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Many say pregnant women should not fast. Says who? Pregnant women can still fast, provided that the condition of the mother and fetus are in a healthy state and allows for fasting. In addition to the health conditions of the mother and fetus, another thing that needs to be considered is the nutrients consumed during sahur and breaking the fast. You can not carelessly and as long as you eat without noticing the nutrients contained in the food itself. Easily, food for pregnant women needs to meet the needs of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals. In order not to be confused, here are some examples of sahur food for pregnant women that you must fulfill.
Foods that pregnant women need at dawn
1. Red rice
Sahur food for the first pregnant woman is brown rice. Compared to white rice, brown rice contains more fiber and has a low glycemic index. That way, eating brown rice does not make your body weight increase dramatically due to the rapid absorption of sugar.
Brown rice belongs to a group of whole grains that can help meet the calorie needs that increase during pregnancy but still healthy. As a complex carbohydrate, brown rice also helps keep you full longer which really helps you to fast fast for a full day.
In addition to brown rice, you can also eat other complex carbohydrate sources such as sweet potatoes which are also healthy for pregnant women.
2. Eggs
Eggs are a very good source of animal protein because they contain all the essential amino acids the body needs. Eggs contain high-quality calories, protein and fat.
In addition, eggs also contain choline which is very good for baby's brain development and maternal health. Low choline intake during pregnancy can increase the risk of neural tube defects that can cause a decrease in brain function.
One egg at dawn is enough to meet daily choline needs. After all, it's not difficult to process this food, you can cook an omelette by putting chopped vegetables in it like spinach, beans, and also carrots in addition to nutrients.
3. Vegetables
Vegetables are one of the sahur food for pregnant women that is mandatory. Broccoli and green leafy vegetables are very good for pregnant women because they contain calcium and folate which are known to be good for bone growth and fetal brain development.
Broccoli also contains fiber and antioxidants which are useful for counteracting free radicals. In addition, this one vegetable also contains vitamin C to help the body absorb iron better. In addition, the combination of vitamin C and zinc in broccoli is also very useful to maintain the body's resistance when fasting.
Besides broccoli, green vegetables like spinach have high levels of folate and iron. Both are very good for the development of the baby in the womb. Just like broccoli, spinach also contains antioxidants.
The high fiber content can help prevent constipation which is very common in pregnant women. In addition, quoted from Healthline, consuming green leafy vegetables can also reduce the risk of low birth weight babies.
4. Lean meat
According to Jo Ann Hattner, RD., Nutritionists in California stated that during pregnancy the body needs iron to support the development of the baby in the womb. In addition, iron is also needed to facilitate the distribution of oxygen in the body. Pregnant women need more iron because the volume of blood in the body increases than usual.
If the mother lacks iron, she will feel tired faster. Not only that, the iron content that is too low in early pregnancy can cause anemia which increases the risk of premature birth and low birth weight babies.
Even when fasting, daily activities continue as usual. For this reason, eating iron-rich foods at dawn keeps the body from performing its functions properly so that the mother is still powerful. Lean meat is a good source of iron because it is easily absorbed by your body.
5. Fruit
Sahur food for other pregnant women that cannot be missed is fruit. Fruits can be used as a dessert at dawn. Bananas, for example, can give you extra energy when fasting because they are high in potassium.
In addition, oranges can also be an option. Besides being rich in vitamin C which helps maintain immunity, oranges also contain folate and fiber. The water content in oranges that reaches 90 percent also helps meet the fluid needs that can prevent you from dehydration when fasting.
For avocado lovers, you can eat avocados with the addition of low-fat chocolate milk at dawn. Avocados contain fiber, folate, vitamin K, potassium, copper, vitamin E, and vitamin C. Potassium in avocados can help relieve leg cramps commonly felt by pregnant women.
6. Dairy Products
Milk is also a must-have menu for pregnant women at dawn. At present there is a lot of circulating milk for pregnant women according to gestational age. Milk contains many nutrients needed for pregnant women, namely calcium, vitamin D, folic acid, iron, omega 3 and omega 6. Eating milk at dawn will complement the nutrients needed for pregnant women and is important for baby's growth.
