Daily Pregnancy Tip: Why you shouldn't keep long gaps between meals
Daily Pregnancy Tip: Why you shouldn't keep long gaps between meals
Long gaps between meals can make it troublesome to deal with some of the common symptoms of pregnancy, hence having food at regular intervals is a must.
Written By:
Debjani Arora
| Updated : February 1, 2016 10:49 AM IST
Pregnancy is a time when your diet is of utmost importance. What you eat, how much, when, and what types of food you indulge in, do have an impact on your growing baby and your health. One thing that you need to keep in mind is that during pregnancy you cannot afford to stay hungry for too long. There are quite a few reasons for that; When you are hungry, you fail to provide nourishment to your baby, put undue strain your body and might end up triggering some nagging symptoms of pregnancy like heartburn, nausea, dizziness and fatigue especially during the first trimester of your pregnancy.
Wondering what you should do? Well, ideally you should have six meals a day to keep pregnancy niggles at bay. Here is how you can space out your meals throughout the day:
If morning sickness and nausea bothers you early in the day, avoid eating a heavy meal in the morning. Instead stick to foods like toast, crackers or some digestive biscuits. Avoid liquids like, tea, coffee or warm water. If morning sickness isn't a problem then you can have a scrumptious breakfast to kick-start your day.
Have fruits or milkshakes mid-morning to keep your metabolism up. This helps keep cravings at bay and stops you from overeating during lunch. Fueling your systems with a nutritious mid-morning snack also helps in tackling heartburn and indigestion. Read seven essentials every pregnant woman's diet should include.
Have your lunch on time and make sure you chew each morsel thoroughly before you swallow. Eat a balanced diet, and make sure you have the right amount of carbs, proteins, fats and other nutrients in your plate. Rice, wheat, pulses, veggies and salads should be a part of your daily diet. Keep in mind, your diet can vary depending on your requirements and health conditions. Talk to your dietitian or doctor for a proper diet plan. Know about the eight vegetables that are great for pregnant woman.
Evening snacks are also a must, since it helps give your sluggish systems a jolt. You can choose to either keep your snack restricted to fruits (remember you need to have at least three to five portion of fruits in a day) or opt for healthier options like idli, dhokla, etc. Also read about the four must have citrus fruits during pregnancy.
Have an early dinner. Don't make your mid-night craving a reason to eat dinner late. Instead you can choose healthier snack options to satiate that late night craving, and eat your dinner early. An early dinner helps curb night-time heartburn and indigestion, in turn helping you sleep better.
If you do have a mid-night hunger pang, choose healthier options like popcorn, a few slices of bread or a few digestive biscuits. Remember ignoring these pangs at night can aggravate nausea symptoms in the morning, so eat a little. But remember, eating too much unhealthy junk at mid-night can cause harsh symptoms of morning sickness the next day.
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