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Happy Tummy Expert

11 months ago

Dear Rasmita Pradhan, Thank you for the question

During and after pregnancy there are many physical and physiological changes that occur due to which your body demands for more nutrients in order to function efficiently, lack of one or more nutrient can lead to macronutrient or micronutrient deficiency and malnourishment. 

It is necessary to consume a balanced diet is one which provides all the nutrients in required amounts and proper proportions. It can easily be achieved through a blend of the four basic food groups. The quantities of foods needed to meet the nutrient requirements vary with age, gender, physiological status and physical activity. A balanced diet should provide around 50-60% of total calories from carbohydrates, preferably from complex carbohydrates, about 10-15% from proteins and 20-30% from both visible and invisible fat.

As a general dietary guideline, for an apparently healthy individual/ with no specific health or nutrition needs and/or metabolic condition it is recommended to consume 2000kcal/d and the RDA for protein requirement is 46g/d for women.

Here are few guidelines for healthy balanced diet that can be considered:

• Have a Diversified Balanced Diet that includes all the food groups in the right quantity which thereby provides you with all the essential macro and micro nutrients that your body requires daily for proper functioning.
• Try to incorporate the My plate Concept by dividing your plate into 4 quadrants, fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables, the other two quadrants with cereals and protein. A small quantity of dairy intake is recommended.
• Some of the good sources of protein include pulses, lentils, milk, paneer, soybean, eggs, lean meat, nuts & seeds, etc.  
• Begin your day with a well-balanced breakfast as it is an important meal of the day.
• Avoid skipping meals. Also, try to avoid fasting and feasting too often.
• Consume small frequent meals, with healthy snacking options.
• Consume minimum 5 servings of vegetables and 1 serving of fruit as they are rich in Fiber, essential minerals & Vitamins as well as they give you a feeling of satiety.
• Try to consume more of Whole grains, Millets and Multigrain foods as they are a good source of fiber.
• Limit intake of deep-fried foods. Method of cooking like baking, grilling, boiling, steaming is preferable over deep frying with excess fat/ oil.
• Have your last meal at least 2-3 hours before sleep time.
• Drink adequate amount of water (minimum 8 glasses) of water daily to keep yourself well hydrated
• Engage in at least 30-45 minutes brisk walk/physical activity of moderate intensity at least 5 days a week.
• Try and follow a good sleep regimen in terms of both quantity and Quality.

WHO has given different BMI (Body mass index) classifications to categorise adults into different weight categories. BMI is a simple index of weight-for-height. It can be considered as a 2nd level indicator of overall health.

It can be calculated using a simple formula of BMI = Weight (kg) / Height (m²)

Following is the WHO BMI Classification

18.5 to 24.9 - Normal

Less than 18.5 - Underweight

25 to 29 - Overweight

Above 30 – Obese

A high protein diet is recommended for muscle gain or weight gain. Daily protein requirement should ideally be followed as 0.8-1g protein per kg body weight for muscle gain

High protein foods also give a feeling of satiety, delay gastric emptying and improve insulin sensitivity.

You can include non-vegetarian sources of protein such as chicken, eggs, fish, prawns etc and vegetarian sources Milk & milk products like paneer, Legumes, lentils, beans (chickpeas, kidney, mung, pinto etc.), peas (green, split, etc.), soybeans (and products made from soy: tofu, tempeh, etc.), peanuts, almonds, pistachios, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, hemp seeds, squash and pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds as a part of your daily balanced diet

Some of the essential micronutrients to be included as part of daily balalnced diet while planning for conception are:

• Vitamin B6 which is found in meat, fish, poultry, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds.
• Vitamin B12 & B2, Some of the  food sources  are chicken, fish, prawns. Crabs etc, Eggs, Milk & milk products, Fortified cereals, Mushroom, beetroot, potato.

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of Vitamin B12 for a woman is 2.2µg/day

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of Vitamin Riboflavin (B2) for a woman is 1.9-3.1µg/day

• The richest sources of heme iron in the diet are lean meat and seafood and non-heme sources include nuts, beans, dark green leafy vegetables, and fortified grain, milk, whole grains, legumes and dry fruits etc.

Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of Iron for women is 29mg per day.

• Some of the essential nutrients such as protein, calcium, magnesium, vitamin D etc, contribute to the development and maintenance of strong, healthy bones of the mother and the foetus. Some of the good sources of these nutrients include milk & milk products, egg, dark green leafy vegetables, legumes.

Recommended daily allowance for calcium is 1000mg and for Vitamin D is 600IU (15mcg) per day for females

• Including Folic acid(Vitamin B9)  is very important as it is known to help prevent some major birth defects of the baby’s brain (anencephaly) and spine (spina bifida). Food sources  are chicken, fish, prawns, Crabs, Eggs, Milk & milk products, Fortified cereals, liver, sunflower seed, nuts, etc

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of Folic acid Vitamin (B9) for a woman is 220µg/day

We request you to kindly contact your gynaecologist for further assistance and management.

For a customised and personalised meal plan for specific conditions, please contact your Health care professional.

Hope we have answered your query.

Wishing you a great day ahead

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