YOUR DIET DURING PREGNANCY
Although the phrase “balanced diet” is so commonly used in our daily lives, very few of us actually know what it means. This is simply because we are unaware of what a balanced diet should comprise of.
I remember being absolutely at a loss for I did not know which food consumed by me had what dietary composition. It was only later that I understood the meaning of the term “balanced diet” which refers to eating a variety of foods chosen from each of the six major nutrient group viz. protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and water.
A balanced diet will also enable you to have an easy pregnancy that is free of complications like heartburn and free from digestive disorders like constipation, diarrhoea etc.
To assure a healthy pregnancy, you should supplement your diet with these major nutrients from the basic food groups mentioned below:
1. Cereals like wheat, jowar, bajra, ragi (nachni), rice etc.
2. Pulses like dals (moong dal, chana dal etc.) and legumes (matki etc.)
3. Dairy products like milk, pasteurized cheese, paneer, curds etc.
4. Fruits like banana, chickoo etc. and Vegetables like peas, pumpkin and green leafy vegetables like spinach, fenugreek etc.
5. Fats like ghee, oil, butter, sugar should be consumed in moderation. Have plenty of water and other fluids like juices, soups, buttermilk and milk shakes.
Now that you know exactly what a balanced diet should comprise of, here is a self-explanatory food guide, to know the various food groups and the quantities you can eat.
DAILY FOOD GUIDE DURING PREGNANCY
FOOD GROUPS | No. of servings per day | What makes 1 Serving? | Suggested Recipes |
---|---|---|---|
CEREALS AND THEIR FLOURS whole wheat flour, unpolished rice, Jowar, Bajra, Ragi (Nachni) bulgur wheat (dalia, corn, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat bread etc. |
6 to 10 servings |
1 slice of whole wheat bread (25 gm)* Or 2 phulkas (30 gm)* Or 1 chapati (25 gm) * or 1 paratha (25 gm)* Or 1/2 cup all cooked cereals and pasta |
Oats Palak and Sprouts Mini Uttapa, Paushtic Roti, Bajra Khichdi, Easy Cheesy Vegetable Pasta |
PULSES Whole Moong, lobhis beans, rajma, chick peas (kabuli chana), etc. Sprouts Moong, rajma, matki etc. Masoor dal, chana dal, urad dal etc. Flours Moong dal flour, chana dal flour ( besan) etc. |
2 to 3 servings |
1/4 cup raw whole pulses (35 to 40 gm)* Or 1/2 cup cooked whole pulses(70 to 80 gm)* Or 1/2 cup sprouts (60 to 80 gm)* Or 1/2 cup of raw or cooked dals(70 to 80 gm)* Or 1/2 cup of flours (40 to 60 gm)* |
Chick Pea Salad with Minty Curd Dressing, Sprout and Fruit Bhel, Hariyali Dal, Moong Dal Dosa |
VEGETABLES Carrots, beetroot, Cucumber, Eggplant, french beans, cluster beans (gavarfali), (gavarfali), Cauliflower etc. Leafy Vegetables Spinach (Palak), Fenugreek (Methi), lettuce, radish leaves, coriander, Cow pea (chawli) leaves,Colocasia, Cabbage etc. |
3 to 5 servings |
1/2 cup raw vegetables (50 to 70 gm)* Or 1/2 cup cooked vegetables (50 to 70 gm)* Or 1 cup raw leafy vegetables (15 gm of vegetables like mint,coriander, fenugreek and 40 to 60 gm of otherLeafy vegetables)* Or 1/2 cup cooked leafy vegetables 15 gm of vegetables like mint,coriander, fenugreek and 40 to 60 gm of other leafy vegetables)* |
Chawli, French Beans and Carrot Soup, Broccoli, Carrot and Paneer Subzi, Spinach Malfatti, Fruit and Lettuce Salad |
FRUIT Pineapple, Sweet Lime, Orange, guava, Watermelons, mango, Apple etc. Dried Fruits Almonds, cashewnuts, Walnuts, sesame seeds (til), Peanuts, dates, figs, apricoats etc. |
2 to 3 servings |
1/2 cup chopped fruits (50 to 60 gm)* Or 1 big piece of fruit for e.g. melon wedge (100 to 130 gm)* Or 1 cup fruit juice (200 ml)* Or 1/4 cup dried fruits (20 to 30 gm)* |
Fruity Bean Salad, Strawberry Chickoo Shake, Til Chikki, Fig and Apricot Shake |
DAIRY PRODUCTS Milk, Curds, Paneer, cheese etc. |
2 to 3 servings |
1 cup milk (200 ml)* Or 1 cup curds (299 ml)* Or 1/4 cup chopped paneer (35 gm)* Or 1/4 cup shredded cheese (35 gm)* |
Date and Banana Shake, Dahi Chane ki Subzi, Kalakand, Tomato Cucumber and Lettuce Salad in A Lemon Dressing |
FATS AND SUGAR Ghee, oil, butter, sugar and jagger |
* * | Although there is no specific recommendation for this group, aproximately 2 tablespoons of fat and 2 to 3 teaspons of refined sugar can be consumed per day. | Golpapdi, Cabbage Rice, Banana Walnut Pancakes |
Here are some healthy pregnancy recipes.