Best drinks for a pregnant woman and what to avoid
It's crucial to be hydrated at all times, but during pregnancy especially so since your body requires extra water. It's important to stay hydrated for the health and development of your kid, as well as for your own well-being.
The majority of your body and your baby's body are both constituted of fluid. You require more fluids to sustain your growing blood volume, create enough amniotic fluid, and promote normal fetal circulation.
Additionally, treating common pregnant problems like UTIs, constipation, hemorrhoids, and exhaustion can be greatly aided by consuming adequate fluids. If you're sweating a lot right now, it will also aid in replacing lost fluids.
What is the ideal amount to try to sip? The advice of experts is to drink ten 8-ounce glasses of water daily. However, not all of it has to be in the form of water. Along with other nutritious beverages, fruits, and vegetables with a high water content, think watermelon, cucumbers, tomatoes, and oranges can also help you keep hydrated.
You've undoubtedly come across lists of things that you should and shouldn't put in your shopping cart if you've been studying your pregnancy diet plan. But the recommendations for what you should and shouldn't consume while pregnant might be as confusing. What are some examples of healthy beverages for expectant mothers, and which beverages are advised to be avoided during pregnancy, according to experts?
You'll undoubtedly have a lot of questions about what to drink and what to avoid while pregnant. What else may you consume when pregnant, outside water, for instance? Can you still savor your coffee in the morning? And should we bid soda and energy drinks farewell (at least for the next nine months)?
We are all aware of how crucial it is to stay hydrated to preserve good health, particularly during pregnancy.
Best drinks to savor during pregnancy
Water
You probably won't be surprised to find that water ranks first on the list of beverages that are safe to consume while pregnant. Regardless of whether we are pregnant or not, we all know how important it is to have enough water throughout the day. As our bodies contain between 55% and 65% water, we must consume enough fluids to stay hydrated since our bodies can't manufacture enough water to keep this percentage constant on their own. When it comes to the quantity of water we should consume each day, there is no one size fits all solution.
During pregnancy, water should be your preferred beverage. To keep yourself and your baby hydrated, drink an additional glass of water on top of your daily need of six to eight 8-ounce glasses.
What advantages does drinking water when pregnant provide for your health? Water aids in the body's absorption of vital nutrients from your prenatal vitamins and newly adopted baby-friendly diet. Additionally, drinking more water can make you feel better since it can help prevent unpleasant pregnancy side effects including cramping, constipation, tiredness, and urinary tract infections.
Why do you need to consume so much water while pregnant, you may be thinking. It turns out that this amazing substance offers a variety of advantages for both you and your unborn child. Water improves digestion, promotes nutrient circulation, aids in the elimination of waste items from the body, and helps produce the amniotic fluid that surrounds the developing embryo.
Milk
To support your growing baby's developing bones and teeth, as well as to maintain the health of your circulatory, muscular, and neurological systems, you need 1,000 mg of calcium each day while you are pregnant.
One of the finest sources of calcium is milk, which provides around 300 milligrams in an 8-ounce drink. Even while you may obtain calcium from non-dairy foods like broccoli or kale, milk, yogurt, and cheese are some of the simplest methods to do so. Milk is an intelligent choice since it contains protein. Protein aids in the general growth of your infant and might keep you feeling content and full.
Soy milk
For those who avoid dairy products, fortified soy milk is an excellent option. It is calcium-fortified and contains almost the same amount of protein as cow's milk, albeit the calcium is not quite as effectively absorbed. Simply be sure you drink an unsweetened type to prevent consuming more sugar.
Ginger tea
Ginger tea is a pleasant alternative that is safe to consume while pregnant and may possibly have some additional advantages. According to studies, ginger can help calm an upset stomach and reduce nausea brought on by pregnancy.
Can't drink tea without a little sugar? If you drink a lot of tea regularly, adding a teaspoon or two of sugar is okay as long as you account for it in your daily totals for calories and sugar.
Your best choice is to make your own ginger tea by steeping freshly sliced ginger root in hot water since the Food and Drug Administration doesn't control herbs and it's difficult to tell exactly what's in packaged herbal teas.
Fruit and vegetable smoothies
Yes, they might blur the boundary between food and drink. However, blending fruits and vegetables is a great way to get your recommended daily intake of products while also adding a little extra water.
While there are virtually no limits to taste combinations, restrict or completely avoid added sugars and choose instead liquids like water, milk, or plain yogurt in place of juice. Watch out for additional salt in pre-mixed vegetarian drinks as well. Add a source of healthy fat, such as peanut butter or almond butter, to your smoothie to make it more filling and help you remain full longer.
Alcohol Removed Wine
Wines with the alcohol removed are alcohol-free alternatives for those who refrain from drinking for various reasons. You may have read extensively about the subject of safe drinking during pregnancy. There is no safe amount of alcohol to consume when pregnant, and there is no safe time to do so. Even one drink of wine might be harmful to your developing child's health.
What dangers might consume alcohol while pregnant bring about? Alcohol consumption during pregnancy increases the risk of birth defects, low birth weight, premature birth, and a wide range of fetal alcohol spectrum diseases. As a consequence, you don't have to give up anything enjoyable.
Decaf coffee
Don't drink any caffeine. But you might still be able to get your fix of coffee using decaf. Doctors advise consuming no more than 200 mg of coffee a day, which is equivalent to one regular-strength cup. If you don't exceed the recommended daily intake of caffeine, the advantages of decaffeinated coffee are significantly larger. Even decaf contains small amounts of caffeine.
Coffee and other caffeinated beverages contain caffeine, which, when drunk in excess, might cause your baby's heart to beat fast when it crosses the placenta. It will still be digested, but in a developing kid, the process can take up to three times longer. There just isn't enough knowledge available on the long-term implications of it.
Sparkling water
Try a sparkling water spritzer as an alcoholic-free alternative that is refreshing and entertaining if you don't want to fully give up your routines of drinking wine with dinner or a cocktail at a gathering particularly if you pour it in a unique glass. Add a piece of fresh fruit or a splash of 100% fruit juice if you're seeking something sweet. However, be sure it has been pasteurized since unpasteurized juices may contain germs that can make you ill.
Coconut water
If you look at the number of electrolytes in an ounce of coconut water, it is more comparable to sports beverages than flavored waters. If you prefer the flavor of coconut water over Gatorade, this is a wonderful strategy to reduce nausea as long as you're drinking it in moderation. Compared to many of your other hydration alternatives, coconut water has more salt. When planning your entire diet, bear this in mind.
Drinks to avoid if you are pregnant
Pasteurized or raw milk
Although milk is typically regarded as a healthful beverage for expectant mothers, what about milk that hasn't been heated? It goes without saying that raw milk should not be consumed when pregnant. Numerous dangerous bacteria that are present in raw milk have the potential to cause infections and hurt your baby's health. Listeria is one of the many bacteria that raw milk may contain; this bacterium can result in miscarriage, sickness, or even death.
Although most cow's milk sold in shops has been pasteurized, some farms and farmers' markets still sell unpasteurized milk. If you're unclear, the label on the milk you buy should make it clear.
Alcohol
The fact that alcohol is not a healthy beverage for pregnant women and should be avoided throughout pregnancy won't come as a surprise. Alcohol use during pregnancy has been linked to long-term damage to the unborn child, with greater consumption increasing the chance of injury. The advice is to abstain from alcohol entirely while pregnant and while attempting to conceive because the study on the effects of consuming a little quantity of it during pregnancy is uncertain.
Juices that have not been pasteurized, coffee or other such caffeinated drinks, sugary sodas, and liquids sweetened artificially, such as diet soda should also not be consumed while you are pregnant.
There is a lot of advice to consider when deciding what to drink while pregnant, as well as what beverages it may be advisable to restrict or completely avoid. Let's review everything we've covered thus far because we are aware of how difficult it may be to sort through the data and reach a conclusion. Water and pasteurized milk are two healthy beverages that are okay to take throughout pregnancy, but you don't have to stop drinking anything else. While coffee and tea are healthy during pregnancy as long as they are limited, mineral water, tonic water, water from plastic bottles, juices, smoothies, and sweetened carbonated beverages are all okay to consume in moderation. Alcohol, unpasteurized milk, and kombucha should all be completely avoided when pregnant.