Best Vegetarian Foods For Healthy Pregnancy Recommended by Shubi Husain

Why should you be mindful about nutritious food in the first place?

Have you ever thought that what keeps your immune system strong and keeps you healthy, energetic and fit throughout the day? The definite response would be adapting the habit of taking a balanced diet. Well, to live a healthy life and improve upon its longevity, you will definitely need to put in some efforts and take a step in the right direction. And there could be no better way than to inculcate the habit of eating healthy and nutritious foods in your regular diet.

Does Vegetarian Diet Really help to Restore Health?

Since ages, meat-eating has been a customary feature of the festivities, parties, and other ceremonial occasions. Exclusive researches have made this concept under a cloud of doubt with another perspective. Like, there has been a close association of meat-eating with complex diseases like cancer and other cardiovascular disorders. However we do not intend to dwell on the merits and demerits of vegetarian foods or non-vegetarian foods. Here I shall only restrict to those who are vegetarians and which are the best vegetarian foods that can be recommended for a healthy pregnancy.

Best Vegetarian Foods for a Healthy Pregnancy

Eating well should be a top-notch choice at all stages of life especially in pregnancy because at that stage intake of a balanced diet can prove nutritious not only for you but your baby too. There are multiple benefits of taking a balanced diet during pregnancy. Adoption of healthy and balanced diet by including all the required vitamins and minerals ensures a healthy weight gain and to a great extent keeping away pregnancy complications. Most of the benefits can be easily availed if you ensure the intake of these Top 10 Best Vegetarian Foods in your diet during pregnancy.

1. Make Tofu a Meat substitute in a Favorite Sandwich or Soup:

Protein-rich foods have multiple benefits for the body like proven benefits for the growth and development of the baby. Protein sources are multiple. They are available in both plant-based and animal-based. Plant-based protein foods can be so beneficial during the pregnancy phase by ensuring the optimal health status of mother and baby. Simply, you can meet up this by having beans, pulses, legumes, seeds, and tofu as your major meal.  These items not only provideproteins but also fiber which shows plenty of benefits on the health of the baby and developing fetus.

2. Fortified Soya & Nuts

 

Intake of fortified dairy products like cheese, yogurt, and milk can be the ideal choice for the replacement of minerals and vitamins deficiency during pregnancy. These dietary items fulfill the dire need for calcium, iodine, and riboflavin during pregnancy.But the ones who avoid using animal-based products can surely get benefits by opting for fortified soy and nut products as the optimum source of calcium.  So, the beneficial effects of fortified yogurt and milk beverages can be treated in plenty of ways, plenty of times, and in plenty of groups. You can be the one to opt for them.

3. Focus on Fruits and Vegetables

 

Fresh fruits and vegetables can be a prime nutritious source for a healthy body.  During pregnancy need for vitamin A gets high because vitamin A has potential effects on epithelial development and growth. It performs a role in the better development of a baby’s skin, eyes, and digestive tract.  Vitamin A can be found in plenty of food items but mainly in green leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, and broccoli, fruits like oranges, carrots, and cereals.  You can take them in several ways like as a fruit juice, salad bowl, and in the raw form as well.  If you want to enjoy tenure of healthy pregnancy make the optimal intake of fruits and vegetables a part of your diet.

4. Take Fluids like Orange Juice and Water

 

Hydration is the dire need of the body. Especially the state of pregnancy greatly requires the body to be hydrated to be prevented by complications like constipation and urinary tract infections as a result. Statistics show that a pregnant woman requires about 2 liters of fluid intake per day. It can be in the form o0f water and juices like orange juice and banana shake. Because 20-30% of water comes from the food we eat, so it should be kept optimal by taking atleast 8 glasses of water per day. However, the space can be fulfilled by taking nutritious drinks like Rubicon Mango sparkling juice as well.  Make sure things, help you sustain the better health of yourself and the developing fetus. Ref: World health organization (2016) on Good Maternal Nutrition; The Best Start in Life; last updated August 1, 2021, Accessed (11-11-2021)

5. Morning Avocado Toast

 

Sweet potatoes are a vital source of beta carotene and a plant-based compound that is easily converted into vitamin A in the human body. Their intake is an exemplary standard for the growth and development of the baby.

Sweet potatoes provide multiple benefits by acting as a source of fiber thus alternatively the best choice to live a healthy, longer, and life with the best digestive health and low sugar status. You can enjoy the taste of sweet potatoes by trying it in combination with Morning avocado toast which provides benefits both ways. Apart from these, the role of fiber in preventing constipation can’t be denied elsewhere.

6. Try out Blueberry Smoothie

Berries provide outstanding results by acting as a prime source of vitamin C, carbohydrates, antioxidants, fiber, and water. Being acting as a source with a low glycemic index, you can just treat them as a major carrier providing low sugar levels. You can just enjoy the taste and flavor of these berries by taking them as healthy snacks. Most importantly, the pregnancy state can be kept healthy and energetic by taking raspberries, gojiberries, strawberries, like the berries in any form. However, the choice can be with trying out a blueberry smoothie. It all depends on yours!

7. Roasted Sweet Potato Bowl

There is a great requirement for nutrients like fiber, B vitamins, and minerals like magnesium during pregnancy.  These deficiencies can be easily fulfilled by including whole grains foods in the diet. As researches show that whole grains are enriched with fibers, vitamins, and plant-based compounds.  You can enjoy the taste by trying in combination with oats which act as a protein source. So, make sure the healthy status of your baby by putting any combination of your choice as a part of your snack or major meal.

8. Avocados with Salads

Along with other minerals, potassium deficiencies can be greatly seen during pregnancy state.  Avocados provide outstanding effects by acting as a prime source of fiber, potassium, vitamin E, copper, and vitamin C.  Their property of enrichment with folate and potassium make them, excellent choice during pregnancy. This potassium prevents leg cramps and ongoing pregnancy complications. Moreover, being the best source of healthy fats avocados provides a huge amount of energy to the mother and developing fetus. Also, you can enjoy it with salads, whole wheat toasts, and smoothies.Thus, its exemplary benefits for strength boosting during pregnancy state cannot be put on the back.

9.  Platter with Dry Fruits like Prunes

Dry fruits like dates and prunes are high in potassium, fiber, vitamin K, and iron. They are a good source of natural sugars and their recommended daily intake is one serving per day during pregnancy.  However, it can be taken into use in combination with seeds and to make it a protein-fiber snack.

Ref: Adda Bjarnadottir, MS, RDN (Ice) Medically reviewed by Grant Tinsley, Ph.D. Nutrition updated on August 13, 2020 “Foods to eat when you are Pregnant”. Accessed (11-11-2021)

10. Good helping of Fortified Breakfast Cereals during Pregnancy?

Fortified breakfast cereals, fortified soy, and yeast extract can be a top-notch choice for the relative replacement of vitamin b12 during pregnancy.  Vitamin B12 is essential for the growth, repair, and development of the body. Moreover, it maintains the balance of hemoglobin levels in the body thus actively participates in preventing pernicious Anemia. However, it is available in both animal and plant-based products. But, vegetarians can greatly get benefits from using plant-based products like Tempeh, almond milk, and yeast spreads.

Conclusion:

No doubt, everyone out there wants to get a healthier and joyful life. Being mindful and paying attention to every moment in your routine can change the outlook of your life. And to be able to do this there is no better way than balancing your nutrient-rich diet with fresh fruits and vegetables. Health is being a state of physically, emotionally, and mentally stable and active state of a person. Every individual knows well about the tips to get optimal health like by taking a balanced diet, exercising, and taking rest as required. No doubt,everyone should have an average amount of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins in the diet but they should never forget the intake of vegetarian foods as a regular part of their diet so that the beneficial effects of both could be enjoyed.

This article first appeated on news4masses.com