5 FOOD GROUPS FOR A HEALTHY PREGNANCY

During the gestation, a healthy and balanced diet of the mother will ensure adequate nutrients which help the fetus grow and develop healthily. The best time for the mother to start a healthy diet is before getting pregnancy.
 

The American Nutrition Association recommends that the diet for pregnant women should include the following 5 essential food groups:
 

- Fruits: Eat a variety of fruits with different colors (e.g. apple, pear, strawberry, mango, etc.) 

- Vegetables: Eat a variety of vegetables with different colors (e.g. spinach, eggplant, broccoli, bell pepper, etc.).

- Starchy foods: You should choose the starchy foods which have the low Glycemic Index, such as brown rice, corn, noodles,, whole grains, brown bread, etc. It helps you avoid the risk of gestational diabetes.

- Milk and dairy products such as cheese, yogurt, etc. However, you should consume the unsweetened and skimmed ones to avoid increasing your calorie.

- Protein foods such as meat, fish, eggs, nuts, etc. You should consume lean meat and avoid eating the animal’s fat, skin or offal.
 

What you eat and drink during pregnancy will determine the health of both mother and fetus. Your energy requirement will increase  about 50 – 450 kcal depending on which stage of pregnancy. Besides this, you  need more vitamins, minerals and other nutrients such as folic acid, iron to help you adapt to physical and hormonal changes, as well as ensure proper baby’s growth .Therefore, you need to consume 1 – 2 snacks with a sufficient amount of each food group, such as a bottle of yogurt, a handful of nuts or one fruit. In addition, you should diversify the kinds of food, which helps you ensure the sufficient nutrients for yourself and the fetus. Also, the myth that a mother should eat for two people is wrong, so you do not need to eat double as usual.
 

At Nutrition Department – American International Hospital (AIH), our nutritionists will evaluate the nutritional condition of each pregnant women and consult the most appropriate diet for you, which helps you have an appropriate nutrition plan based on your daily routines and eating habits.

--------------

To book an appointment with our experts:

☎️ Hotline: (028) 3910 9999 

🌏 Website: www.aih.com.vn 

📍 Address: 199 Nguyen Hoang Str., An Phu ward, District 2, Ho Chi Minh city.