Satiate Those Pregnancy Cravings

Now more than ever, you have to pay extra attention to what you eat. Every expecting woman wants to satiate those cravings, but more importantly, ensure she’s eating a nutritious and wholesome meal. This is the only way to give your baby the best possible start. But how do you resist those junk food cravings that are hard to stave off? M&B gives you a low-down on nutritional food items to include in your diet, and healthy alternatives for a perfect substitution

- Sania Dhirwani

Pregnancy cravings can sometimes be overwhelming. You tend to end up with a hankering for food that you’ve not had in a very long time, o r worse, that you’re not supposed to include in a pregnancy diet. Should you resist the urge or give in to temptation? Well, in the world where everything can be substituted with a healthy alternative, you need not fret. You can have a safe and healthy pregnancy without feeling the need to give up on your favourite foods.

Role of nutrition

We’ve often heard the phrase, ‘You are what you eat’. It stands true even when you are pregnant. What an expectant mother eats will lay the foundation for the long-term health and well-being of her unborn child. Reiterating this notion, Shweta Mandal, dietician, Columbia Asia Hospital, Ghaziabad, says, “A well-balanced diet is essential during pregnancy, since the mother’s diet has to meet the needs of a growing foetus. The first few weeks of pregnancy are crucial, as most of the physical and mental growth of the baby takes place around this time. The principal organs – external, internal and the nervous system of the baby – are formed during this time.”