There are many vegetables that are good for pregnant women because of their nutritional content. By consuming vegetables will meet the nutritional needs needed by the mother and fetus. In full, see a number of vegetables that are good for pregnancy.

Good Vegetables for Pregnant Women

Apart from fruits, some vegetables are good for the mother and fetus in the womb. This is because of the various nutrients that are healthy during pregnancy by protecting the mother and fetus.

Here are some vegetables that are good for pregnant women:

Carrots

The orange color in carrots indicates the presence of beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A. This nutrient is very important for the health of the eyes, skin, and organs of the developing fetus in the womb.

Red Peppers

This vegetable is the main source of vitamins C and A, plus fiber content which can improve digestion. Research has found that eating vegetables during pregnancy can help reduce the risk of complications such as high blood pressure (hypertension) and preeclampsia.

Kale

Leafy green vegetables are always the best food choice, and they make superfoods for pregnancy. This is because kale contains folate, iron, vitamin C, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin K, and fiber.

Broccoli

Broccoli contains so many nutrients that pregnant women need. If you don’t like to eat them whole, they can be mixed into all kinds of dishes.

Vegetables that are good for pregnant women contain various nutrients, including fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin A, calcium, iron, folate, and potassium.

Adding green vegetables to your diet is an efficient way to get vitamins and prevent constipation that often occurs in pregnant women. These vegetables can also reduce the risk of low birth weight.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes have more than 400 percent of the vitamin A that pregnant women need in a day. Vitamin A is particularly important during the first trimester of pregnancy when the baby’s cells are dividing rapidly into different organs and body parts.

While vitamin A is important during pregnancy, it’s best to avoid supplements, as high doses of the nutrient can increase the risk of birth defects. To get vitamin A naturally, you can boil or roast sweet potatoes.

Beets

Beets can be one the good vegetable for pregnant women because they have lots of vitamins and minerals. Apart from its taste and nutritional value, beets can also provide additional benefits to the mother and fetus in the womb. These include preventing constipation, preventing neural tube defects, treating anemia, preventing fetal growth restriction, lowering the risk of preeclampsia, and maintaining a healthy weight.

Parsley

Consuming parsley or parsley in the form of tea is also good for pregnancy. The diuretic properties in parsley can help get rid of pregnancy-related swelling. Parsley herb also contains folic acid, which is important for the development of the baby’s nervous system and preventing birth defects.

Eating parsley is perfectly safe during pregnancy, but don’t overdo it as it can lead to various health complications.

Tomatoes

Its red color, juicy, and full of nutrition is safe for you to consume during pregnancy, but in moderation. Tomatoes contain vitamins A, C and folate, along with lycopene and iron which keep the mother and fetus healthy.

Meanwhile, the content of vitamin C can help better absorb iron which pregnant women need. If your doctor recommends taking iron supplements, eating tomatoes can help with better absorption.

Lettuce

Eating lettuce during pregnancy also provides several health benefits. Some of the amazing benefits of lettuce during pregnancy include preventing birth defects, improving digestion, improving sleep quality, reducing cholesterol, reducing inflammation, preventing infection, and boosting immunity.

Despite being a good vegetable for pregnant women, care should be taken when preparing it. Wash the lettuce thoroughly before eating it, because unwashed lettuce may contain certain parasites and bacteria. It can cause dangerous food-borne diseases, such as listeriosis and toxoplasmosis.

Spinach

Pregnant women can eat spinach but in moderation. Spinach contains folic acid, which is one of the most important nutrients during pregnancy. Folate or folic acid can help prevent birth defects.

These easy-to-find vegetables also contain iron, another important nutrient that is important during pregnancy. However, don’t eat too much spinach. For example, if you are prone to kidney stones, you should reduce your consumption of spinach.

Asparagus

It is safe to eat asparagus during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Asparagus is a super healthy vegetable that is loaded with vitamins, but contains almost no fat or calories. This is a good vegetable for pregnant women, especially because some of the nutrients in asparagus are very good for the growth of the baby in the womb.

Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy

After knowing the list of vegetables that are good for pregnancy, there are some foods that you should avoid. Certain foods are likely to contain bacteria or chemicals that can make pregnant women sick, so they should be avoided until delivery.

Here are foods that pregnant women should avoid:

• Unpasteurized juices and cheeses.
• Raw seafood.
• Undercooked meat.
• Hot dogs and deli meats.
• Raw eggs.
• Fish high in mercury, such as bigeye tuna, king mackerel, swordfish, orange roughy, and tilefish.
• Raw sprouts (bean sprouts).

It is important to pay attention to what pregnant women eat in order to keep their wombs healthy. For that, make sure to eat foods that are good for you, especially those that contain lots of key nutrients, such as calcium, DHA, folate, iron, iodine, protein, and vitamin D.

If during pregnancy you are worried that you are not getting enough of certain vitamins or minerals, consult your obstetrician or nutritionist immediately.