There is no better time to start eating healthy food than during a pregnancy since it is not only good for your health, but is also essential for the health of your baby. When it comes to healthy foods, pregnant women can eat pretty much everything that can provide them with the necessary nutrients. However, taking some foods more than others and adding a bit of certain particular foods can help them in providing the nourishment required by the new life that is growing inside them. Here are some of the foods that you should take in a pregnancy.

Best Foods for Pregnant Women

1. Eggs

Eggs are among the best food item for pregnant women. Not only are they cheap and easily accessible, they can be cooked easily too without having to go through much trouble. Moreover, they have a good amount of protein present in them which is necessary for the growth of the baby as well as the mother. Eggs contain as many as 12 different proteins and minerals along with choline and omega 3 fats which are all very important for a growing baby. Owing to their extraordinary nutritious qualities doctors recommend pregnant women to take about two eggs a day during their pregnancy.

2. Salmon

Salmon is another protein rich food item that is extremely beneficial for pregnant women. Being rich in omega 3 fats, salmon is ideal for the visual and neural development of the baby. Moreover, unlike other fish, salmon has a low level of methylmercury in it which makes it less of a danger to the health of the baby. Still, to avoid any overdose of mercury, pregnant women should refrain from eating more than 12 ounces of salmon in a week.

3. Walnuts

For those pregnant women who cannot bring themselves around to eat salmon and eggs, they can take walnuts for the vital omega 3 fats that their baby requires. Since walnuts are the best source of plant based omega 3 fats, eating them at regular intervals as a snack or an addition to the salad can help you in providing these essential nutrients for your baby. Moreover, walnuts can be eaten raw so you won’t have to take the trouble of even standing up and cooking them too.

4. Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt which is rich in both calcium and proteins is one food item that every pregnant woman should include in her diet. Greek yogurt contains double the amount of protein contained in ordinary yogurt and is therefore considered a vital component of a pregnancy diet. Besides the high amounts of protein Greek yogurt has, its rich reserves of calcium can help a pregnant woman in meeting her own calcium requirements and at the same time will give her baby a solid and healthy skeleton.

5. Lean Meats

It’s a known fact that meat contains the most amounts of quality protein. Thus, consuming meat in a pregnancy is a must. However, meat is also full of fat which is not good for the baby or the mother, therefore, it is best to go for lean meats that are fat free. This way you will get only the much needed proteins and not the undesirable fats from the meat you are eating. When it comes to meat, it is best to eat beef and pork since they have choline in them in addition to protein.

6. Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are necessary ingredients for every healthy diet plan. For pregnant women however, it is best that they eat different colored fruits and vegetables instead of taking only a select few that they like. Since each colored fruit and vegetable has some different nutrient and flavor to offer, they can help the mother in exposing her baby to the flavors of all types of healthy vegetables and fruits and make him recognize their taste when he/she grows up.

7. Dark, Leafy Greens

Green, leafy vegetables like spinach, Swiss chard and kale are rich in folate and a variety of vitamins and minerals. They are considered the best sources of vitamins A, C and K and thus, leaving them out of a pregnancy diet is not a good choice to make. Besides the amazing list of nutrients that these vegetables can provide you and your baby, they have also been known to promote the visual development process of the baby. So taking them regularly is in the best interest of your child.

8. Beans

Beans of all types are good for pregnant women. The reason for this is the rich amount of fiber and protein they possess. The protein they contain can help in building the rapidly developing cells of the baby while the fiber present in them can help the mother in keeping her gastrointestinal tract working regularly. Including beans in your diet will also help you in avoiding going through pregnancy related problems like constipation too because of the fiber they have.

9. Sweet Potatoes

Because of having rich reserves of carotenoids in them that will convert into vitamin A when it enters the body, you would think sweet potatoes might not be an ideal pregnancy food. On the contrary, they are essential because their conversion to vitamin A is a need-only process and thus consuming them will not harm you or your baby. In fact sweet potatoes even have other important minerals like folate and fiber present in them too which are also good for the health of the pregnant women.

10. Whole Grains

Whole grains are also a good food item to include in a pregnancy diet because they possess an incredible amount of folate, vitamin B6 and iron which are all extremely necessary for the mental health of both the baby and the mother. Moreover, whole grains are rich in carbohydrates too which can supply energy to the pregnant women as well. Eating them in the form of cereal and as a snack during lunch time can help pregnant women in remaining energized throughout the day.