You’re pregnant, congratulations!
In other words, you are now licensed to eat whatever you want at any point of time. Gorging on unhealthy sweet treats and salty snacks is a misleading act, resorted by movies and sitcoms, to characterize pregnant women. Hence, let us shed some light on healthy nutrient–dense foods that you should be eating while expecting.
Avacados
Local is good, but sometimes it’s nice to use other gifts from nature as well.
One of the most powerful foods, avocados contains healthy omega-3 fats, which are good for your baby’s brain development.
RAPID RECIPE – AVACADO & MANGO PUDDING.
• Blend half avocado, one mango and 3 dates together.
• Garnish with chopped dried fruits and devour.
BANANAS & PRUNES
Pregnant women should include at least 25gms of fiber in their daily diet. Reason being, a healthy amount of fiber can prevent the risk of constipation, high blood pressure, nausea, vomiting swollen feet and protein in urine. Adding a potassium-packed banana and couple of overnight soaked prunes to your daily diet will keep the above-mentioned problems at bay.
PRO-TIP –
• Eat bananas that with black spots on it, as they are at its peak ripeness and
contains the highest concentrations of nutrients, enzymes and antioxidants.
• Prunes contain high concentration of sugar and eating them too much too often
can contribute to tooth decay!
Berries & oranges
Such as raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and blueberries offer you a burst of antioxidants and flavonoids. Not only that, unlike the processed simple carbohydrates (found in cakes, cookies and
doughnuts) berries are packed with nutrient-dense carbs that pass easily through the placenta and nourish your baby.
RAPID RECIPE – BERRY BREAKFAST.• Chop any 2-3 berries of your choice and mix it with hung curd.
• Spread it on a warm buttery toast (whole grain) with a dash of honey and enjoy
this colorful breakfast treat!
PRO-TIP
• Its best to have oranges/orange juice in the mornings, on an empty stomach. Do not indulge in it alongside your meals as It can affect your digestion and cause acidity.
drumsticks
Cultivated in many regions in India, drumsticks have abundance of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Apart from boosting immunity, brain and bone health it’s also a rich source of iron during pregnancy. As for post-delivery, it aids in increasing breast milk production.
RAPID RECIPE – SIMPLY DRUMSTICKS.
• Boil this superhero vegetable, in the cooker, with a dash of salt and gorge on these flavorful sticks throughout the day!
BROCCOLI
This popular superfood contains plenty of vitamin C which will help your body absorb iron when eaten with iron-rich food such as lean meats (heme iron) and lentils (non-heme iron).
RAPID RECIPE – BROCCOLI STIR-FRY.
• Sauté broccoli with sun-dried tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, garlic, and Italian herb seasoning, in ghee.
• Complete the veggie mix with a lean protein (such as chicken breast, meat or salmon) and a small serving of healthy carbs (such as mashed sweet potato, quinoa or rice).
spinach
– It contains 3 times more iron compared to broccoli. The folic acid present in spinach can help prevent your unborn baby from developing
birth defects such as cleft palate, spina bifida, and cleft lip.
RAPID RECIPE – SPINACH & HALLOUMI CHEESE OMELET.
• To get an iron and protein boost at breakfast, fry thin slices of halloumi cheese in a pan along with spinach and tomatoes.
• Once spinach is wilted, add the salt and egg mixture. Garnish with coriander and enjoy!
PRO-TIP• Have organic milk, cheese and eggs – sourced only from farm-fed and not factory-raised cows and hens, respectively.
tahini
A paste made from sesame seeds; tahini contains healthy oils called omega-6 fatty acids which are needed for the proper development of your milk glands, placenta, and uterus.
Tahini is also a good source of thiamin, phosphorus, copper and manganese, all key to your baby’s health development.
RAPID RECIPE – HONEY ROASTED CARROTS WITH TAHINI SAUCE
• Cut and coat 10-12 carrots sticks in olive oil, honey, coriander, salt and pepper.
• Roast the coated sticks until browned and tender, about 20 minutes in the oven.
• Drizzle Tahini sauce on top and relish!
