Insights

For Kenyan Moms: Best Foods to Eat While Pregnant

There is no other time in your life you will snack than when you are pregnant and why not? You are after all bringing life into this world.

With pregnancy comes a lot of cravings and in most cases, they are never the healthy ones. No matter how hard you try to keep your meals healthy, every now and then you will give in to the want to eat that bar of chocolate or bottle of soda.

However, this doesn’t always have to be the case, you can snack however much you want and still keep it healthy.

Here are the best foods to eat while pregnant and readily available in Kenya:

Eggs

As cliché as this may sound, eggs are actually an amazing food to eat during pregnancy. They are rich in many nutrients and minerals, especially choline which is vital for the development of the baby’s brain and spine.

So the next time you feel a little hungry, how about you fry up an egg or do a ‘boilo’?

Avocados

They say avocados can be paired with almost any food and during pregnancy, it should be your daily creed.

Other than the usual nutrients like Vitamin B, C and A available in avocados, they are also rich in potassium which will help relieve leg cramps.

Dairy products

This is the time to stock up on milk, your favourite yoghurts and if possible cheese. Your baby will need all the extra protein and calcium to develop.

If you are lactose intolerant, you could try some probiotic yoghurt but after consulting your doctor of course.

Sweet potatoes

You have probably heard this before; eat your sweet potatoes, they are the healthy choice. Yes, potatoes are rich in nutrients like Vitamin A and fibre that helps to reduce blood sugar spikes and improves your digestive health.

And the best thing about sweet potatoes is that you can prepare them in a hundred different ways like frying them, steaming, boiling, mashing, whatever you prefer.

Legumes

Imagine if you could get all the supplements you need in your food? Well, this is where legumes come in. They are rich in nutrients like iron, folate, fibre, protein, iron and even calcium all necessary for a baby’s growth.

Some of these legume products include peanuts, lentils, peas and beans that are all available in the nearest market next to you.

Carrots

If you are looking for a snack to fill the voids before main meals, then this is where carrots will come in. They are sweet, easy to carry around and best of all healthy.

And while at it you will be gaining vitamin A which is helpful in the development of the baby’s eyes and skin.