Healthy Eating Guide for Pregnant Women

During pregnancy, the food you consume not only affects your health, but also the fetus. If intake during pregnancy is inadequate, the fetus will not get enough nutrients to develop. Therefore, ensuring that you always eat healthy and nutritious balanced foods is one of the things that must be considered when pregnant.

The definition of healthy eating may be quite extensive, so it is often confusing for pregnant women who want to run a healthy diet. In general, you are advised to consume foods from the following five food groups:

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• Carbohydrate source You can get it from grains such as oats, whole wheat bread, cereals, brown rice, and so on. Carbohydrates are important as a source of energy, a source of fiber, as well as iron and vitamin B. During pregnancy, especially in the second and third trimesters, pregnant women need an additional 200-300 calories per day.

• Source of protein. Can be obtained from meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, nuts, and so on. Meet important protein requirements to help your fetus develop.

• Fruit. You can eat fresh fruit, frozen fruit, canned fruit, fruit juice (if made 100% from fruit), and so on. Eat a variety of fruit types to make sure you get a variety of vitamins and minerals contained in them.

• Vegetable. Just like fruit, it's important to consume various types of vegetables during your pregnancy. These two food groups are generally low in calories and filled with fiber, vitamins and minerals.

• Milk and processed products, for example cow's milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, and others. This food group is rich in calcium, vitamin D, and proteins that are important for pregnant women. Choose milk that has gone through the pasteurization process, to make sure the bacteria that might be contained in the milk are dead.

Simply put, the healthy eating guide that you can follow during pregnancy is as follows. When you eat, fill half of your plate with vegetables and fruit, a quarter of a plate with grains as a source of carbohydrates, and a quarter of the remaining dishes with protein (better if a source of lean protein). Always accompanied by milk or processed products at every meal.

In addition, you need to pay special attention to the needs of several substances below:

• Folic acid, which is a vitamin B which plays an important role in preventing defects in the nervous system. You can get a source of folic acid from green leafy vegetables, bread, pasta, beans, etc.

• Calcium, is a mineral that is important for the growth of fetal bones and teeth. If you don't get enough from your diet, your body will take calcium from your bones to meet your fetal growth needs. You can get sources of calcium from milk and processed products, broccoli, sardines, etc.

• Iron, it is important to prevent anemia during pregnancy which can interfere with the delivery of oxygen and nutrients. You can get iron sources from red meat, fish, nuts, etc. To help absorb iron, consume sources of vitamin C (such as tomatoes or citrus fruits) when you eat iron-rich foods.

• Omega-3 fatty acids, especially those containing DHA. This substance is important for brain and fetal development. Food sources include oily fish such as salmon, sardines, and mackerel. You are advised to consume fish 2 times per week during pregnancy. However, be aware of several types of fish (such as sharks, marlin, and swordfish) that have the potential to contain mercury.

Thus a healthy eating guide for pregnant women that you can follow. Make sure that the nutrients that enter your body are sufficient and balanced. That way, you and the fetus can be equally healthy until they are ready for labor later.

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