Calcium, Iron, Zinc: Important Nutrients During Pregnancy – You Are Mom

Nutrition plays a very important role during pregnancy and there are some important nutrients that should not be overlooked during pregnancy.

A balanced diet has many benefits for pregnancy and promotes healthy development of the baby. The consumption of main elements such as calcium, iron and zinc should be included in our mother-to-be diet.  

Calcium, iron and zinc are important nutrients during pregnancy because they influence the healthy development of the fetus. It is usual for your gynecologist to recommend that you start a diet in the first trimester. Vitamin supplements are also frequently prescribed, as it is necessary during pregnancy to incorporate more vitamins over a short period of time.

The benefits of calcium, iron and zinc during pregnancy

Each of these nutrients uniquely contributes to the nutrition of mother and child during pregnancy. Your nutritional intake is so important that it is recommended on an individual basis. The main benefits of calcium, iron and zinc relate to the formation and development of the fetus. However, for the mother, they help strengthen the immune system and protect the organs that need it.

What we know about how these elements affect the health and development of pregnancy:

Calcium

Calcium is essential during pregnancy because it helps build baby’s bones. During pregnancy, the daily intake of calcium should be 1000 milligrams. To increase the calcium level, it is recommended to increase the daily dose by drinking two glasses of milk per day. Although milk and other dairy products are the main sources of calcium, it can be found in other foods, such as:

• Almonds, hazelnuts and other nuts
• Broccoli
• Parsley
• Seaweed
• Cabbage
• Dried fruits and vegetables

The iron

Iron is very important because it is necessary for the production of hemoglobin. This is responsible for the circulation of oxygen in the cells of the body of the pregnant woman and the baby. During pregnancy, about 27 to 30 milligrams per day of iron are needed, which is prescribed as early as the second trimester.

Foods recommended for increasing iron levels are:

• Low-fat meats
• Fish
• Liver
• Eggs
• The cereals
• Fruits like strawberries, melon, pineapple, papaya, guava, mango, figs and plums

Zinc

Most of the time, zinc is stored in muscle, especially in white and red blood cells. This nutrient should be consumed during pregnancy, at an approximate dose of 11 milligrams per day.

Zinc is of great importance, as it is a special component of enzymes that improve brain activity. This element is also involved in protein synthesis. Adequate zinc intake throughout pregnancy promotes cell growth and helps prevent the risk of the baby having a low birth weight.

Foods containing zinc include:

• Red meats
• Fish
• Vegetables and legumes such as beets, lettuce, cabbage, carrots, spinach
• Fruits such as peaches and oranges
• Milk
• Beans

In addition to calcium, iron and zinc, folic acid is added.

Folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin that is part of the B complex. It is an essential vitamin that contributes, among other things, to the formation of the brain and the spine (spinal cord) in the fetus. Supplementing with folic acid is recommended because it helps reduce the risk of births with spinal deformities. Folate intake should be doubled during the first three months of pregnancy.

It is advisable to consume a wide variety of vegetables with each meal. We can find this variety in the combination of 5 colors for example: red, purple, white, orange and green. Each color brings necessary and different benefits, and it is best to include them in all daily meals.

Foods containing folic acid are:

• Oranges
• Pumpkin
• Broccoli
• The egg yolk
• Liver
• Watercress
• Swiss chard
• Fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, mangoes, melon and kiwi.

For a pregnant woman’s intake of vitamins and minerals to be adequate, it is not necessary to overeat. However, it is advisable to consider a moderate diet so that the baby is born at a suitable weight. One should also think mainly about the health of the pregnant woman, as she can experience complications during and after pregnancy.

Avoiding fatty foods is very important, both for the pregnant woman and for the baby. This helps prevent overweight and high cholesterol. In accordance with the above, the presence of vegetables, grains and fruits in the diet during pregnancy can bring many benefits in the development of the fetus.