5 Things Every Woman Should Eat During Pregnancy

Eating healthy is an important part of many people’s lifestyles. Making sure you are getting the right vitamins, minerals and nutrients is even more essential when you’re pregnant. You don’t need to put yourself on a special diet but going out of your way to have a variety of different foods and a balance of the right nutrients for you and baby.

To make life a little easier for you, we’ve listed the 5 things every woman should eat during her pregnancy.

Lentils

They may not be something you eat regularly, but lentils are a wonderfully nutritious food, especially during pregnancy. They’re full of iron, protein, folic acid and B vitamins. Eat a delicious and nutritious lentil soup that’s wonderfully healthy yet still satisfying. The non-hemic iron contained in lentils is better absorbed by the body with vitamin C, so try and maximise the nutritious benefits by having a glass of orange juice or eating a few segments with your lentils.

Broccoli

These wonderfully versatile green vegetables are one of the most famous ‘superfood’. Rich in vitamins K and C, broccoli is also a good source of folate (folic acid) as well as proving you with potassium and fibre. All the sort of things you need to keep you healthy and help your baby grow.

Nuts

Fats are essential for your baby’s brain development as well as helping keep you feeling fuller for longer. A handful of nuts will provide you with a great source of unsaturated fats. Great for snacking or sprinkling over your cereals. If you have any kind of nut allergy, then these are best avoided.

Spinach

Pregnant women can get many benefits from eating spinach. These leafy green us super rich in folate, iron, vitamin A and calcium. Both you and baby need calcium for strong teeth and bones, as well as making sure your circulatory, muscular and nervous systems are working well. A cup of boiled spinach contains 245 mg of calcium, that’s 25% of the recommended intake during pregnancy. For better iron absorption, add lemon that’s high in vitamin C. So, whether it’s in a salad or worked into a lasagne, put a cup of spinach into your dish for extra nutrition.

Greek yogurt

Did you know that Greek yogurt has around twice as much protein as other types of yogurt? And that it’s also rich in calcium? A cup of fat free Greek yogurt can contain up to 20g of protein. Eat it for a quick and easy breakfast, a snack or for dessert. Protein is something that is essential for the development of your baby, so it’s important to make sure you’re getting enough each day.

These foods are easy to buy, cook and eat throughout your week. Having a well-balanced diet whilst you’re pregnant will give you and your baby the very best start to this exciting time of your life.

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