Pregnancy is the ideal time to savour the local and seasonal vegetables, which are abundant during the summer season.
Rich in vitamins, minerals, healthy carbohydrates, and fiber, fruits and vegetables provide you with energy and fullness. They are also beneficial to your skin and hair throughout pregnancy. Additionally, they prevent constipation by promoting healthy digestion and bowel movements.
Pregnancy is said to be one of the most beautiful journeys a woman can experience in her life. Having said that, it’s also a roller coaster ride filled with emotional and physical highs and lows. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and eating a balanced diet are crucial in this journey of excitement and fear. Being pregnant makes you careful about everything, including the need to eat a nutritious diet. While summer is just around the corner, note these foods to include and avoid from your diet.
You must add watermelons and melons to your diet as they are filled with water, which helps you stay well-hydrated.
Vitamin C-rich foods, including peaches, plums, lemons, kiwis, and guavas, also aid in iron absorption and immune building.
Apples are a fantastic source of fiber and iron, which makes them ideal to add to your diet during pregnancy.
Avocados, which are high in fiber and healthy fat, give you balanced nutrition in the summer.
During pregnancy, a woman often suffers from leg cramps, which can be avoided by adding bananas to your diet.
Rich in Vitamins A and C, mangoes are the best seasonal food to add to your diet.
To stay hydrated, consume a lot of water, lassi, coconut water, buttermilk, and lemonade.
Although they are high in sugar, foods like bananas, watermelon, melons, mangoes, chikoo, and grapes can also elevate blood sugar levels and worsen gestational diabetes if you already have it. You should limit your consumption to two to three portions for maximum benefit. Meanwhile, some people absolutely avoid pineapple and papaya because they are afraid of miscarriage.
Foods To Avoid During Pregnancy
There’s no doubt that you must say no to smoking and drinking completely during pregnancy.
Stay away from sugary beverages like thandai and smoothies since they are unhealthy due to their high sugar content.
Pregnant women are advised not to eat processed foods, sugary snacks, and sodas, as those are high in empty calories.
Don’t drink too much tea or coffee. They include caffeine, which is bad for the baby, and they are dehydrated.
Meanwhile, it’s important to prioritise healthy foods throughout pregnancy and steer clear of foods that can harm the developing fetus and the mother, such as raw or undercooked meat, fish, and eggs, unpasteurised dairy products, and some mercury-rich fish.