We know that a balanced diet, as well as a healthy lifestyle, has multiple health benefits. In a stage like pregnancy, where the woman’s body undergoes great changes and, in addition, the future baby is developing, feeding becomes especially important. Just as there are foods to avoid, there are foods and certain nutrients to which you have to pay even more attention. Do you want to know what they are?
Should I eat more when I am pregnant?
During pregnancy, women generally worry about the health of their future child and attend all medical check-ups, but many of them also worry about which foods are the most suitable and which ones should be avoided during this period. The tips that we will see below on healthy eating are not only important during pregnancy, but are very useful for women who are considering becoming pregnant, since starting to follow them several months before can positively influence the health of their future child.
Foods and substances to avoid and why
Not only is it important to eat foods that provide us with nutrients and meet our needs, but there are certain foods that must be restricted from the diet to avoid complications in the fetus. Here are some of them –
Alcohol: as we all know, alcohol is a psychoactive substance, which affects the central nervous system. If a pregnant woman drinks alcohol, it will reach the fetus through the placenta, as it is a developing human being, the impact on her body can be much more harmful. There is a disease called fetal alcohol syndrome, which occurs in children whose mothers have consumed alcohol regularly during pregnancy.
Raw or undercooked eggs: this also includes foods that contain them such as mayonnaise or tiramisu since they can have the Salmonella bacteria and cause an infection that affects the gastrointestinal tract, which can cause dehydration or reactive arthritis, among others.
Fish high in heavy metals: Heavy metals are found in nature and can accumulate in large fish. For this reason, avoid the consumption of fish that tend to accumulate these metals, such as swordfish or tuna, as well as bivalve mollusks, among which we find mussels or cockles.
Ultra-processed foods such as pastries or drinks with a high level of sugar: all these foods have in common that they contain empty calories, that is, they provide a large amount of calories, but do not provide any or almost no nutrients. Weight gain during pregnancy should be somewhat controlled and this type of food could lead to greater weight gain, apart from being unhealthy.
What you can eat during pregnancy
According to the Wicstrong support, food is made up of macro- and micronutrients. Both are essential for the proper functioning of the body, the difference between the two being the necessary daily amounts. Limit the intake of saturated fats and cholesterol present in foods of animal origin and replace their intake with fats present in vegetables such as olive oil. Increase the intake of fruits and vegetables that provide fiber. As you have seen, feeding is essential so that the growth and development of babies do not present complications.
