A healthy pregnancy diet plan is something that most women who have just given birth want to be paying attention to. However, you need to know that things are not going to work the same in this instance as they may have done with other pregnancy diet plans you have tried in the past. Instead, what you are looking at is something a bit more specific in nature rather than you going ahead and doing the same old thing from years before.
Of course, what does help is when you look at what other women have done in the same situation and learn what worked best for them with a pregnancy meal plan. While this does not guarantee success on your part, it should boost your confidence that you may very well see that all-important difference in a relatively short period of time.
So, to help, we have spent time looking at bloggers that have been pregnant and what they recommend when it comes to diet.
10 Tips From Experts About Pregnancy Diet: What to Eat, What Not to Eat.
To make things easier, we are going to limit this to 10 different tips that we believe will be capable of making a significant difference to your entire approach to your pregnancy diet. Of course, you are free to pick and choose which tip best applies to you, but we believe that all can make a difference in some way.
Avoid Processed Foods.
It may be obvious to go ahead and avoid processed foods, but the problem is the way in which you will be craving various things that are crammed into these items. You are better off stocking up on healthy items that can also fill you rather than eating anything that you feel like. Remember, your body is going to have difficulty processing this, so it will just sit there on your body.
Make Sure You Get 5 a Day.
The minimum of 5 a day is certainly something that you need to be aware of during this time. Your body is going to require the extra nutrients and vitamins, so the best way of getting this is by eating enough fresh fruit and vegetables. If possible, go for organic as well since they tend to have a higher volume of nutrients due to them growing naturally rather than being forced on.
Look at Food Rich in Carbohydrates.
You are going to need a lot more energy during this time, and one of the best ways to achieve this is by focusing on food types that are rich in carbohydrates. This means pasta, rice, and potatoes.
Not only will they make you feel full quicker, but they deliver that shot of energy that your body needs in order to cope with everything else that is going on at this time.
Eating Seafood.
It seems that seafood could very well be an important component of a pregnancy diet plan if the research is anything to go by. What the research shows is that women who eat seafood during pregnancy reduce their anxiety levels by just over 50%. Considering the way in which anxiety can play absolute havoc with everything, the very fact that doing something as simple as eating seafood can change it does mean it should be on every pregnancy diet plan.
Avoid Eating Too Much Fat.
While eating certain fats is good for our health, eating too much of it has been linked to an increased risk of your baby developing diabetes. Fats should never make up more than 30% of your total calorie intake over the course of a day, and even that is deemed to be too high for some people. Look at Omega-3 fats and monounsaturated fats as they are best for both mother and baby.
Remember Your Fiber Intake.
A common complaint for women during pregnancy is constipation, so that does mean you need to be willing to increase your fiber intake to reduce the chances of that happening. Look at wholegrains as much as possible along with pulses and vegetables that have a higher fiber count than others. Not only will it help to reduce the chances of constipation, but it also means you will be less likely to develop something else, hemorrhoids.
Get Your Calcium.
Calcium is very important for a number of reasons, and you can still get an ample amount of calcium even if you are vegan. People often link calcium with dairy, and while it is a useful source for it, this is not the only one. Instead, did you know that leafy green vegetables such as broccoli, spinach and kale are also very high in calcium? Throw in things made from soy and you will then be able to get more than enough calcium to help the physical development of your baby.
Don’t Forget Nuts and Seeds.
Nuts and seeds are packed full of so many different good things for your health that they should form a key part of your approach to snacking. Not only do they have those healthy fats, but they are also high in various minerals and nutrients that your body will be craving during this time. Don’t go for those nuts that are covered in salt as that is not going to help and will only make matters worse.
Remember Protein.
Protein is pretty much the building block for everything in the body, so it makes sense you need to increase your intake of it when you are pretty much eating for two. If you are vegetarian or vegan then there are still a number of options that are open to you. You can either eat quinoa, or anything related to soy which also means tofu. Do this on a regular basis and it should make a real difference to your protein levels and provide those building blocks with a lot of energy.
Eat a Number of Meals Per Day.
During this period, you will suffer from significant changes in your blood sugar levels which can then bring on a number of different complaints and health issues. To combat this, you need to consider eating a number of small meals throughout the day rather than sticking to those set times. By doing this, you will keep your metabolism busy and will avoid those unhealthy sugar surges.
And remember to take a High Quality Prenatal Vitamin to make sure you are getting all of your vitamins and minerals while pregnant.Sometimes its tough to keep track of a healthy diet for a pregnant woman, they keep on missing on few essential nutrients that are needed during this period which can be easily compensated with the supplements.