Nutrition Guide for Pregnancy

Although all nutritional components are important and are needed in more or less quantity but there are four major nutritional components that are most important to be kept under consideration during pregnancy because they are very important for the health of both the mother and her baby. The four most important nutritional components are mentioned below:

• Iron
• Protein
• Calcium
• Folic Acid

• Protein

Protein is very essential for the growth of the baby in womb. Protein said to be a builder nutrient because it helps to develop the vital organs for baby. A pregnant woman needs approximately 71 grams of protein per day. Here is below the food sources of protein with a suitable amount:

Cheese        226 g

Poultry         86 g

Fish               85 g

Lentils          99 g

Milk             237 g

Eggs              50 g

Peanut Butter       32 g

(Source: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 28)

• Calcium

A baby needs enough amount of calcium for its bone growth; therefore, it is essential for pregnant women to take a sufficient amount of calcium-containing food. During pregnancy if the baby’s development faces the insufficiency of calcium, baby consumes it from mother’s body. This makes mother’s body deficit in calcium that can cause bones problem in the future.

The Calcium containing foods are mentioned below with suitable consumption amount:

Cereal      20-60 g

Juice          237 ml

Milk            237 ml

Yogurt          170 g

Cheese           28 g

Salmon          85 g

Spinach         95 g

• Iron and Folic Acid

It is very important to give the baby the right amount of blood and oxygen during pregnancy, which means that the amount of minerals a pregnant woman intake is needed to be more than that before pregnancy. This is because in pregnancy your body consumes iron twice than what it consumes your normal routine. Your body does not make iron itself and Iron deficiency in pregnancy can lead to anemia. Moreover, folic acid is vitamin B which helps to prevent the abnormalities of the brain and spinal cord. So you need to give the body a fair amount of iron, folic acid and supplements, and the intake of food rich in iron should be enhanced.

The suitable food sources in pregnancy that are rich in iron are the following:

Green Leafy    Spinach, collard green, broccoli and kale (3 mg per 1/2 cup cooked greens)

Dry Fruits       Apricots, figs and prune (1 mg per ¼ cup)

Grains              Beans, peas and lentils, cereals (4 to 6 mg)

Meat                  Red meat, liver, chicken and lamb (2-3 mg per ounce)

Egg Yolk           1 mg per large egg

Wheat Bread   O.5 mg per slice

Fruits                 Raspberries, Diced potatoes (0.8 mg per cup)

Iron supplements are also prescribed by doctors if there is any risk of anemia in pregnancy.