Healthy Food for Pregnancy With No Known Allergens

To help you adopt a healthier diet for you and your baby throughout your pregnancy, I've listed the 12 most nutrient-dense foods that are recommended to eat when you are pregnant.

Due to severe nausea, I began by losing a lot of weight during my first pregnancy.

After the first three months, once the urge to vomit passed, my husband took it upon himself to fill me up by slipping Galak bars, Balisto and all sorts of sweets into my purse and pockets that I thought were "important" to eat to regain weight and keep my energy up throughout the day.

In all good faith, I was convinced that I had to follow the phrase "eating for two" to the letter!

The local baker became my best friend (I even had a loyalty card).

I had my daily routine at the Starbucks downstairs from my work (where I ate a cheesecake every day for a snack...).

Result: I almost had gestational diabetes at 6 months of pregnancy, I gained 22kg and my little Joseph weighed 4kg800 at birth...

I certainly owe it to my long daily walks and my passion for fruits and vegetables to have avoided all the other complications that such a diet could have caused.

I did learn from my mistakes and during my second pregnancy, I consulted a nutritionist who gave me some excellent advice that I would like to share with you today.

Why is healthy eating during pregnancy so important?

During pregnancy, your body needs extra nutrients, vitamins and minerals.

You need an extra 350 to 500 calories each day during the 2nd and 3rd trimesters.

And contrary to what I thought, those calories don't have to come from slices of cheesecake or chocolate bread!

A diet that lacks key nutrients can negatively affect your baby's development, even long after birth.

Poor eating habits and excessive weight gain can also increase the risk of gestational diabetes and birth complications.

In summary, eating healthy, nutritious foods will help keep you and your baby healthy.

It will also be much easier to lose your pregnancy weight after delivery.

Here are the foods that the midwives advise you to eat regularly throughout your pregnancy:

1. Dairy products

During pregnancy, you need to consume extra protein and calcium to meet the needs of the growing fetus.

Dairy products contain two types of high-quality protein: casein and whey.

Dairy products are the best dietary source of calcium and provide large amounts of phosphorus, various B vitamins, magnesium and zinc.

Yogurt, especially Greek yogurt, is particularly good for pregnant women.

They contain more calcium than any other dairy product.

Some varieties also contain probiotic bacteria, which support and protect your digestive system.

Those who are lactose intolerant may still be able to tolerate yogurt, especially yogurt that contains probiotics.

Taking probiotics during pregnancy may reduce the risk of complications such as pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, vaginal infections and allergies.

2. Legumes

This food group includes lentils, peas, beans, chickpeas, split peas, beans and peanuts.

Legumes are excellent sources of fiber, protein, iron, folic acid (B9) and calcium, all of which the body needs most during pregnancy.

Folate is one of the B vitamins. They are very important for the health of the mother and her fetus, especially during the first trimester.

However, most pregnant women do not consume enough folate.

Lack of folate has been linked to an increased risk of neural tube defects and low birth weight babies.

Folate deficiency may also put your baby at increased risk of infection and disease in the early years of life.

Legumes contain high amounts of folate. Just one cup of lentils, chickpeas or kidney beans can provide 65-90% of the recommended intake for a pregnant woman.

3. Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are very rich in beta-carotene, a plant compound that is converted to vitamin A by our bodies.

Vitamin A is essential for growth, as well as for the constitution of cells and tissues. It is very important for the development of a healthy fetus.

Pregnant women are generally advised to increase their vitamin A intake by 10 to 40%.

Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of beta-carotene. Approximately 100 to 150 grams of cooked sweet potatoes will provide you with your total recommended intake of vitamin A for one day.

4. Small, fatty fish

Oily fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, tuna and sardines are very rich in the essential fatty acid omega-3.

Most people, including pregnant women, do not get enough of these.

However, omega-3 fatty acids are essential during pregnancy.

They are found in large quantities in fatty fish and help build the brain and eyes of the fetus.

The problem is that pregnant women are advised to limit their fish consumption to twice a week (< 340 g per week) because of the mercury and other contaminants they contain.

However, studies have shown that pregnant women who eat oily fish two to three times a week get the recommended amount of omega-3 in their blood.

Try to eat good quality canned sardines and mackerel and fresh wild fish regularly.