10 healthy diet during pregnancy Indian 2023
Updated: Jan 31
A balanced and healthy diet during pregnancy promotes fetal growth and reduces the risks of complications.
Eating the right and nutritional food during pregnancy is crucial for the mother and baby's growth and safety. A healthy diet will help your fetus’s sound growth and development in your womb while ensuring that your body receives all the essentials for you and your baby.
These are my top 25 healthy meal options for pregnancy.
Dal Chawal- Dal rice at home will always be our comfort food in most Indian states. This is one readily available food item at your home that can provide you with much-needed iron and haemoglobin supplements during pregnancy. Celebrity Nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar swears by this combination with little ghee! According to Rujuta, dal rice is great for stabilising our blood sugar, heart, blood sugar and how we feel. It is easy to digest and improves our sleep quality as well. Rice helps in increasing the sensitivity of leptin which is produced by fatty tissue that regulates fat storage in the body. She also shared that rice is a prebiotic - food for probiotics.
Palak Paneer- It is one of the most popular and healthy vegetables Indian plates offer. Spinach is a great source of vitamins and cottage cheese or paneer gives the calcium and protein which is highly needed in pregnancy. This is full of magnesium, folate, vitamin A, vitamin K, potassium, calcium and so much more.
Besan Chila- Chila is one of the quickest ways to get a lot of protein from your food. It is full of Vitamin B, protects nerves, helps in carbohydrate metabolism, prevents heart diseases and helps produce red blood cells. This food is rich in Folic Acid which is an essential vitamin required throughout pregnancy. It also has high dietary fibre that reduces the risk of heart disease, prevents the spike in blood sugar levels and hence super for gestational diabetics.
Curd: Curd is extremely beneficial in pregnancy. It Provides stronger immunity. It helps in fighting disease-causing germs. It also prevents vaginal infections. Being a probiotic milk product, curd benefits gut health. It also calms down an inflamed or upset stomach. The magnesium content in curd is ideal for reducing high blood pressure
Khichadi- Khichdi is an excellent source of nutrients in pregnancy and it aids digestion and promotes internal healing for any kind of health ailments. It is easily digested, assimilated, and absorbed, whereas hard-to-digest foods use tremendous digestive energy to break down. It is excellent when you face constipation during pregnancy.
Multi-Grain Roti- Roti is a staple diet in Indian households. But what is better is a multigrain roti which consists of jowar, ragi, oats, wheat flour etc. which is rich in calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D. All these nutrients will help in strengthening the bones of your child. Bajra is rich in vitamin B and minerals such as phosphorus. Jowar flour is a rich source of protein and boosts immunity. Ghee is also known to boost immunity and help digestion.
Legumes- Food items like lentils, peas, beans, soybeans, and peanuts are great plant-based sources of fibre, protein, iron, folate, and calcium which your body needs more of during pregnancy. It has folate which is one of the most essential B vitamins (B9). It’s very important for you and your baby, especially during the first trimester, and even before. Some varieties are also high in iron, magnesium, and potassium. You must add these to your diet.
Sweet potatoes- Sweet potatoes are rich in beta carotene, a plant compound that is converted into vitamin A in your body. Vitamin A is a must for a baby’s development. It also has fibre, which keeps you full longer, reduces blood sugar spikes, and improves digestive health.
Salmon-Fish is a good source of nutrition. These are found in high amounts in seafood, help build the brain and eyes of your baby and can even help increase gestational length. Have you been told to limit your seafood intake due to the mercury and other contaminants found in high-mercury fish? You can still eat fatty fish like salmon.
Eggs-Eggs are the ultimate health food, as they contain a little bit of almost every nutrient you need. It is a high-quality protein, fat, and many vitamins and minerals. Eggs are a great source of choline, a vital nutrient during pregnancy. It’s important in a baby’s brain development and helps prevent developmental abnormalities of the brain and spine.
Remember quality food over quantity of food will lead to a healthy baby. All the best!