During pregnancy, women may be at an increased risk of contracting various health borne diseases, from a variety of the foods consumed. Pregnant women may also undergo a change of patterns in the hormones. This could possibly result in diverse and destructible effects on their immune system and the fetus.
The unborn child could have a higher probability of serious neurological disorders, as the central nervous system of the child could get affected by the consumption of un-pasteurized, unhygienic and raw food.
It is stressed by the doctors and health professionals that pregnant women should eat healthy nutritional diets in their daily lives. In addition to this, they also need to avoid consuming inappropriate foods.
Foods Women Should Eat During Pregnancy
It is recommended that during pregnancy, women should eat meals rich in proteins, calcium and minerals. Their diet should basically consist of:
- Oat bran cereal
- Okra
- Soybeans
- Skimmed Milk
- Eggplants
- Potatoes
- Zucchini
- Lentils
- Brown rice
- Cauliflower
- Oranges
- Strawberries
Apart from containing complex carbohydrates, these foods also provide the necessary fiber essentials, as well as the necessary proteins. Care, however, should be taken in order to avoid foods containing simple carbohydrates, as these could cause pregnant women to gain weight at uncontrollable rates.
Also, a healthy diet should provide a majority of the necessary nutrients such as vitamin C, iron, vitamin B12, calcium, vitamin E and riboflavin.
Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy
Other foods which place a pregnant woman at vital risk are unhygienic foods. These foods should be avoided to prevent any incident. These may include:
- Unwashed and uncooked seafood
- Medium rare or uncooked red meat
- Impure fruits and vegetables tainted with chemicals and fertilizer
- Un-pasteurized fruit juices
- Un-refrigerated food stuffs
- Raw eggs affected with the bacteria known as salmonella
Pregnant women consuming such bacteria may suffer from severe and unexplainable stomach pains. The bacteria salmonella is also present in other foods, such as raw and uncooked meat, stale potato and fruit salads.
Avoiding Obesity and Weight Gain During Pregnancy
According to recent studies conducted at the John Hopkins’s University, pregnant women tend to have a craving for carbohydrate based foods. This causes them to eat more food than they usually do. Obesity or weight gain may result due to such eating disorders. This spells out the word “disaster” for pregnant women and their unborn children.
It is a known fact that women, in their few weeks of pregnancy devour a lot of sugar based foods. These may include chocolate cravings, pastries, table and corn syrup, carbonated soda drinks such as coke or Pepsi and chocolate cake. This is not only detrimental to their babies’ health, but to themselves as well and should be avoided. The after effects associated with such diets are irrepressible eating disorders.
- If they have a craving for a particular food, not suitable for their health, they should substitute that food for another.
- Whole grain breads should be eaten in place of white bread.
- Seafood is a very important source of essential nutrients and proteins, essential for pregnant women. It is also low in fats.
Pregnancy is a time when a woman has to be very careful regarding what she has to eat and what she should avoid. It is strongly recommended that you consult your doctor about the kinds of food you should eat and avoid.