Excellent nutrition is one of the primary cornerstones of maintaining a healthy pregnancy, and there is no better time to start than in the first trimester. As your body adjusts to its new role of mom-to-be, a proper nutritional profile will help to guarantee your health and your baby's, both now and down the road.
A highly varied diet is the most important aspect of maintaining excellent health during pregnancy, but the three most important nutrients during the first trimester are folic acid, vitamin B-6, and calcium. Additionally, certain fertility-enhancing foods like wild yam can also be greatly beneficial in preventing miscarriage in the early, critical stages of a pregnancy.
Here are the top three foods for pregnant women in their first trimester:
First-Trimester Pregnancy Nutrition: Chickpeas aka Garbanzo Beans
During the first few weeks and months of pregnancy, a woman's need for folic acid skyrockets. Most American women are deeply deficient in this critical B-vitamin, which is essential to fertility and prevents many pregnancy complications, including neural tube defects, miscarriage, and preterm labor. While leafy, green vegetables are usually cited as the best sources of folic acid, chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are a preferable source for a few reasons.
In addition to having excellent quantities of folic acid, chickpeas are a good source of vitamin B6, a water-soluble vitamin that has been clinically proven to both prevent and combat symptoms of morning sickness and its much more dangerous counterpart, hyperemesis gravidarum. Additionally, chickpeas offer the extra calories and protein necessary for a healthy pregnancy-- a bonus that that leafy vegetables like spinach lack.
First-Trimester Pregnancy Nutrition: Wild Yam, but not Sweet Potato
Because of its amazing fertility-enhancing effects, wild yam is a favorite among pregnant women throughout the world, and is widely recommended by nutritionists, midwives, and some obstetricians. Wild yam affects progesterone levels and supports fertility, and many holistic caregivers like the internationally renowned midwife Ann Frye recommend it to women in their first trimesters.
While yams are considered to be extremely healthy for pregnant women, especially during the first trimester, sweet potatoes should be avoided except in careful moderation throughout pregnancy. Contrary to popular misunderstanding, yams and sweet potatoes are different vegetables with very different nutritional profiles. Sweet potatoes not only lack the fertility-enhancing effects of yams, but they may also be linked to birth defects, miscarriage, and other complications.
First-Trimester Pregnancy Nutrition: Fortified Soy, Rice, Goat, or Cow's Milk
Preeclampsia is one of the most common pregnancy complications, and, left untreated, it can lead to death or serious problems for the mother or baby. Many studies have confirmed that proper nutrition before conception and during the first trimester can prevent this very common disorder, which universally begins in the second or third trimester.
Fortified milk products-- whether they are "real" milk or a plant-based alternative-- have excellent quantities of calcium and vitamin D, both of which are essential in preventing or decreasing the severity of preeclampsia. Additionally, they are very important in helping unborn babies to develop healthy, strong bones.
A healthy diet is a critical foundation in growing a healthy baby, and the increased use of certain fertility-enhancing, baby-building foods can prevent common pregnancy complications. In addition to taking prenatal vitamins and any other supplements recommended by an obstetrician or midwife, pregnant women in the first trimester can benefit from the increased use of milk products, wild yam, and chickpeas.
Source:
Wiriyasiriwach B et al. Comparison of the effectiveness of ginger and vitamin B6 for treatment of nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy: a randomized double-blind controlled trial. J Med Assoc Thai 2007 Jan;90(1):15-20
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