and nutritious diet. They must get a list of healthy Indian foods and meal planning tips from doctor to eat well during a pregnancy.

 vitamin supplements

In an ideal world, free of morning sickness or food aversions, a balanced diet would be all you'd ever need. But an antenatal vitamin-mineral supplement may be good insurance to make sure you’re getting the right nutrients. 

It's recommended that you take two important supplements during your pregnancy: 

• 400 micrograms (mcg) folic acid a day for the first 12 weeks
• 10mcg of vitamin D a day throughout your pregnancy

Later on in your pregnancy you may need to take an iron supplement. Your iron levels will be checked during your pregnancy, and your doctor or midwife will advise you about your needs. Calcium is also important while you’re pregnant, as you'll now need twice as much each day. 

You could take a special pregnancy multivitamin that contains folic acid, vitamin D, iron and calcium. Look for one that also contains vitamin C, vitamin D, B vitamins such as B6 and B12, potassium, zinc, iodine and vitamin E. 

Don't take any supplements which contain retinol, the animal form of vitamin A. In large quantities, this can be toxic to unborn babies. However, the plant-based carotene type of vitamin A is safe in pregnancy. Also don’t take megadoses of vitamins and minerals, as this could be harmful to your baby. 

Talk to your doctor or midwife about special supplements you might need if you: 

• are a strict vegetarian or vegan
• have diabetes or gestational diabetes
• have pre-eclampsia
• have anaemia
• have had a baby with a low birth weight before

Foods to avoid

1. Packaged ramen noodles

Read the label: These quick-cooking noodles are packed with salt, fat, and little else.

2. Soda

If you fill up on empty calories and sugar, you won't have any room for more nutritious drinks. Low-fat milk, water, and juice are better choices.

3. Shelf-stable commercial lunches

Sure, they're a quick fix for hunger pangs, but preservatives, salt, and fat make most of them a poor choice. There are some okay packaged lunch options out there, though, so check the labels!

4. Too many frozen prepared meals

There are some good choices out there, but many have astronomical amounts of salt and fat. Instead, pop a potato in the microwave, then top it with cheese and steamed broccoli for a fast, healthy meal. If you can't avoid the occasional frozen meal, look for organic brands that are low in salt and fat.

5. Iceberg lettuce

When it comes to lettuce, choose greens, such as romaine, that are full of fiber, A and C vitamins, folic acid, calcium, and potassium. Iceberg lettuce has only trace amounts of these nutrients.