Women who are preparing themselves for pregnancy should get started by choosing to eat healthy food and eating the five food groups regularly. Good nutrition is essential for health and can ensure a healthy pregnancy. Below here are our recommended foods you should eat for your own and your future baby’s health.
1. Folic acid Foods full of folic acid include fortified cereals and sour fruits and vegetables. During your preparation for pregnancy, you should take folic acid 400 – 600 mg. daily to ensure a healthy pregnancy and reduce risks of birth defects.
2. High-quality protein Crucial for fertilization, foods with high-quality protein include eggs, poultry, and fish, especially those fish that are rich with omega 3, such as salmon. However, if you are vegetarian, you can eat nuts instead, such as soybean products.
3. Omega-3 fatty acid Omega-3 is considered a superfood which you should eat even before pregnancy because the body needs fat to help maintain proper hormone function and get ready for pregnancy. When you get pregnant, omega-3 is good for your baby’s brain development.
4. Whole milk Milk products contain calcium and protein that help increase your chance of getting pregnant. You might need to change from drinking low-fat milk to whole milk instead so that your body can get more nutrients.
5. Fruits and vegetables Eating larger portions of fruits and vegetable in each meal can help prepare your body for pregnancy as they are rich with essential nutrients and anti-oxidants that help reduce inflammation in the body and improve your bowel movement. The most important thing, however, is you have to wash them thoroughly to remove any toxic chemical residues before consumption.
Source : www.parents.com
JETANIN Journal Vol.11 No.1