Do you find yourself feeling a little bit hangry? Or maybe you feel overwhelmed by trying to eat for two …

Either way, we’ve got you covered with a balanced pregnancy diet!

Preparing for a healthy pregnancy is one of the top priorities as a soon-to-be-mother. You may be focusing a lot of your attention on avoiding certain foods to keep you and your baby as healthy as can be! 

If you’re the type of person who likes to prepare and build your diet during pregnancy ahead of time, make sure you’re incorporating nutritious ingredients throughout the day. This includes healthy fats, vitamins and minerals, protein, and fibre and fluids. 

Here are 5 things that you should eat/consume during your pregnancy to help keep you healthy, energized, and happy!

1. Folic Acid 

Folic acid is a type of vitamin B, which your body needs to make new cells. This supplement is found in foods such as rice, pasta, bread, and cereal. 

This vitamin is extremely important for pregnant women because it helps with your baby’s early development and can also prevent some major birth defects. Getting about 400 to 600 mcg of folic acid every day is the recommended amount for pregnant women. 

2. Lean Meat 

Lean beef, chicken, turkey, and pork are examples of high sources of protein. It’s better to have higher amounts of protein during your pregnancy, as it stabilizes your blood sugar. 

In addition to the protein, these lean meats are also high in iron, which helps with the increasing amount of blood volume in your body. 

It’s a good idea to also have foods that are rich in vitamin C alongside the iron-rich foods so that your body better absorbs the nutrients. 

3. Dairy Products 

We know you want your baby to grow big and strong -- and that starts with calcium! Calcium is very important for bone growth and will also help nerve and muscle function. 

Dairy foods that are a great source of calcium like yogurt, milk, and cheese will now be your best friend!

Yogurt specifically is one of the most beneficial dairy products you can have because it’s also full of protein and folate. 

4. Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes are very high in vitamin A, in fact one single one gives you more than 400 percent of the vitamin A that you need in a single day. 

Vitamin A is especially important during your first trimester, which is when the cell’s in your baby’s body are dividing quickly in order to form into organs and body parts. Even though it’s important, just be cautious because extreme doses of this vitamin can increase the risk of birth defects. 

5. Water

We’ve all heard it before: Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate! 

Water is extremely important in delivering the nutrients you consume to your baby, which means you may face the possibility of being dehydrated. 

Other benefits of increasing your water intake include the relief of stomach pains, constipation, and reducing the risk of developing urinary tract infections. 

The recommended amount of water consumption is about 10 8-ounce glasses per day, for a total of 80 ounces (2.3 litres) of water daily. 

Bottom Line 

Once you get pregnant and start getting your body ready to supply healthy nutrients for you and your growing baby, you may have to make some changes to your routine.

Adjusting your lifestyle and habits is a part of the journey and you’ll thank yourself for being so disciplined when you get to hold your healthy and happy baby in your arms!