It is important to know that the first trimester is sensitive. To have a healthy baby, you should know the best foods for first trimester. So if you want to obtain more information about this subject, study this article on Hipregnancy and learn more about it.
What are the best foods for first trimester?
As you know, the first trimester is the most important part of pregnancy because in this trimester, your fetus’s heart and other parts of the body are forming so the vitamin deficiency will be hurt.
Based on this issue, eating nutritious foods is important when pregnant. By hearing this statement, you may ask: “What are the best foords for early pregnancy?”
We are here to talk about the best foods for first trimester and show you some delicious and healthy foods that can give your baby the most power and vitamins. So if you want to obtain more information about this subject, study this article to the end.
Don’t miss: Foods To Avoid During Pregnancy
What should I eat during the first trimester of pregnancy?
To answer this question, you should know that focusing on these 5 stuffs is necessary while pregnant. These kinds of stuff are:
- fiber and fluids
- healthy types of fat
- complex carbohydrates
- protein
- vitamins and minerals
Remember that you should make your eating plan by paying attention to these nutrients and receiving them enough. Recommend you read on article what to eat in the third trimester.
So, what to eat in first trimester? Here are some nutritious and best foods to eat in first trimester.
1. Meat and proteins
Chicken, pork, and beef are the best sources of protein. It is important to know that receiving vitamin B, iron, and choline is needed during pregnancy. Actually, iron is a mineral that is necessary for red blood cells, and it is a part of hemoglobin.
Based on this fact, you will need more iron based on your blood volume. Low iron levels during pregnancy will cause iron deficiency and thus the risk of low birth weight in baby will increase.
As we said, one of the best foods for first trimester is meat, beef, or chicken. These 3 are excellent sources of protein and iron. If you can not eat meat regularly, or aren’t ok with eating the meat of beef, you can use earn iron by using some fruits or vegetables like pepper or orange.
Also Read: Foods to eat when pregnant
2. Egg
It is important to know that an egg is a complete protein source and also contains minerals, choline and some other vitamins. As you know, choline is one of the most important nutrients during pregnancy that is needed for brain and spine development. Recommend you read more about eggs in the article “can pregnant women eat eggs“.
3. Dairy products
During pregnancy, you will need to receive calcium. As you know, dairy products like cheese, milk, and yogurt are the best source of calcium. Based on this fact, one of the best foods for first trimester is daily. Besides calcium, you can receive B vitamins, zinc, magnesium, and phosphorus from dairy products.
If you want to receive more calcium from dairy products, you can use Greek yogurt. This yogurt is beneficial and contains more calcium among other dairy products.
Also Read: benefits of yogurt during pregnancy
4. Beans
Most pregnant women forget to use beans during pregnancy. You should know that beans are the best source of folate, fiber, iron, magnesium, and potassium. Besides these nutrients, beans are a source of protein too.
Other legumes like peas and lentils are necessary during pregnancy. Most legumes are a source of folate. Folate is a kind of B vitamins called B9. B9 is really important for your body, especially in the first trimester.
5. Salmon, one of the best foods for first trimester
If you are a fan of salmon, don’t forget this food during pregnancy. Salmon is a rich source of omega-3. Omega-3 exists in seafood, but salmon contains most of it. Here you may think that what is salmon’s benefit for the baby? Recommend you read the article titled Omega-3 while pregnant.
To answer this question, omega-3 is necessary for building eyes and brain. Be careful that some seafood contains mercury, and is harmful to the baby. To avoid using mercury, you can eat just salmon among seafood.
6. Grains
We are here to say that grains contain vitamins, fiber, and plant compounds. Therefore, whole grains like brown rice, oats, wheat berries, and white pasta are the best foods to eat during first trimester. [1: whattoexpect] , [2: lybrate]
Essential nutrients needed during the first trimester
Pregnant ladies should consume foods full of key nutrients during the nine months of pregnancy, but they should pay more attention to what they eat during the 1st trimester. The importance of the first trimester is related to rapid changes in your body and your baby’s body.
During the first 12 weeks of your pregnancy, you need to consume foods that can nourish your body and help it meet its nutritional needs while pregnant. The following list shows you essential nutrients that the best foods for first trimester should contain, including;
- Iron
Iron is one of the most important key nutrients for a healthy pregnancy. This nutrient enables your blood cells to deliver more oxygen to your baby. You need about 27 milligrams of iron daily to keep your body healthy during this period. Spinach, beef, chicken, eggs, dried beans, and peas are good sources of iron for pregnant women to consume. (Read more on iron-rich foods for pregnancy)
- Calcium
The growing baby needs calcium to develop stronger bones and teeth. Therefore, if you get enough calcium from foods or calcium supplements, the baby will take the needed calcium from your bones’ calcium store, which will put you at risk of osteoporosis later in life.
Dairy products like milk, cheese, yogurt, dark leafy greens, and calcium supplements are good sources of calcium for pregnant women. (Read more on best calcium supplements for pregnancy)
- Potassium
Another key nutrient that should be existed in the best food for first trimester is potassium. It helps your body in regulating blood pressure and maintaining proper fluid balance. Fruits like bananas, avocados, and apricot are the best fruits for pregnancy and are good sources of potassium while pregnant.
- Folic acid
This kind of key nutrients highly reduces the risk of neural tube defects, a congenital disability of the spinal cord and brain. You can get this nutrient from foods like kidney beans, oranges, green leafy vegetables, nuts, fortified breakfast cereals, and strawberries. Hipregnancy recommends getting 600 micrograms of folic acid per day to keep your baby healthy.
- Protein
Your body needs protein for muscle development, and your baby as well. You can improve your baby’s muscle developmentf if you get 75 grams of protein daily from sources like chicken or egg, . In addition, you can consume the best protein powders for pregnancy to meet your body’s protein needs. It is more advisable to consult your doctor before taking these powders during pregnancy.
- Vitamin C
Last but not least, your body needs vitamin C during the first trimester to absorb more iron, improve bone and tissue development in the baby. During this period, you need about 85 milligrams of vitamin C, which can be taken from broccoli, strawberries, oranges, and tomato.
Conclusion
In this article, we tried to introduce the best foods for first trimester. Hope that you like it.
You can ask your question about foods to eat when pregnant first trimester via comment. The Hipregnancy team is always here to help you!