High fiber foods during pregnancy
How many times have you peeled the apple and throw the peel away? Don’t do it anymore! There are many useful and healthy substances in the peel, and one of them are fibers.
Fibers take care of a healthy digestive system of pregnant women. While the baby grows, she puts more pressure on your internal organs, making you feel uncomfortable. All this can occasionally cause constipation, which further increases the discomfort. Eating high-fiber foods every day will keep your digestive system healthy and strong!
High fiber foods
If your diet was not rich in fiber till now, increase the amount of consumed high fiber foods gradually during a few weeks period.
Make sure that you won’t eat all high fiber foods at once! Divide it into smaller portions and eat it during the whole day. A large volume of fibers may cause flatulence at the beginning. You should never forget drinking enough water as well!
All vegetables and fruits are rich in fibers, but here is the list of those with the highest fiber content among them.
Vegetables with the highest fiber content:
- green beans
- peas
- peppers
- eggplant
- lettuce
- spinach
- cauliflower
- broccoli
- kale
- cabbage
- turnip
- red beet
- porridge
- onion
Fruits with the highest fiber content:
- berries (strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, currants, blueberries)
- apples
- pears
- prunes
- apricots
- quinces
- peaches
- bananas
- mandarins
- oranges
Grain and grain products are also foods with a high amount of fibers:
- bread (black, Graham, oatmeal, whole wheat bread)
- whole wheat pasta
- barley, buckwheat, and millet
- porridge, flakes, brown rice
How to increase fiber intake during pregnancy?
- Each meal should contain a sufficient amount of fiber. Eat cereals for the breakfast, but choose those without added sugar. If you add some fresh or dried fruits, the amount of fiber will be even higher.
- A good choice is also the millet porridge boiled in milk with the addition of dried fruits.
- Eat bread from whole wheat flour. For pastry substitute half of flour with whole wheat flour too. Products from spelt flour are also a good choice during pregnancy!
- You can increase the amount of fiber by adding more raw or cooked vegetables beside your meals.
- Whenever it’s possible, eat the fruit with the peel. You can also add fruit to your regular salads.
- Instead of dessert, prepare a delicious fruit salad.
- Choose fresh or dried fruit for snacks.
- Include walnuts, hazelnuts, or almonds in your everyday meals.
Why are fibers good for pregnant women?
Fibers are very important for the body! These substances protect us from constipation, cancer (especially colon cancer), gallstones, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
Fibers are divided into soluble and insoluble fibers. Insoluble fibers mainly increase the volume of excreta and shorten the passage of the contents through the intestines. That prevents constipation and shortens the harmful activity of certain substances which we intake into our body.
Soluble fibers bind water, bile salts (cholesterol), and prevent a rapid increase in blood sugar after meals. Fibers protect us against obesity, as their volume increase after ingestion. That is why they give us a sense of fullness.
Eating high fiber foods during pregnancy has a good impact on blood sugar and fat, especially if they are increased.
Regular consumption of high-fiber foods is of course recommended for everyone, not just for pregnant women! So don’t forget to eat them every day after your pregnancy too!