Pregnant women need more vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, but there are also some foods that pregnant women should avoid.
Foods that pregnant women should eat;
1) Foods that contain vitamin C, such as oranges, strawberries, black peppers and broccoli, which help in the development of the baby and improve the absorption of iron.
2) Foods that contain iron such as beans, lentils, green leafy vegetables, meat and spinach, which are useful for making more blood in both the mother and the baby.
3) Calcium-rich foods such as milk, yogurt, cheese as well as almonds and broccoli, which help in the development of bones and teeth.
4) Foods containing omega-3 fatty acids such as sardines, salmon, trout and tuna.
5) Drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated helps in proper delivery of nutrients to the baby through the blood and can help prevent constipation and urinary tract infections in the mother.
Foods that pregnant women should avoid;
1) Stay away from frozen items such as fast-frozen foods. They may contain bacteria that can cause foodborne illness that can cause flu-like symptoms, nausea, diarrhea, and miscarriage.
2) Eating food that has been canned in a broken can can increase the risk of botulism. Botulism is a foodborne illness that can cause neurological complications for pregnant women.
3) Avoid consuming raw seafood such as sushi or raw oysters. This increases the risk of salmonella, another foodborne illness that can cause fever, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea for pregnant women.
4) Fish high in mercury, such as swordfish, shark, orange roughy, marlin, and king mackerel, can damage the nervous system and brain of pregnant women. Or cause hearing and vision problems for the baby.
5) Also avoid alcohol and other intoxicants during pregnancy. This negatively affects the development of the baby.
