Nutrients to consider during pregnancy

Not all kinds of food are meant for everybody. To say the least, as nutritious and beneficial as whole wheat meal is to the body, experts have objected that it is not a meal for everybody
.

During pregnancy, apart from the natural urge of wanting to eat twice as much, to a large extent, this set of people seems to be interested in eating everything that comes their way.

Esther Adetitun (not real names) relayed her pregnancy experience on how she had appetite for the unusual kind of things. “While I was pregnant, I noticed that my appetite grew for things I know could probably not be too good for my health like drinking water directly from the well, without boiling it because it has this natural coldness. Sometimes, I eat without warming the food.”

Few days after she delivered, she noticed her baby was quite dull and not feeding… the poor baby ended up having jaundice and was lucky to be alive after living the first three weeks of his life in intensive care.

Some of the thoughts bewildering pregnant women are what kind of food should they eat and when should they eat what.

In an ideal world, free of morning sickness or food aversions, a balanced diet would be all that would be ever needed to stay healthy during pregnancy.

According to Victoria Oluwagbesan, Chief Executive Officer of Dineas Royalty, Lagos, pregnancy is a very sensitive period for both mother and child.

“The diet of a pregnant mother is very crucial to the growth and development of the baby, as well as the well-being of the mother. The food intake of the mother affects the nutrients the unborn child gets for its formation. For adequate growth and full development, the child needs not be deprived of necessary nutrients,” she added.

The basic nutrients that an expectant mother should not do without according to experts include calcium, folate and folic acid, vitamins, niacin, iron, protein, and fibre.

Oluwagbesan highlighted important nutrients to consider and meals that could adequately provide the required nutrient for mother and child to stay healthy.

Calcium

Calcium helps to strengthen the baby’s bones and teeth. It also aids the smooth running of circulatory, muscular and nervous systems. Foods that are rich in calcium include milk, cheese, fish, orange, yoghurt, and spinach among others.

Folate and folic acid

This is Vitamin B and it supports the placenta, brain and spine of the growing baby. Some foods rich in folate and folic acid include whole grains, oatmeal, wheat, brown rice (ofada, abakaliki rice), beans, peanuts, spinach, and oranges.

Vitamins

Vitamins A, C, and E are also very important. Vitamin A is a key for good vision, a healthy immune system and cell growth. Sweet potatoes, carrots and spinach are very rich in Vitamin A. Vitamin C is responsible for repairing body tissues. Citrus, green beans and other fruits are good sources of Vitamin C. Vitamin E facilitates the formation of red blood cells and muscles. It is actively present in vegetable oil, nuts and spinach.

Niacin

Niacin promotes healthy skin, nerves and digestion. Niacin exists in mushrooms, soy sauce, and bran flakes.

Iron

Iron builds the red blood cells. Foods rich in iron include meat, pork, poultry, seafood, beans, dark green leafy vegetables (like spinach), dried fruits and pastas.

Protein

Protein aids baby growth; especially during the second and third trimesters. High protein foods include meat, fish, cheese, tofu, beans, lentils, yoghurt and nuts.

Furthermore, staying healthy in pregnancy sometimes goes beyond what a pregnant mother eats, it could also be about what she shouldn’t eat, according to experts.

Researchers have advised that pregnant women should avoid raw or undercooked eggs and any foods that contain them, such as homemade mayonnaise. They added that it is important for pregnant mothers to ensure that eggs are thoroughly cooked until the whites and yolks are solid. This prevents the risk of salmonella food poisoning.

The underlying danger in some of the foods to avoid during pregnancy is that they could cause food poisoning and the possible presence of bacteria, chemicals or parasites in these foods could harm the unborn baby.

Oluwagbesan cautioned that pregnant women should be wary of mythically ‘eating for two’ as it could lead to gaining weight unnecessarily, which could be quite tricky during delivering.

“Eliminate caffeine foods; limit white tuna because of high levels of mercury which might be harmful to the unborn child; avoid taking alcohol; this might affect the baby’s learning and adaptive behaviour as he or she grows. Do not be deceived into the ‘eat for two’ myth. It might make you gain unnecessary weight. You’ll crave food, yes, your body just needs nutrients- give it,” she concluded.