Essential Minerals and Vitamins You Must Consume When Pregnant
What you eat during pregnancy affects the health of your baby. While it is a myth that you must eat for two, there are certain nutrients that you should include in diet in higher amounts to ensure optimum growth and development of your baby. Your doctor might have prescribed pre-natal vitamins which are a ‘must-have’, at the same time you should also eat food rich in following minerals and vitamins –
- Folic acid. B Vitamin that is required for normal growth and development of brain and spinal cord.Sources – Spinach, beans, oranges, peanuts, amaranth
- Calcium. Must for healthy bones and teeth. It also helps vascular, muscular and nervous system function properly. Deficiency of calcium during pregnancy can lead to preeclampsia or growth disorders and can also affect future bone health of mothers. Sources – Milk, curd, cheese, jaggery
- Vitamin D helps build baby’s bone and teeth.Sources – Milk, eggs, fish – salmon, hilsa
- Iron requirements double during pregnancy. Anemia due to iron deficiency raises the risk of premature delivery, low birth weight baby and post-partum depression. Sources – Meat, beans, spinach, lotus stem, soya Iron from animal products is more easily absorbed. To enhance absorption of iron from plant sources pair it with Vitamin C rich foods like orange juice, tomato or strawberries.
- Vitamin A is needed for eyesight, healthy skin and bone growth of your baby. Sources – carrots, green leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes, drumstick
Apart from these minerals and vitamins, your baby needs a number of other nutrients such as proteins, DHEA, Vitamin B6, Vitamin E etc. The requirements change according to the trimester and stage of pregnancy and also according to your age, weight and other health conditions.
Consulting an expert for your nutritional requirements can prove beneficial for both you and your baby. The Fitterfly Pregnancy Wellness Program is designed to ensure your diet includes 15 essential macro and micronutrients which are important for your baby’s lifelong health. This program focuses on your nutrition, activity, healthy weight management, and complications (such as Anemia, IUGR, Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM), Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH) and Hypothyroidism). This ensures you not only meet the needs of your rapidly growing baby but your own body too.
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