“Oh, you are expecting? Then you must eat for two! “This is a normal reaction from people when they hear of someone's pregnancy news. But which advise to take and which one to ignore can get tricky for a pregnant woman. That’s why we have Dr. Shilpa Mittal - Nutritionist, Diet Consultant and Founder of Nutrilife Health Management, Mumbai to share some important nutrition tip, so that you know when to pay heed to advise and when to ignore. *Images courtesy: © Thinkstock photos/ Getty Images 

‘A pregnant mother must take a balanced diet which means some or other thing from the entire food group.’ – says Ms. Shilpa. She further adds – ‘A pregnant woman need 300 Kcal extra calories, 15gm extra protein, 600mg extra calcium and 8 mg extra iron. Though iron and calcium supplement is already given to pregnant women but meeting these demands from diet is of equal importance.’

Some Important Pointers

• As there may be a feeling of nausea, a pregnant woman cannot have a full meal at one time, so it is necessary to go for frequent light meals.
• Add quality protein, calcium, riboflavin and host of other nutrients by incorporating good amounts of milk, curds, paneer, dals, sprouts, dry fruits.
• If you are a non-vegetarian, you can have egg/fish/lean chicken (twice a week).
• Incorporate 3 bowls of vegetables a day, preferably one as a green leafy vegetable and a variety of other seasonal vegetables. Make a bowl of salad a part of your daily meal.
• For fruits, opt for one starchy (banana,chickoo), one citrus, and one coloured / seasonal fruit.
• Use wholegrain cereals like ragi flour, bajri, jowar, thalipeeth, and corn

*Images courtesy: © Thinkstock photos/ Getty Images

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