Eat Healthy for a healthy baby

Eat Healthy for a healthy baby

Naini Setalvad requests pregnant ladies to read this article to  ensure that they become the mothers of well-nourished babies 

Pregnancy introduces a host of  

physiological and emotional changes  in a woman. Advice pours in from all  quarters: from well-meaning friends and  family members to colleagues at work. Even  perfect strangers have been known to put in  their two bits when it comes to commenting  on a pregnant woman’s health. In the face  of often-contradictory advice—especially  regarding one’s diet—it may be hard for a  mom-to-be to make her choices. 

The most important thing you need to  remember is that you are not eating for two  people. The biggest myth about pregnancy  is that one needs to eat double their normal  intake of food. In reality, you are eating for one  plus one very small being. Women only need to  consume an extra 300 calories per day. Far from  being a time for overindulgence, pregnancy is,  in fact, a time to sensibly eat healthy food. Here  are a few foods you must include to nourish  yourself and your baby well:  

Organic and natural foods: In a world where  everything comes in a package, I want you  to think outside the box, quite literally. Eat  food made with fresh ingredients containing  minimal additives and preservatives. Using  local and seasonal produce will ensure you are  consuming fewer pesticides. 

Seasonal vegetables: Eating fresh and locally  sourced seasonal vegetables is a must. They  provide you with all the essential vitamins  and fibre required during pregnancy while  keeping sugar levels and cholesterol in check.  Make sure 50 per cent of each meal comprises  vegetables. 

Fresh fruit: Having two fruits daily is a must.  Bananas keep your blood pressure low, and  the serotonin it contains keeps you pepped up  

throughout the day. Eat seasonal fruits and  dried fruits like figs and prunes. They will  increase calcium and iron levels to prevent  constipation, lower blood pressure, and satisfy  your sweet cravings. One of each is good enough to see you through the day. 

Sugar and jaggery can cause gestational diabetes 

Whole grains (B vitamins): “If you don’t eat  jaggery and sugar, then where will you get your  energy from?” This is what every well-meaning  elder will suggest, and here is your befitting  reply: “Yes, sugar and jaggery do give energy,  but they are addictive. Having an excess of  these puts pregnant women at risk of getting  gestational diabetes. Instead, get your energy  from a wide range of whole grains like whole  wheat, rice, millet, and barley. These provide  a steady supply of energy without any sugar  spikes or crashes. Rich in fibre, they not only  keep you satiated but also provide B vitamins  essential for the baby’s growth. 

Lentils and legumes (folate): What better  source of adequate protein for the growing  muscles and tissue of the baby than plant based lentils and legumes? Their other benefit  is that they are rich in folate, which is essential 

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for the baby’s neural growth. A diet deficient  in folate puts the baby at risk of suffering from  neuro-degenerative disorders. Soak whole  pulses overnight before cooking, to prevent  flatulence. 

Healthy fats: Fats simply can’t be ignored,  whether you are pregnant or not. Fats  help absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K, and  phytochemicals found in spices, herbs, and  vegetables. A pregnant woman requires a  larger dose of these vitamins so that they get  passed on to the baby. Sources like cow’s ghee  and coconut, peanut, and seed oils are a good  source 

Cow’s ghee and coconut oil absorb essential vitamins 

Calcium-rich foods: Calcium is the raw  material for your baby’s growing bones which  you get by consuming green leafy vegetables,  nuts, yoghurt, and milk. It is extremely  essential to meet your calcium  requirements when pregnant as low  

intake can lead to osteoarthritis in  

the mother. 

Iron-rich foods: Iron is best  

sourced from beet, leafy greens,  

and prunes. But remember that  it is a highly toxic material which can damage  the liver if over-consumed. 

Vitamin D: It is very essential for the growth  of the foetus as well as for brain development,  so please take in some sunlight daily and  consume healthy fats in small amounts to help  the absorption of vitamin D. 

Water: This elixir of life is often ignored,  but it truly is the miracle cure for  

everything. Having plenty of  water ensures  that digestion  is intact,  p r e v e n t i n g  constipation and  

flatulence. When digestion vis poor, you feel irritable and cranky.  Hence, don’t skip out on this mood stabilising liquid.  

The intelligence and mental faculty of a child  depend a lot on the mother’s diet during  pregnancy. Consult your physician and take  the supplements advised. A balanced, healthy  diet is extremely essential to get you and your  baby off to a good start. 

Yogurt and leafy greens are good sources of calcium 

MUNG PALAK CHAAT 

Ingredients 

50 gm green mung 

1 bunch palak (spinach), finely chopped 

1 onion, finely chopped 

2–3 garlic cloves, finely chopped (optional) 

1–2 green chillies, finely chopped 

½ tsp jeera (cumin) powder 

½ tsp chaat masala (optional) 

½ lemon, juiced 

1 tsp ghee/ butter/ oil at liquid consistency 

Salt to taste 

Method 

1.Par boil the mung. 

2.Heat oil in a pan and sauté the onion and  

garlic for two minutes. 

3.Add palak and sauté for another five minutes. 

4.Add mung, green chillies, salt, jeera, and  

chaat masala, and cook for two minutes. 

5.Squeeze lemon and serve hot.Mung palak chat