The journey of pregnancy is both beautiful and overwhelming; however, with proper nutrition, you can ensure well-being for both your child and yourself. Suppose you have already embarked on this pregnancy journey. First of all, heartiest congratulations to you and your family. Consider taking a step toward a better lifestyle by including these desi super-foods in your regular nutrition intake. You can consult a professional nutritionist for pregnant women and get your plan customized as well! For more information, stay tuned with us till the very end.
Listing the Desi Super-foods for Pregnant Women
TBelow are some of the food options that impact your pregnancy health in a positive way and add folic acid, calcium, and iron to your meals:
- Finger Millet or Ragi: Rich Source of Calcium
- Spinach or Palak: Rich Source of Iron
- Jaggery or Gur: Rich Source of Minerals (and of course your sweet tooth)
- Sesame Seeds or Til: A Combination of Nutrients
- Bengal Gram or Chana Dal: Rich Source of Folate
- Cottage Cheese or Paneer: Rich in Calcium and Protein
- Indian Gooseberry or Amla: Levels up Your Vitamin C
During your pregnancy, adding ragi or finger millet to your meals is of utmost importance. They are rich in calcium, containing nearly 344 mg per 100 grams. Calcium contributes to building your growing baby’s teeth, heart, bones, muscles, and nerves. Ragi can be consumed as porridge, sweet pudding, or mixed into rotis. Since it has a low glycemic index, it keeps your blood sugar levels in control. The amino acids and iron content improve your pregnancy health.
Leafy vegetables are a great addition to your meals, and spinach or palak tops the list. Apart from being a rich source of iron, palak offers other crucial nutrients such as calcium and folate; they are equally important during your pregnancy. As you already know, blood volume increases during pregnancy; both the baby and mom need iron for top-notch body support. Opt for an iron-rich meal by including palak in your eating habits. You can prepare parathas with palak fillings, make smoothies out of it, or cook palak paneer. A small portion (probably a cup) of palak offers would be mothers with 6.4 mg of iron.
The mineral content of jaggery or gur and sugarcane juice is similar, they are a rich source of magnesium, potassium, iron, etc. Consumption of jaggery keeps the chances of anemia at bay. Instead of directly consuming sugar, it's always a great idea to opt for jaggery. However, consider having it in a limited amount, as excessive intake of something that contains sugar can be harmful to your health.
Tiny sesame seeds expose your body to multiple nutrients such as iron, healthy fats, calcium (975 mg in 100g), etc. Their folate content also helps pregnant women combat birth defects. You can add sesame seeds to laddoos and salads. Additionally, they can be blended into chutneys or pastes and can be used with various dishes.
Chana dal or Bengal gram has high folate content, they are a much needed requirement during the early pregnancy stages. Apart from that, chana dal helps your body enjoy fiber, iron and plant protein. You can eat them in the form of cheela pancakes or plain dal.
Paneer or cottage cheese is an excellent source of calcium and protein; both these nutrients play a pivotal role in your pregnancy journey. While calcium contributes to making your child’s bones stronger, protein helps in building the tissues and cells in them.
Instead of buying paneer from shops (that have added preservatives), consider making raw paneer at home; you can make fancy recipes with paneer or have them as bhurji, stuffing in parathas, etc. Your pregnancy journey doesn’t need to be boring; cater to your taste buds with delicious paneer dishes.
Amla is a rich source of Vitamin C, and can be consumed in powdered form or as fresh drinks and juices. If you are unable to have the sour-taste amla juice, consider adding some jaggery or honey to enhance the taste.
These are some of the ‘desi foods’ that are a must in your pregnancy. For better personalization and expert suggestions, consider getting in touch with a dietician in Gurgaon without any further delay.
A Table Stating Nutritional Comparison
| Superfood | Folate (per 100g) | Calcium (per 100g) | Iron (per 100g) | Additional Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ragi | 18.3 μg | 344 mg | 3.9 mg | Low glycemic index, has fiber content |
| Palak | 194 μg | 99 mg | 2.7 mg | Antioxidants, Vitamin A, K |
| Gur | Minimal | 80 mg | 11 mg | Magnesium and Potassium |
| Til | 97 μg | 975 mg | 14.6 mg | Zinc and healthy fats |
| Chana Dal | 557 μg | 57 mg | 4.6 mg | Fiber and protein |
| Paneer | 24 μg | 208 mg | 0.7 mg | Vitamin B12 and protein |
| Amla | 6 μg | 25 mg | 0.9 mg | 600 mg Vitamin C |
What Food Items Should be Avoided During Pregnancy?
Now, it’s also important to know what food items are supposed to be avoided during your pregnancy journey; check out the list below:
- Refrigerated smoked seafood
- Meat spreads or refrigerated pate
- Under cooked seafood, like meat or eggs
- Luncheon meats or hot dogs
- Unpasteurized foods or milk that are prepared with unpasteurized milk
How to Ensure Safe Food Handling?
Even if you are eating healthy food items, handling them in an unsafe manner will only lead to more problems. Here’s a guide to safe food handling. Take a quick look at the pointers stated below:
- Before you cut or cook the food, make sure to wash every item under tap water
- Keep your hands, cutting boards, and counter tops absolutely neat and clean
- Every meal should be cooked properly, and there should be no raw parts or smell
- Perishable food items must be refrigerated properly
The Bottom Line
If you are looking for a dietician for pregnancy, we at Go Moringa are here to understand your requirements and prepare plans that cater to your needs. Reach out to us without any further ado.
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