Pregnancy is precisely the period when a woman pays great attention to her state of health and especially monitors her diet. Many dishes are forgotten for a long time, and plain water becomes your favorite drink. The statement that it is necessary to consume enough fluid and eat properly while waiting for the baby is unambiguous, but it is worth thinking about exactly what you need to drink and eat.
Tea and coffee during pregnancy
The leading place among the favorite drinks of pregnant women is tea. It is better to give preference to green varieties, as they contain more nutrients. Black tea is rich in various minerals, theophylline, toebromine, magnesium, fluorine, phosphorus, potassium, calcium. Regardless of color, tea improves vascular permeability and elasticity, has the property of lowering blood pressure, and has a positive effect on the condition of the teeth. Still, it is better to drink tea is not very strong or diluted milk.
A fairly rare white tea is characterized by a low caffeine content, it can be drunk even in late pregnancy. In addition, such a drink has a tonic and antibacterial effect, increases the body's resistance to various infections and even prevents the development of cancer. It has a beneficial effect on the external condition of the skin and the activity of the entire cardiovascular system.
However, while waiting for a child, tea can not only be drunk. Tea leaves are an excellent way to combat toxicosis; they can be chewed during bouts of nausea. Tea with rose hips or ginger tea saturates the body with vitamins and iron. Peppermint tea has a great calming and relaxing effect, and a drink made from chamomile improves digestion. But all herbal teas should be treated very carefully, they can be consumed only with the permission of the doctor, and no more than one cup per day.
Any tea is good in moderation, too much caffeine can penetrate the placenta and harm the baby. Some herbal teas can tone the uterus and cause a miscarriage. Many varieties of such teas are made from a large number of medicinal components, and the effect of each of them on the pregnant woman's body has not yet been fully studied. Therefore, before acquiring even the most, at first glance, harmless phyto-collection, it is worth obtaining the permission of a specialist, since the growing fetus is still too defenseless against harmful factors acting on it.
Surely all women know that even the most aromatic and delicious coffee is not recommended for use during pregnancy. Of course, if the expectant mother is not immediately able to give up her favorite drink, then its dose must be significantly reduced. Caffeine has a stimulating effect not on the nervous system, negatively affects sleep and the performance of internal organs. Even a harmless cup of coffee leads to an increase in the amount of urine released, which in turn creates an additional burden on the kidneys. In addition, coffee removes calcium from the body, increases blood pressure, and prevents the absorption of minerals and trace elements. If a pregnant woman does not imagine her life without coffee at all, then the maximum permissible dose per day is two hundred milligrams.
Salt during pregnancy
The entire nutritional system of women during the period of bearing a child is significantly different from the usual diet. Now the expectant mother should not only eat for two, but also choose the most healthy and balanced food for herself and her baby. For a long time, salt was among the prohibited foods during pregnancy. It was believed that it retains fluid in the body and contributes to the appearance of edema, which entails other complications. However, today it is proved that moderate use of it is very necessary for the expectant mother, since the volume of amniotic fluid is constantly increasing and updating, and salt plays an important role in this process. Therefore, do not torment your body in vain with salt-free diets, salt food to taste, but do not forget about a sense of proportion. It is better to give preference to sea or iodized salt, it normalizes the metabolism and strengthens the immune system.
Vegetables, fruits and juices during pregnancy
Most of the future mother’s daily diet should be vegetables, fruits and freshly squeezed juices from them. During the expectation of the child it is very important to eat as much plant food as possible, it is advisable to eat them about a kilogram of fresh fruits and vegetables per day. However, you do not need to get involved in exotic fruits or citrus fruits, they can be the cause of food allergies in the mother or baby.
Apples are considered to be one of the most useful products, they are able to protect the child from the development of asthma. Also, apples contain a huge amount of vitamins, normalize the digestive tract, increase appetite, remove cholesterol and increase immunity. Pomegranates are no less useful, they perfectly quench thirst, help with indigestion, treat atherosclerosis and have a restorative effect on the body. Pears have an excellent diuretic effect, they relieve the body of edema, lower blood pressure, normalize heart function and reduce salt deposition. Red bell pepper deserves special attention, it strengthens the hair, nails and teeth of the child, saturates his body with keratin. Pumpkin has an excellent diuretic effect, helps fight toxicosis and acts as a natural laxative. Beetroot plays an important role in the formation of red blood cells in mothers and babies. It stimulates bowel function, saturates the body with magnesium and removes radionuclides.
Of course, we do not always have the opportunity to get all the necessary vitamins and minerals from fruits, especially in the spring-winter season. Therefore, in order to avoid a deficiency of the substances you and your baby need, choose a reliable and balanced vitamin-mineral complex, such as Vitrum Prenatal Forte. It contains only important and really necessary vitamins and minerals, such as folic acid, iron, iodine, calcium, antioxidants, which help prevent complications during pregnancy and increase the immunity of mother and baby. Learn more about vitamins and consult a specialist here.
A large amount of folic acid, so necessary during pregnancy, is found in melon, it strengthens the nervous system, improves the condition of the walls of blood vessels, saturates the body with glucose and sucrose. The healing properties of grapes can be compared even with breast milk. It has a bactericidal effect and forms a strong immune system of the child. At the beginning of pregnancy, cranberries are considered very beneficial. She is the source of a huge number of vitamins, which should be enough for all nine months not only for mom, but also for the baby.
Vegetables and fruits can be consumed both in fresh form and in the form of juices, they not only perfectly quench thirst, but also saturate the body with a mass of useful substances. The greatest preference should be given to apple, beet and carrot juices. Pomegranate juice increases the level of hemoglobin in the blood, and citrus juice improves the functioning of the digestive system. All the described beneficial properties are inherent in exclusively freshly prepared juices, but drinks from packages should not be consumed at all, they contain a lot of preservatives and sugar, and also practically have no beneficial properties. Naturally, any juice needs to know the measure and not abuse it, because, despite the mass of useful properties, in the process of quenching thirst, they cannot compete with ordinary water.
Milk and dairy products during pregnancy
The benefits of milk during pregnancy have been known since time immemorial. First of all, it is a source of calcium, which plays a major role in the formation of the baby’s bone system, his teeth and nails. In addition, milk is rich in protein, which contains amino acids, as well as milk sugar and a large number of vitamins. Some pregnant women avoid using milk due to the large amount of fat contained in it. This opinion is erroneous and completely untrue, all milk fats are very easily absorbed and quickly broken down, so that it will be difficult to gain extra pounds from milk.
Of course, you need to use only natural milk, which can not be compared with the store. Naturally, milk must be boiled to avoid possible undesirable consequences. And for the best assimilation, drinking it should be on an empty stomach not too cold or hot. But before going to bed, a glass of warm milk is useful, in which you can add honey.
Of the dairy products of a pregnant woman, particular preference should be given to cottage cheese. This product contains protein even more than some meats. It contains a huge amount of methionine, which is indispensable in the process of fetal formation. Cottage cheese can be eaten every day, adding fruit, berries or sour cream to it.
Nuts and seeds during pregnancy
Nuts contain a lot of carbohydrates, vegetable proteins, dietary fiber, fatty acids and vitamins. They are very useful for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and atherosclerosis. With all its beneficial properties, nuts have one drawback - they are slowly absorbed by the body and are not recommended for use in large doses. They must be chewed for a long time and in high quality or even soaked in water. If there is a tendency to constipation, it is better to limit the use of nuts, and in the case of the first signs of an allergy - generally eliminate it. Pine nuts and walnuts are especially useful for pregnant women, in addition, they also have a beneficial effect on lactation. But nutmeg is best removed completely from the diet, it can cause an excessive rush of blood to the internal organs, which is very undesirable in the process of bearing a baby.
Fish and seafood during pregnancy
Marine fish is especially rich in minerals and trace elements. It is better to use it in boiled form, but you should not drink broths from it. No less useful are dishes from baked fish, which are successfully combined with various vegetables, as well as herbs. Future mother is not recommended fried fish, it is difficult to digest and increases the load on the liver and kidneys. Sea mollusks, mussels, are very rich in proteins, but they must be included in the pregnant diet with great care, as they can cause serious food poisoning. But healthy women can use seaweed without any restrictions. It is very useful for obese women. Only pregnant women suffering from kidney disease, peptic ulcer, gastritis or impaired bowel function should eat it.
Many doctors do not recommend eating swordfish, shark and king mackerel during pregnancy. In these fish species, an increased mercury content was found, which is dangerous for the child’s nervous system. In addition, do not eat and sushi, as raw fish can be dangerous to the health of the mother and fetus.
Meat during pregnancy
For women expecting a baby, meat should be only an addition to the main diet, and not vice versa. Pregnant women need only one hundred grams of this product per day to get the necessary amount of nutrients. The rest of the proteins are best taken from other sources. The most useful is the dietary meat of rabbits, lean poultry, as well as young veal or pork. Fresh vegetables can serve as an excellent side dish for meat, they will not only add taste, improve digestion, but also neutralize the harmful substances in this product.
By the end of pregnancy, the amount of meat consumed should be reduced. In addition, the process of its preparation deserves special attention, it is recommended to boil or fry the meat well. You must store meat exclusively in the refrigerator, as well as wash your hands before and after contact with meat products.
Pregnancy Oil
The most useful oil for pregnant women is olive oil. It is deservedly called liquid gold, due to the unique ability to prevent various diseases. This product has a beneficial effect in the formation of the baby’s nervous system. Also, oil helps prevent toxicosis of the second half of pregnancy, successfully fights constipation, strengthens the immune system. Olive oil can be a great way to prevent stretch marks and postpartum depression.
Sunflower seed oil saturates the body with vitamins A, E, D, K, improves skin elasticity and appearance, normalizes metabolism, and is a good helper in the fight against brittleness and hair loss.
For the normal development of the fetus, a hundred and fifty grams of butter per day will be enough. But abuse this product is not worth it, it is high in calories and can lead to excessive weight gain.
Prohibited foods during pregnancy
Of course, a pregnant woman herself chooses for herself a list of those products that she consumes during pregnancy. For some pregnant women, a doctor chooses a diet, taking into account existing concomitant diseases. However, there are also products that are categorically contraindicated to everyone, regardless of the course of pregnancy.
So, under a strict ban for expectant mothers are chips, crackers, any instant foods, crab sticks, chewing gums, colored butter creams, fried, smoked and spicy dishes, seasonings and spices, strong teas and coffee, vinegar, fatty fish and meat, sodas, exotic fruits and, of course, alcohol.
Any pregnant woman should clearly understand that everything that she does, will certainly affect the health of her baby. Some products can really have a negative impact on the development of the child and require abstinence from them at the specified time.
Comments
