7 Food recommendations for pregnant women so that babies are smart & bull; hello healthy

The development of the baby's brain has started since he was in the mother's womb. The early period of the formation of the baby's brain in the womb can determine the growth and development of the child's brain later. So, for babies to grow smart, pregnant women need to support their development by eating various types of food.

What are the nutrients for pregnant women from food sources that can help optimize the development of the baby's brain since in the womb? The following is the complete information.

List of food choices for pregnant women so that babies are smart

Since the first trimester of pregnancy, the neural network in the baby's brain develops so that it is able to support the baby to learn to move in the womb.

Entering the second trimester of pregnancy, the growth of nerve tissue is increasingly accompanied by the formation of brain tissue.

Arriving in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy, the baby's brain is fully developed to prepare him to learn well in the future, launching from the Pregnancy Birth and Baby page.

All these long processes can be supported by food intake for pregnant women so that babies are smart.

Not only for the baby's brain intelligence so that he is smart, optimal nutritional intake during pregnancy also helps ensure that the baby develops normally.

For pregnant women, the following are food recommendations for fetal brain development in the womb in order to grow into a smart baby:

1. Fish

There are many myths that say that pregnant women should not eat fish because later their children will smell fishy. No need to worry because this statement is just a myth.

On the other hand, fish actually becomes food that is needed by pregnant women to support the growth and development of the fetal brain in the womb.

This is because fish is a food for pregnant women that contains lots of omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA (docosahexanoic acid).

Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of fat found naturally in fish.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, omega-3 fatty acids are important for optimizing a baby's brain development before and after birth.

While DHA is very important to help the growth of the brain and nervous system of children in the womb.

You may often hear the content of DHA in formula milk.

However, you can get these food nutrients from fish to be given to the baby in the womb to support intelligence.

Mothers can eat fatty fish such as salmon and tuna during pregnancy.

Fish also contains vitamin D which is important for supporting the growth of the bones and teeth of the baby in the womb.

We recommend that you eat fish as food for pregnant women so that the baby is smart at least 2 servings per week.

2. Spinach

Spinach is one of the green vegetables that you can easily get.

Spinach is a food source that contains folic acid which is one of the various important nutrients for pregnant women so that their babies are smart.

Folic acid is needed to help the initial formation of the baby's brain and spinal cord, helps produce new DNA, and regulates cell metabolism.

Apart from that, folic acid can also act as an antioxidant that can protect your baby's brain tissue from damage.

Lack of folic acid during pregnancy can increase your baby's risk of birth defects.

You are advised to meet the needs of folic acid during pregnancy even before becoming pregnant.

Quoting from the Mayo Clinic, folic acid in food can help prevent neural tube defects, spinal cord disorders, and abnormalities in the baby's brain from in the womb.

Apart from spinach, you can get folic acid from other green vegetables, such as kale, broccoli, mustard greens, lettuce, and so on.

3. Meat

Meat is often considered not good because it can cause obesity, increase cholesterol, and other negative effects.

However, wait a minute, these dangers are likely to occur only if you eat an excessive amount of meat.

Meanwhile, if eaten in sufficient quantities as needed, meat contains a lot of nutrients, such as iron and zinc.

The iron and zinc content in these foods are also nutrients that pregnant women need for brain growth and development so that babies are smart.

Iron affects the production of compounds in the brain and the formation of myelin which is responsible for accelerating communication between nerves in the brain.

In addition, iron can also support oxygen transport from mother to baby in the womb. Lack of iron can cause mental development problems in children.

While zinc is needed to help form cells and tissues and is essential for building brain structure.

In order to avoid the negative effects of meat, you should pay attention to the amount of consumption and make sure you choose lean meat.

4. Eggs

Source: Once Upon A Chef

Eggs have been known as a source of food rich in protein.

However, more than that, eggs also contain many important nutrients, such as iron and choline.

These two nutrients in the diet of pregnant women are very important for the growth and development of the fetus's brain in the womb so that it is born as a smart baby.

On the other hand, choline is useful in helping the development of memory and learning abilities of children later.

Choline content is found in the egg yolk.

5. Nuts

Nuts can be used as snacks during pregnancy.

Apart from being rich in protein, niacin, omega-3 fatty acids, and folic acid, nuts are also good sources of vitamin E.

Vitamin E is not only a vitamin for pregnant women, but is also needed to support the function of DHA and also to protect the baby's brain cell membranes in the womb.

Nuts also contain vitamin B6 which can help the baby's brain function normally because it supports communication between brain cells.

6. Avocado

Avocado is a fruit that contains good fats in the type of monounsaturated fatty acids.

This content is one of the reasons avocado is a fruit recommendation for pregnant women.

The brain craves intake of unsaturated fats, aka good fats. This is because during the development of the fetus in the womb, the brain is mostly composed of fat.

Interestingly, avocado contains high amounts of oleic acid which helps to form and maintain myelin.

Because of its very good benefits, avocado is one of the foods recommended for consumption by pregnant women during pregnancy so that the baby is smart.

You can process avocado as a breakfast menu for pregnant women, either by eating it directly, processing it into juice, making bread filling, or making it into a salad.

7. Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene content. The content of these nutrients in these foods is also needed by pregnant women to optimize the development of the baby's brain in the womb to be smart.

This beta carotene will be converted into vitamin A by the body and functions to help the development of the baby's central nervous system.

Apart from sweet potatoes, other foods that also contain beta-carotene are carrots, kale, spinach, mustard greens, pumpkin, and others.

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