What is Carb ? Carbs, also known as carbohydrates, are the most important nutrients for the growing fetus in the womb. Because when carbs are absorbed into the body, they cross the placenta to nourish the fetus. Choosing good carb sources is a wise way to protect both mother and baby from future health problems.
During pregnancy, pregnant mothers often like snacks such as donuts, chocolate, biscuits, cream cakes, milk tea ... They often contain empty calories, which is not good for both mother and fetus. This will affect the healthy, normal development of the fetus in the womb.
During your pregnancy, carbs act as the body's main fuel source. Good carb foods break down into glucose and nourish mother and baby cells.
Carbs also contain a lot of phytonutrients that act as antioxidants. The role of carbs for the health of pregnant mothers at this time is to protect the mother and baby's body, against harmful free radicals from environmental pollution.
Besides, some good carb food sources are also high in fiber and vitamins. Fiber helps prevent constipation during pregnancy , while also keeping blood volume stable.
Carbs have two main forms: simple carbs, complex carbs.
Simple carbs:
Simple carbs are found in refined sugars such as: white sugar, cakes, candies, and soda. In addition, you can also find this type of carbs in milk and fruit.
Simple carb food groups from sugar provide moms with lots of calories, but “poor” nutrients for the baby. This is one of the reasons that make you "get out", eat a lot but "on the mother", not "on the baby".
Therefore, when pregnant, pregnant mothers should limit sweets and processed foods. Instead, practice the habit of drinking milk, eating lots of fruits to provide healthy natural sugar. Mother can refer to how to cut sugar easy to implement, effective at home.
Complex carbs:
Complex carbs are starches you can find in whole grain products such as bread, pasta, pasta, white rice.
Note when choosing grains: You should not choose refined cereal foods such as white vermicelli, white rice, because they have lost nutrients during processing.
Instead, add whole grains, whole grains, because they retain all the inherent nutrients, minerals and vitamins.
Pregnant mothers can add good carb foods from whole grains to their daily meals by: eating oats and milk in the morning or brown bread, whole grains.
There are many people who mistakenly think that when pregnant, eating a lot of starchy or carb-containing foods is the reason why they gain excess weight. However, the truth is, carbohydrates are groups of substances not as scary as pregnant women think. As explained above, carbs are in the group of essential nutrients , healthy, good for health. The next important thing to do is to find good carb foods as well as how to add them to the diet properly.
Eat good carb foods with a low GI
Eating only foods with a low GI (Glycemic Index - a glycemic index in food ) is not necessarily good, because carbs, good or bad, have a direct impact on blood sugar, affecting only blood sugar number of pregnant mother. Therefore, the appropriate carb allocation in the daily diet of pregnant women is very important.
Each type of carbs has a different digestion time, some will digest more slowly in one person, but faster in others. To evaluate the digestibility of carbs, the Glycemic Index will help you. This index is used to rank foods containing carbohydrates by the degree of increase in blood sugar and the ability to break down food. Low GI foods (55 and under) are digested more slowly, so blood sugar levels rise more slowly than high GI foods.
Low-GI foods include: whole grains, nuts, legumes, slimming milk, bananas, sweet potatoes.
High GI foods include: white bread, white rice, cookies, cakes, potatoes.
Make homemade snacks that are rich in nutrients and good carbs
If you feel hungry between meals, don't eat junk food or snack foods high in fat or refined sugar. Instead, make your own snacks at home like:
√ Grilled chicken sandwich, mashed tuna
√ Sardines, salmon salad (you can mix your favorite vegetables together for a delicious salad right)
√ Fruit yogurt
√ Vegetable and bean soup
√ Whole grains with unsweetened fresh milk
√ Toast, potatoes, baked sweet potatoes
Eat fresh unprocessed vegetables and fruits, because they retain their nutrients compared to canned ones.
When you cook, fry and steam the vegetables, you should keep the heat very low to ensure the least nutrients are lost.
If possible, try to minimize sauces or seasonings. Because they are loaded with trans fats and sugars, the same "empty carbs" do not contain healthy nutrients.
Add healthy carb foods to your daily menu and eliminate simple, refined carbs. This will help pregnant women reduce blood sugar levels, maintain a healthy weight throughout pregnancy.
Carbs are really very important to your baby's development and mother's health during pregnancy. Pregnant mothers should eat 175g of good carbs / day, including about 28g of fiber. Whole grains are recommended in a pregnant woman's diet. Having a good, complete, and not excessively nutritious diet will help the fetus stay healthy and limit the risk of obesity in the future.
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