Here are some healthy pregnancy snacks and other snacking options.
HEALTHY PREGNANCY SNACKS – Pregnancy comes with cravings and here are some snacking ideas to satisfy these cravings.
There’s nothing wrong in eating small bites throughout the day as long as you nosh on healthy stuff in the right amount. Wise food choices are incredibly essential to women who are pregnant. Women need added calories and it is important to use those extra calories for nutrition to support not just your health but also the baby’s development.
Protein, folate, calcium, vitamin D, DHA (omega-3 fatty acid), iodine, and iron are some of the essential nutrients needed by pregnant women.
So, what should a pregnant be munching during these times? What are the best and healthy foods to eat as snacks during pregnancy that are delicious and filling at the same time?
Here are some ideas:
- A medium apple and cheese like cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Swiss can help you reach your recommended daily fiber intake. A medium apple has 4 g of fiber and 95 calories. Apples can help improve digestion while cheese is a great source of calcium.
- Scrambled or fried egg on toast is a source of vitamin D. This vitamin is found in the egg yolk and the other sources are fortified milk, salmon, and canned tuna.
- Trail mix composed of 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, 1/2 cup dried tart cherries, 1/2 cup raw almonds, and 1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks or 1/2 cup walnuts, 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut, 1/2 cup dried diced mango, and 1/2 cup cashews. This is tasty and has calcium, vitamin D, and magnesium.
- Greek yogurt parfait with blueberries and walnuts on top. There is 14 g of protein for every 5.3 ounce serving of yogurt and it also has probiotics which are beneficial for digestive health.
- Guacamole with cucumber slices or low-sodium tortilla chips offers lots of benefits with minimal calories. The guacamole alone is packed with potassium. Celery sticks also work well with the guacamole dip.
- Mashed avocado on crackers is a tasty snack. Avocado is a superfood and half of it already has 345 mg of potassium, 114 calories, and nearly 5 g of fiber. When it comes to crackers, choose whole-grain, low-sodium ones.
- Watermelon and other melons taste great with a squeeze of lime. Watermelon is great for hydration and a cup of this has 170 mg of potassium according to a post from Baby Center.
Other ideas are hummus with raw veggies or pita, baked potato with yogurt and chives, mixed berry smoothie, banana and peanut butter, cottage cheese with fresh fruits, popcorn, whole grain cereal, whole grain waffle with peanut butter, and whole wheat bagel and almond butter.
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