Food pyramid for pregnant woman: What to eat and what to avoid

Food pyramid for every pregnant woman!

If you’re expecting a child, you probably already know that you need to make some lifestyle changes to maintain your health and the unborn child’s health. 

What food group gives pregnant woman nutrients for growth? Are there healthy food for pregnant you should be consuming? What food are recommended for pregnant woman?

Let’s look at the food pyramid for pregnant woman and have a checklist of food to eat when pregnant and food to avoid when pregnant.

Food for pregnant women

Think of a pyramid. The items at the wider bottom would suggest foods you should eat more frequently and those at the top less frequently. What food group gives pregnant woman nutrients for growth? 

Here is food for pregnant women that you should eat according to the food pyramid for pregnant woman:

• Water

Your body will hydrate your unborn kid, but you risk becoming dehydrated if you don’t watch how much water you drink.

Mild dehydration can cause headaches, anxiety, fatigue, a bad mood, and memory loss.

Increasing your water intake may also help you relieve constipation and prevent urinary tract infections, common during pregnancy.

Pregnant women should drink 80 ounces (2.3 liters) of water each day, according to general recommendations. The specific amount you need, though, varies.

• Carbohydrates

Pregnancy is not the best time to follow a low-carb diet. This is because carbohydrates provide your body with the required energy and fiber. The recommended daily carbohydrate intake is 50 percent of total calories. Thus, you have to make sure that you have enough carbohydrate intake through healthy food for pregnant that you consume.

• Fruits

Obstetricians occasionally recommend against eating fruit, however, this is a hoax. Likewise, it’s important to eat all foods in moderation. It’s important to keep an eye on how much fruit you consume because it can be high in sugar. 

Additionally, take precautions when preparing meals. To help avoid foodborne illness, thoroughly rinse produce under running water for 30 seconds.

• Vegetables

When pregnant, many kinds and sorts of veggies are good for you and your unborn child. Your body will always get the right fiber, vitamins, and minerals if you eat vegetables.

More greens are better! If you don’t enjoy vegetables, try hiding them in smoothies.

• Protein

Protein-rich foods support your infant’s growth and give your body the nutrients it needs to build and repair tissues, including muscles, skin, hair, and nails.

Your child’s brain and heart are more likely to develop normally if high-protein foods like fish, chicken, eggs, peanut butter, almonds, and beans are consumed frequently. 

Pregnant women should choose whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, quinoa, and oatmeal as their main grains. They are rich in dietary fiber, iron, folic acid, and B vitamins, which are beneficial for physical development. 

• Dairy

To meet the needs of your growing fetus, you must consume extra protein and calcium throughout pregnancy. Yogurt, cheese, and milk include best food for pregnant.

Dairy is the best source of calcium and contains large levels of phosphorus, B vitamins, magnesium, and zinc.

• DHA Omega-3 Fats

The development of a baby’s brain and some of its eyes is accelerated by DHA and other omega-3 fatty acids. 

Up to 12 ounces of seafood should be consumed by pregnant or nursing women per week, but no less than 8 ounces should be consumed. 

Fish like salmon, sardines, and anchovies are good examples of foods high in DHA omega-3 and low in mercury that you should emphasize in your diet. If you don’t eat fish or food enriched with omega-3s, it is suggested that you take a DHA omega-3 supplement.

Other food for pregnant women according to the food pyramid for pregnant woman

Here are more best food for pregnant suggestions that you should include in your diet. 

• Legumes

This healthy food for pregnant includes lentils, peas, beans, chickpeas, soybeans, and peanuts.

During pregnancy, your body requires additional calcium, iron, folate, fiber, protein, and other nutrients, and legumes are a great plant-based source of these nutrients. 

Typically, legumes have a lot of fiber. Some varieties also have significant concentrations of iron, magnesium, and potassium. 

• Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are adaptable in cooking and rich in beta carotene, a plant compound that your body uses to create vitamin A.

Vitamin A is required for infant growth. Just be cautious when consuming high amounts of animal-based forms of vitamin A, such as organ meats, as they may be lethal.

• Salmon

Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential and have many benefits. These promote the growth of your baby’s brain and eyes and are rich in seafood. They might even make the gestational period longer.

However, avoid eating any of the following fish:

• swordfish
• marlin
• tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico
• shark
• king mackerel
• bigeye tuna

• Eggs

Eggs are a good source of the crucial nutrient choline, which is required during pregnancy. It is essential for a baby’s brain development and helps to avoid abnormal spine and brain development.

• Dark, green veggies

Fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin A, calcium, iron, folate, and potassium are all abundant in broccoli and leafy greens like kale and spinach.

Due to the high fiber content of green vegetables, eating more of this best food for pregnant is a good way to enhance vitamin intake and prevent constipation. Vegetables have also been linked to a reduced risk of low birth weight.

What food are recommended for pregnant woman?

• Lean Meat

Lean meats are excellent sources of high-quality protein, including chicken, hog, and beef. During pregnancy, you’ll require more B vitamins, choline, iron, and other minerals in beef and pig.

Iron is an essential mineral used by red blood cells because it is a part of hemoglobin. You’ll need more iron because your blood volume is growing. During the third trimester of pregnancy, this is essential.

Low iron levels during the first and second trimesters of pregnancy can cause iron deficiency anemia, which raises the risk of low birth weight and other complications.

• Berries

Berries are a rich source of antioxidants, fiber, nutritious carbs, vitamin C, and water.

Because they are packed with fiber and water, berries make an excellent snack. Although they are low in calories, they are high in flavor and nutrition.

Berries have a relatively low glycemic index, thus they shouldn’t drastically raise blood sugar levels.

• Avocados

Avocados are a special fruit since they contain many monounsaturated fatty acids. They acquire a buttery, rich flavor, which is great for adding depth and creaminess to a meal.

They also include considerable fiber, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, potassium, copper, and the B vitamins folate, vitamin K, and vitamin E.

• Because they contain so much potassium, healthy fats, and vitamin folate, avocados are an excellent pregnant food choice.
• Healthy fats aid in the development of your child’s skin, brain, and tissues, while folate may help prevent neural tube defects and developmental diseases of the spine and brain like spina bifida.
• Potassium may help some women who have leg cramps frequently during pregnancy. In fact, avocados have more potassium than bananas.

Food to avoid when pregnant

If you have a food pyramid for pregnant woman that shows the best diet food for pregnant women, here are food to avoid when pregnant:

• High-mercury fish

As mentioned earlier, be careful about eating certain fish other than Salmon. With higher doses, Mercury can be harmful to your kidneys, immune system, and brain. 

• Raw or undercooked fish

Salmonella and norovirus are a few bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can cause these diseases from eating raw or undercooked fish. 

• Raw eggs

Raw eggs may contain salmonella as well. Salmonella infections may result in fever, vomiting, stomach aches, and diarrhea.

Sometimes, an infection caused by raw eggs might also cause uterine cramps, leading to premature birth or a miscarriage.

• Raw meat

You run a higher risk of catching some pathogens or parasites, such as Toxoplasma or E. Salmonella Listeria and E. coli if you consume undercooked or raw meat.

Bacteria from eating raw meat could harm your baby’s health and cause stillbirth. It can also cause neurological disorders like epilepsy and intellectual disability.

Consult your doctor

While pregnant, it’s crucial to know what food to avoid when pregnant and what food to eat when pregnant.

Even though most foods and drinks are perfectly acceptable to consume, consult your doctor for the best food pyramid for pregnant woman like you.

Here at theAsianparent Philippines, it’s important for us to give information that is correct, significant, and timely. But this doesn’t serve as an alternative for medical advise or medical treatment. theAsianparent Philippines is not responsible to those that would choose to drink medicines based on information from our website. If you have any doubts, we recommend to consult your doctor for clearer information.