Diet in Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a time of great metabolic stress or a women’s body. Many changes are going on inside the body during this time and the lady has to cater to two individuals, herself and her baby.Under these circumstances, it is necessary for the women to get appropriate and adequate nutrition.Ensuring this will go a long way in enhancing the health of the mother and a good foetal outcome.
Diet is a very important component of successful pregnancy and must be given the utmost importance. On an average, a pregnant woman weighing 60 kgs will require an extra 600 calories and 20 gm of protein approximately.
So the total caloric requirement of the body will rise up to 2400 calories during pregnancy. This increased amount of calories is best provided by increased consumption of carbohydrates.Consumption of complex carbohydrates like whole grain wheat and non polished rice is better as they also provide adequate dietary fiber and prevent constipation, which is frequently seen in pregnancy.
The growing baby in your uterus requires a lot of protein to build its muscles. Hence a pregnant lady must consume the extra protein to the tune of 10-20 grams per day. The best source of protein for a pregnant lady is egg. Egg protein has the highest biological value amongst all foods and it is easily digestible. It is also easy to cook eggs hence it is advisable to consume at least two eggs a day while pregnant.
The diet in pregnancy should also be sufficient to cater to the demands of Iron and Calcium by the growing baby. The baby requires calcium to build its bones. So the mother’s diet must contain al least 1200miligrams of elemental calcium. This is the amount of calcium in one quart of milk (¼ of a gallon). This is the reason why calcium tablets are routinely prescribed during later months of pregnancy.
The baby also requires Iron for its blood. Hence the diet of the pregnant mother should include plenty of green leafy vegetables like spinach. They will also provide your body with the sufficient anti oxidants to protect your body.
Apart from all this it is also important to ensure variety in your diet so as to ensure wholesome nutrition for you and your baby. Also keep in mind that pregnancy is the time when most women gain weight in excess of requirement. Hence you must make an effort to eat right and gain the appropriate amount of weight(Avoiding junk foods is the best way to prevent excess weight gain).
The outcome for you as well as your baby will depend a lot on your diet during pregnancy. If you have maintained a good diet then your body will be in a better position to take the strain of labour and you will indeed have a comfortable pregnancy with a good outcome.
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