5 Foods to Eat When You're Pregnant

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Pregnancy is an important period for many couples as they have to pay lots of attention to the development of their new-born child. One of the most important factors during pregnancy is to maintain a healthy diet as your body requires additional nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and additional calories, but how much calories do you actually need? During the second and third trimester, your body will need 350 - 500 additional calories on top of your usual diet. Insufficient amount of nutrients in the diet will badly affect the development of the baby which should be avoided at all costs! Today, I would be sharing with you 5 food that you should eat when you're pregnant!

Dairy products

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Dairy products play a crucial role in your diet during pregnancy as they supply your body with extra protein and calcium to support the growing fetus. Also, dairy is the best dietary source of calcium and provides high amounts of phosphorus, various B vitamins, magnesium, and zinc. This is one of the best foods that you should look out for when you're pregnant!

Legumes

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Legumes are a great addition to your diet as they provide fiber, protein, iron, folate (B9) and calcium which your body will need more of during your pregnancy. One of the more important nutrients, in particular, would be folate (B9) as it aids in the health of the mother and fetus. Some examples of legumes include lentils, peas, beans, soybeans, and chickpeas.

Salmon

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Most people do not get enough omega-3 fatty acids in their diet. Omega-3 fatty acids contain both docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). By incorporating salmon into your diet, you can help to strengthen the eyes and brain of your fetus.

Sweet potatoes

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Sweet potatoes are an important food that you should incorporate into your diet during pregnancy as it helps with the development of a healthy fetus. This is due to the plant compound that is found in sweet potatoes that are converted into vitamin A when consumed. According to research, pregnant women are advised to increase their Vitamin A intake by 10 - 40% to support the growth and development of a healthy fetus.

Eggs

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Eggs are versatile and nutritious as it contains a little bit of almost every nutrient that you need in your body. Eggs are also a great source of choline which is essential for many parts of your body, including the development of your brain and your health. If your body has an insufficient amount of choline during pregnancy, it may increase the risk of neural tube defects which might possibly lead to decreased brain function in the fetus. Therefore, it is important to incorporate eggs into your diet to ensure the development of a healthy fetus.

In conclusion, it's important to incorporate a wide array of nutrients to your body during pregnancy as these nutrients are being shared among two people – the mother and child. The food listed in this article are extremely helpful during pregnancy as they help with the development of the fetus. Do give some of these foods a try!

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