Throughout our lives we try countless diets and weight loss plans, or even make the decision to follow a stricter meal plan aiming to improve health or, in most cases, after getting a warning from the doctor due to being overweight, diabetes, and high cholesterol.

This isn’t much different for the vast majority of women who discover they are pregnant, who are advised to follow a diet during pregnancy for better fetal development and the mother’s good health.

Why Diet During Pregnancy?

The diet during pregnancy needs to be strict and well balanced to provide the necessary nutrients and vitamins for the baby’s best development and to ensure a healthy pregnancy with lower chances of complications.

A healthy diet also directly affects the development of the brain of the fetus, which, in the absence of certain nutrients, may experience problems with IQ, impacting important brain areas.

It is possible to follow a diet during pregnancy that controls weight gain—which should not exceed 12 kg—and maintain a calm, healthy pregnancy and give birth to an even healthier baby. Some foods are essential and should never be left out of the diet because of their importance in providing nutrients, such as:

  • Fruits and vegetables – Watermelon, apple, pear, orange, strawberry, carrot, tomato, lettuce, pumpkin, kale, broccoli.
  • Lean meats – Chicken and turkey
  • Plant proteins – Rice, beans, wheat, corn-based cereals
  • Fish – Sardine, tuna, and salmon

Dairy products like cheese, yogurt, and milk itself are foods rich in nutrients and calcium and should always be present in the diet, especially during pregnancy, which requires so much calcium for the development of the fetus’s bones and teeth.

Foods Not Recommended During Pregnancy

Some foods that are considered so nutritious at any other stage of life are not recommended during this period because they pose risks to the health of the pregnant woman and the baby, such as seafood.

Raw fish and shellfish are not recommended during this phase because they present high risks of toxoplasmosis contamination and infections, which can even cause blindness and serious brain damage to the baby.

Unpasteurized milk and cheeses should also be removed from the diet, as they present a risk of contamination by the listeria bacteria. This bacteria is responsible for miscarriages, premature births, or even the development of fatal diseases for the fetus.

This bacteria is also found in sausages, cold cuts, and processed meats in general, so they must be properly cooked before consumption; otherwise, there is a high risk. Eggs are recommended in the diet, but should never be eaten raw or undercooked.

Eggs with a soft yolk should be avoided due to the risk of salmonella contamination. Teas that may seem harmless because they are natural can pose serious risks during pregnancy, such as boldo, mint, cinnamon, and rue teas.

Coffee During Pregnancy

Another thing that should be reduced in the daily diet is caffeine. If consumed in excess, this can cause premature birth or affect the baby’s development, resulting in a low birth weight baby.

Caffeine is not only found in coffee but also in cola soft drinks, chocolate, mate tea, and chimarrão. Alcohol consumption should be completely eliminated from a pregnant woman’s diet.

No amount of these substances is safe, as they can cause fetal damage, including mental retardation. Pregnancy is such a magical time and goes by so quickly—so why not follow these recommendations and make the most of this moment by radiating health and bringing a healthy child into the world, right?

See also: Postpartum Diet – Eating with Quality

Photo: greggavedon.com, Tomas Hellberg