10 More Vegetarian Superfoods For Pregnant Women

In our earlier blog, we had discussed the top 10 Superfoods for Vegetarians. These are 10 more Super Rich & Nutritious foods that make a remarkable impact on your health. Pregnancy is the most beautiful feeling any woman can ever experience. Throughout the three trimesters, your body floods out various hormones to adjust to bearing and nurture a new life within.

Along with healthy food, regular exercise can prevent the risk of birth defects and depression. Low iron levels can cause lethargy during pregnancy. Hence, Vegetarians need to take efforts persistently to include the below mentioned superfoods to account for the nutrients quintessentially required to meet the needs of the developing fetus as well as the energy requirements of the mother.

 

1)Tofu

Essential Nutrients: Packed with protein, iron, calcium, magnesium, vitamin A and vitamin K.

Health Benefits: Essential for normal blood clotting, particularly after the birth, helps in building essential cells that forms vital body organs.

2)Avocado

Essential Nutrients: Powered with protein, folic acid, potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin B6, high calories.

Health Benefits: Helps in forming your baby’s brain and nervous system, building up tissues, helps to combat morning sickness. The high calorie helps those who want to gain weight during pregnancy.

3)Cereal

Essential Nutrients: Power house of energy, folic acid, fibre and vitamin B.

Health Benefits: Fortified cereals make great for an energetic breakfast. You need energy as you progress through your trimesters to support your child as well.

4)Cabbage

Essential Nutrients: Wholesome goodness of thiamin, folic acid, vitamin E, A, B6, C, K, calcium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, fibre & iron.

Health Benefits: These vitamins aid in healthy breast-milk production. Chilled cabbage leaves placed in your bra help to soothe sore breasts during & after pregnancy. Magnesium improves blood flow.

5)Chickpeas

Essential Nutrients: Rich in calcium, magnesium, zinc and folic acid.

Health Benefits: Hummous (made from chickpeas) with peta bread makes a tasty snack. Fibre balances glucose levels; iron helps combat anaemia.Folic acid is vital for baby’s development.

6)Oils and Fats

Essential Nutrients: Entails omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, antioxidants.

Health Benefits: Quintessential for cell function, brain and eye development.Go for the extra virgin olive oil. it lowers blood pressure and improves cardiovascular health by providing protection against heart disease, depression, cancer, high cholesterol and dementia.

7)Oatmeal

Essential Nutrients: Packed with fiber, protein and vitamin B6. It can be fortified with iron & folic acid.

Health Benefits: Whole grains containing complex carbohydrates that release energy slowly after you have eaten it. A bowl of oatmeal or porridge is a great start to the day and will help combat any fatigue which sets in mid-morning.

8)Tomatoes

Essential Nutrients: Contains vitamins A and C.

Health Benefits: Low fat tomatoes have the ability to regulate blood sugar, reduce stress, cure headaches and even protection against gall & kidney stones.

9)Going Nuts over Nuts

Essential Nutrients: Proteins, manganese, omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, magnesium, Vitamin E.

Health Benefits: They are memory-boosting foods, helps development of child’s brain and eyes, reduced risk of premature baby. Indulge guilt-free in almonds, walnuts, flax seeds, reduced risk of heart diseases.

10)Whole Wheat

Essential Nutrients: Plentiful of iron, fiber, Vitamin B complex and protein.

Health Benefits: Along with energy boost to the body, it releases energy from muscles, iron fights anemia & eases constipation. Brown rice & millets are considered a healthier option.

Puzzled About Your Weight Gain During Pregnancy?

If you are expecting then you naturally tend to gain weight. But there is also the question of how much weight you should gain during pregnancy. Weight gain is vital during pregnancy as it affects the development of the baby. You must be prepared to gain about 12 kilograms of weight at an average. However, it differs from 8 to 16 kilograms in most of the cases of pregnant women. The best part you will shred this extra weight once you deliver your baby and reach your pre-pregnancy weight after a while. This extra weight you gain encompasses your baby’s weight and a lot of other fluids and tissues that come along as the part and parcel of pregnancy. You must keep in mind that this weight gain is necessary for your baby’s growth and not try losing weight or lessen your calorie intake. The baby needs the nutrients in order to grow at a healthy pace. Research claims that the average pregnant women requires only about an increment of 300 calories on her usual diet before the pregnancy. This will ensure that she gains the apt amount of weight for her pregnancy phase. Here is how much you should gain if you are a mommy-to-be, first three months 1 to 3 kilograms and 0.5 kilograms every week henceforth. In case if twins, you can gain 0.7 kilograms per week during the rest of your pregnancy period. And the amount of calorie intake when you are expecting twins is much higher i.e. about 3500 calories a day. Following is the break-up of the entire weight to be gained during pregnancy: The child 3.6 kgs Blood supply 1.85 kgs Amniotic fluid 1.3 kgs Placenta 1 to 1.5 kgs Breast tissue 1 to 1.3 kgs Enlarged uterus 0.90 to 2.5 kgs Stored fat for breastfeeding and delivery 2.5 kgs to 4 kgs This comes up to a sum total of about 12 to 15 kgs. To gain the precise amount of weight a pregnant woman must follow the below tips:
  • Have about five to six short meals a day.
  • Consume short-eats like dry fruits, ice-creams, yogurt etc.
  • Use a peanut butter bread spread. It contains 100 calories and 7 grams of protein. You can use the peanut butter on crackers or celery also.
  • Add butter, cheese, margarine etc to your meals. It will make it delicious and will serve the purpose.
The above mentioned tips will not only make the mother and the baby healthy, but also ensure that the necessary amount of calories is consumed. All the expecting women have to remember only one thing that the future of their baby’s health depends on them and do the needful.

Top 10 Vegetarian Superfoods For Pregnant Women

They say pregnancy is the most beautiful feeling any woman can ever experience. Throughout the three trimesters, your body floods out various hormones to adjust to bearing and nurturing a new life within. Hence, your diet makes a remarkable impact on your health.

Vegetarians need to take efforts persistently to include the below mentioned superfoods to account for the nutrients quintessentially required to meet the needs of the developing fetus as well as the energy requirements of the mother.

While there are many foods that have tremendous nutritional benefits like Quinoa, Hemp Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Brown Rice, Flax Seeds, etc. which may be difficult to accommodate in your daily diet; these are some simple superfoods that can be made a mandate to your regular diet to ensure your child’s healthy development.

1)Dairy in your Diet Diary

Essential Nutrients: Excellent source of proteins, calcium, zinc, vitamin B.

Health Benefits: Pivotal for development of bones and teeth, reduces risk of under-weight or pre-termed babies, reduced risk of osteoporosis in women at a later stage, production of hormones and enzymes, fights infection.

Include milk, yoghurt, soy milk, fortified products to deal with increased demand of calcium essential for child’s growth.

2)Affectionate Apricots

Essential Nutrients: Rich in folic acid, potassium, calcium, magnesium and 10% of RDA of iron.

Health Benefits: Dried apricots help to combat problems related to constipation and checks to normalize bowel movements.

Tasty for an in-between snack during your hunger pangs.

3)Broccoli For Bones

Essential Nutrients: Great sources of calcium, magnesium, folic acid, Vitamin C, potassium and excellent source of vitamin A, anti-oxidants

Health Benefits: Vital for child’s bone development, aids digestion, helps healing of bruises.

4)Blueberries and Strawberries

Essential Nutrients: Packed with Vitamin C and fibre.

Health Benefits: Protection against cell damage and cystitis, regeneration of new cells, a handful meets the RDA for folic acid everyday, prevents serious birthing effects.

5)Sweet Potato

Essential Nutrients: Various nutrients like vitamin C, fiber, vitamin B6, potassium, beta carotene, calcium, energy, vitamin A, copper, iron.

Health Benefits: An antioxidant, vital for bones, skin and eye development, copper helps better absorption of iron, helps in expanding blood volume, maintains healthy immune system.

Tip: Steaming works better than boiling.

6)Go Bananas over Bananas

Essential Nutrients: Rich in potassium, manganese, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, energy, tryptophan, pectin.

Health Benefits: Right pick to reduce the common problem of fluid retention and nausea, normalizes blood pressure, promotes digestion and good sleep, shields against ulcers and stomach acids, reduces swelling in the body and improves circulatory system of the body.

7)Beans For The New Genes

Essential Nutrients: Packed with protein, iron, calcium, thiamine, and niacin.

Health Benefits: Includes ease of digestion, development of the placenta, baby’s brain and central nervous system, new blood production.

8)Power Of Pomegranate

Essential Nutrients: Rich in potassium, iron, vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin E and anti-oxidants.

Health Benefits: Reduced risk of anemia, heals hemorrhoids, excellent for immune system, increases bone density, excellent for skin care.

9)Goodness of Orange Juice

Essential Nutrients: Rich in potassium, fibre and vitamin C

Health Benefits: It increases the absorption of iron and calcium from your food, keeps you hydrated, prevent fatigue and tiredness, keeping your muscle function, fighting colds, metabolism and overall health in check, increases blood circulation in the placenta

10)Go Green with the GLV’s

Essential Nutrients: It contains calcium, iron, beta-carotene, lutein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C.

Health Benefits: Helps fight cancer, promotes nutritionally-dense breast milk, vital for normal birthing and child development.

Post Pregnancy Care

Post-pregnancy is a crucial phase of motherhood. Your responsibility doubles once you deliver your little one. Few things that have to be kept in mind after the delivery are to get enough rest and nutrition in order to be able to breastfeed and nursing your baby. This is the phase where you give your body ample of rest and follow a proper diet plan to recover properly.

Crash diet should not be an option because if you are breastfeeding, you will not have sufficient nutrition in your body to keep the breast milk flowing. A well-balanced diet must be followed which helps you in the process of recovering and keeps your body well-nutritional for your baby. However, if you are concerned about your weight and body shape, you can follow a diet which has excessive nutrients but low on calories.

Your choice of food must be based on the simple theory that you must consume food that is low in calories but bulk in quantity so that you are full like fruits, steamed vegetables, baked eats, whole- grains, pulses etc. Calcium is essential for you because the baby needs proper amount of breastfeeding. About four to five portions of calcium and protein rich food is necessary.

It has been researched that the mothers who breastfeed their babies lose weight at a comparatively faster pace because production of milk in the body helps in burning down about 500 calories a day. It is strictly advised by the doctors that newbie mothers should not put themselves on a weight-losing diet immediately after delivery. They need abundant amount of energy and strength for they have to nurse their new-born.

Few women are obsessed with the idea of losing weight post-pregnancy to retain their weight pre-pregnancy. And they end up going on a crash diet which results in the bad interest of both, the mother and the baby. Instead of taking up a stringent diet, going on a sensible diet that is fulfilling but low in fat will help in gaining better results. Newbie mothers are expected to nurture their babies first and then set goals to lose weight after pregnancy.

It is not impossible to lose weight post-pregnancy, but it is highly realistic to accept that it will take some time. If you want to go back to looking how you were before pregnancy, a well-balanced diet and good (not hectic) amount of exercises will be useful. But it might just take more than a couple of weeks to get there. So, be patient and follow a good routine of exercises to fetch your pre-baby body back backed by sufficient nutrients.

Introducing solid foods to your baby

A babyŸ??s digestive system is not ready for solid food until after the baby is about 4 to 6 months old. Until then it is recommended that the baby is exclusively breast-fed or formula-fed. Breast milk or formula milk has the nourishment and calories required for your babyŸ??s development in the first 6 months of her life.

Most mothers want to be sure that they introduce solid food at the right time. There are some signs you can look for in order to know when your baby is ready to include solids in her diet. However, make sure the baby can hold her head up, can lean or sit upright on a highchair.

Signs to watch out for in the baby

  • Starts to put things into her mouth
  • Opens mouth when you take food close to her mouth
  • Asks for more frequent feeds or cries for more after her bottle is empty
  • Shows interest in food that others are eating
  • Can hold small bits of food in the mouth and push it to the back of the mouth
  • Her weight has doubled from her original birth weight

What should I feed my baby the first time?

Babies should ideally be given liquid or semi-solid foods with a spoon to see if they are ready and also to make it easier for them to go through this process. One important thing to remember here is to feed the same kind of food for the first few days just to make sure that your baby is not allergic to a particular food, and also observe if her stools are normal. Move on to a new variant if there are no allergic reactions like vomiting, rashes and diarrhoea. You can try the following options:

  • Boiled and pureed vegetables like pumpkin, carrot, potato, avocado, etc.
  • Boiled and pureed single-grain cereals like rice, ragi or lentils
  • Mashed fruits like banana or apple puree
  • Yogurt
  • Custard

Things to remember when introducing solids to your baby

  • Avoid using vegetables like spinach, beetroot that are high in nitrates. Nitrates can cause a type of anaemia in small children.
  • You donŸ??t need to enhance the flavour of the food with salt or sugar.
  • Start with a few spoons at a time and increase the quantity gradually.
  • Make sure that there are no lumps in the food as the baby can choke on it.
  • If you are using commercial baby food, ensure you use boiled water while preparing it.
  • Avoid giving solids in a bottle so that the baby understands the difference between solids and liquids. This will also help the baby adapt to other solid foods eventually.

Once your baby is about 8 months old and has tried different kinds of pureed foods, you can begin introducing some more solid varieties of food. Your baby will most likely begin to chew at this stage although she doesnŸ??t really have any grinding teeth. This is a good time to switch to Ÿ??finger foodsŸ??. These are small bits of foods that can be easily mashed when in the mouth. Babies will begin grasping the food in their hands

  • Soft cheese,
  • Small pieces of boiled vegetables,
  • Cooked pasta,
  • Cut or thinly sliced fruits like banana,
  • Minced meat or chicken are good options during this stage.

Feeding a baby can be a messy affair! So make sure you have a bib and some cleaning cloth in place to clean spills. Another essential ingredient is to have lots of patience. It is not necessary that your baby will like and eat the food in the very first attempt. Feed the baby in a place where there arenŸ??t many distractions so that feeding time is not just a nutritive but a fun learning process for your baby.

For further details or queries , kindly contact us at tomotherhoodindia@gmail.com

PREGNANCY & FOOD CRAVINGS

food-craving

Food cravings start during the early stages of pregnancy, when your body is still in the process of getting used to the new changes and is filled with pregnancy hormones. The urges are sudden and mostly radical and random, or so it seems, ranging from ice to potato chips and pickles to chocolate. But what do these cravings mean? Is it an additional part of healthy nutrition during pregnancy or is it just your body adapting to the changes?

What causes food cravings?

Well, although there is no definite proof about this but it is said that our body knows what it needs or lacks and during pregnancy, it is this inbuilt system that kicks in. Many theories surround this study, however some absurd cravings like cigarette butts or chalk still remain unexplained, or even the fact that some women develop a sudden distaste or repulsion for a certain food, which they may have loved otherwise, like the smell of eggs frying or the smell of rich spices.

To help you understand your cravings, we have listed a few of the top cravings and their probable significance or relevance.

Nutrition benefits from your cravings

Pickles–If you are low on sodium, pickles are likely to be your craving. But the likeness for pickles does not end with sodium; it could very well just be the flavor that you prefer. The same reason you crave for something crunchy and salty and think about potato chips.

Ice Craving for ice could mean an iron deficiency. Although ice does not have a significant amount of iron, women who craved ice during pregnancy seem to have iron deficiency.

Chocolate Women found low on magnesium have often had craving for chocolate. Some other alternative can be whole grains, nuts, beans and green vegetables.

Red meat Red meat is an easy source of protein. A lack in protein may cause a craving for red meat.

Fruits –Some researchers believe that fruits like watermelons and grapes act as cooling agents for pregnant women. It is also a source of Vitamin C for the mother and her child.

Spicy Food Cravings for spicy food can be related to the body trying to cool off by sweating. Pregnancy causes the body to heat up; eating spicy might just help you keep your body cool.

Lemons It’s not unnatural to see pregnant women crave for something sour. Lemons contain many beneficial vitamins but apart from that, the sourness helps reactivate the taste buds occasionally.

Now that you have a brief guide on your cravings, eat up, stay healthy but control your urges on bizarre cravings, we still don’t know what they mean and it is as confusing to us as it is to you!

Disclaimer:The information contained in this issue is not a substitute for medical advice. All content including text, graphics and images are for general information purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Iron Kids

Why Iron is Crucial?

Iron is essential to your child’s growth and development. Lack of iron in the diet may result in iron deficiency where the blood lacks adequate healthy red blood cells (RBCs). RBCs carry oxygen to the body’s tissues, providing energy and giving skin a healthy colour. Untreated iron deficiency in children can lead to delays in their physical and mental development and advance to iron deficiency anaemia.

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Who’s at risk?

  • Babies born prematurely or have low birth weight.
  • Babies fed on cow’s milk before age 1 (cow milk has low iron).
  • Breast-fed babies who aren’t given iron rich complementary foods after age 6 months.
  • Babies fed on non-iron fortified formula.
  • Children ages 1 to 5 who drink more than 710ml (24 ounces) of cow’s milk, goat’s milk or soy milk a day.
  • Children with chronic infections or restricted diets.
  • Adolescent girls lose iron through menstruation.

What are the signs?

  • Fatigue or weakness
  • Pale skin
  • Poor appetite
  • Shortness of breath
  • Irritability and behavioral problems
  • Inflammation of the tongue
  • Difficulty maintaining body temperature
  • Increased likelihood of infections
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Unusual cravings for non-nutritive substances, such as ice, dirt or pure starch

How to prevent?

  • Breast-feed or use iron-fortified formula
  • Encourage a balanced diet
  • Consider iron supplements

To keep your child’s growth and development on track, pay attention to how much iron your child is getting through his or her diet and talk to your child’s doctor about the need for screening and iron supplements. Remember, excessive iron intake is also harmful for children. Never give iron supplements/pills without consulting your doctor.

For further details or queries , kindly contact us at tomotherhoodindia@gmail.com

Prenatal Vitamins

Why You Need It?

Most women during pregnancy might be uncomfortable with the idea of popping pills. However, when recommended by your health care provider and complemented with a well-balanced diet, prenatal vitamins will prove beneficial in ensuring a healthy pregnancy.

Despite a healthy diet most women fall short on key nutrients. If you’re pregnant or hoping to conceive, prenatal vitamins can help fill such gaps.

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Prenatal Vitamins Vs. Standard Vitamins

Prenatal vitamins typically contain more folic acid and iron than do standard adult multi-vitamins.

  • Folic acid helps prevent neural tube defects.
  • Iron supports the baby’s growth and development and helps prevent anaemia.

Additionally, research suggests that prenatal vitamins decrease the risk of low birth weight. A prenatal vitamin should contain:

  • Folic acid 400 to 800 micrograms
  • Calcium 250 milligrams
  • Iron 30 milligrams
  • Vitamin C 50 milligrams
  • Zinc  15 milligrams
  • Copper  2 milligrams
  • Vitamin B6  2 milligrams
  • Vitamin D 400 international units.

Side Effects:

  • Nausea:If this happens to you, take your prenatal vitamin with a snack or before you go to bed at night.
  • Constipation:To prevent this –
    • Drink plenty of fluids.
    • Include more fibre in your diet.
    • Include physical activity in your daily routine, as long as your doctor at Motherhood is OK.

Remember, prenatal vitamins are a complement to a healthy diet not a substitute for good nutrition.

For further details or queries , kindly contact us at tomotherhoodindia@gmail.com