Learn the Essential Elements of Foods During Pregnancy

The right foods during pregnancy are a matter of life and death. Sounds shocking, sounds dramatic, but guess what, it’s true. The foods that you consume throughout your pregnancy have a massive impact on the development of your unborn child. Eat healthy wholesome foods, packed with all the essential minerals and vitamins, and your baby has an excellent chance of developing normally. Eat the wrong food however, and the possibilities of complications arising like low birth weight, miscarriage, early labour and developmental disorders increase considerably.

A healthy pregnancy diet consists of a range of wholesome natural foods that contain all the essential elements required by you and your baby. So what are these elements? Calcium is required for fetal development of tissue, bones and muscle growth. It can be sourced from dairy products like pasteurised milk, yogurts and cheeses, as well as canned fish, juices and breads. The right foods during pregnancy will contain protein, which is essentially the building blocks for the fetus, and is necessary for the growth of the organs, muscles, tissues and nerves. Protein can be sourced from numerous sources such as chicken, beef, fish, pork, eggs, cheese, milk, beans and nuts.

Vitamin A is necessary for the development of the lungs, kidneys, skull, skeleton, brain and visual system. It is also necessary for absorption of elements like calcium into the mother’s body from her food. Good sources of vitamin A include cod liver oil, liver, egg yolk, sea food, dairy food and meat. However, be careful with liver consumption as liver is very high in vitamin A and there are conflicting studies about the impact of excess vitamin A on the developing fetus. Vitamin D is necessary for proper tooth formation, insulin production, increased mineral absorption, and fetal organ and brain development. It is sourced from dairy products like milk, cheese and yogurts, as well as salmon and meat.

Foods during pregnancy will need to contain iron. Iron is necessary for the manufacture of haemoglobin in the mother’s blood. Haemoglobin is necessary for the transport of oxygen around the body. Put simply, the mother needs to manafacture more blood during pregnancy, and if haemoglobin production can’t keep up, oxygen cannot reach all the organs. Good sources of iron include red meat, dark poultry, fish, eggs and liver. Lack of iron can cause mother and baby to become anaemic. Vitamin B12 promotes healthy blood and nervous system development, promotes fetal growth, and helps prevents nervous disorders. Vitamin B12 can be found in dairy products, chicken, fish and red meats.

Folic acid is a very important element as it promotes brain and neural development, and helps to prevent spina bifida. It can be sourced from dark green leafy vegetables like romaine lettuce, spinach, broccoli, peas, beans, oranges and strawberries. Most doctors will prescribe a daily supplement in addition to a pregnancy diet. A good knowledge of the proper foods during pregnancy will give your baby its best chance of developing into a happy healthy child, and will ensure a healthy and easy pregnancy for the mother.

Get to know the importance of foods during pregnancy. Click this link NOW! Also make sure you check out this “must see” article on pregnancy nutrition advice.

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