Healthy Snacks for Pregnancy Cravings

There are almost half of the reports which mention about pregnant women talking about pregnancy cravings. But again when you are looking to eat for two then it becomes quite difficult to juggle between one’s urge and to adjust the nutritional need for the unborn as well.

Below are four of the healthy snack options for pregnant women which can help them to satisfy their cravings and at the same time would leave them guilt free as well.

• For pregnant women, there can be a combination of two food group items. It would contain fibre, protein as well as healthy fats. Spread one or two tablespoons of peanut butter onto sliced apples or whole grain crackers. You can go in for natural instead of the regular peanut butter since it has the unhealthy hydrogenated oil which is not good for both the mother as well as the baby. Most of the women do not get their daily intake of desired fibre to start with and during the term of pregnancy a lady the need of fibre increases to about 28 to 30 grams. This can be too much of it especially while one has to also deal with issues of morning sickness during the first trimester. So as to ensure that one gets the daily fibre intake it is a smart option to include plenty of fresh fruits as well as veggies in your diet which can also keep the body hydrated. A medium sized apple is known to have more than 4 grams of fibre and it only contains 95 calories. Apples are said to be mostly crunchy and also very much portable. The peel of apple is also full of pectin which is said to be a soluble fibre that can help in improving the digestive health of the individual.

• In case of crunch craving, one can go in for whole grain, high fibre containing tortilla chips which can be dipped in guacamole which is again high in folate and vitamin B which is said to prevent any birth defects in the unborn. It is also known to contain some heart healthy fats. You can go in for around ten tortilla chips which are low sodium along with one fourth cup of guacamole. Many of the women complain of swelling in their hands, ankles, feet and calves at certain point of their pregnancy. Trying to avoid excess of sodium would help to beat the bloating issue. When one consumes too much of salt then the body starts to hold excess water for keeping the levels of sodium in the body to a balanced one. By drinking more of water and also eating food which has high water content it would help to flush out any excess salt from the body’s system. Guacamole is known to be loaded with potassium which is an important mineral that helps to maintain a proper balance of fluid as well as electrolyte in the cells of the body. You can also make a mash of ripe avocado along with lime juice and then stir some cilantro or chopped onion in it. For those who really love to have their guacamole along with tortilla chips can look out for chips which has less than 100mg of sodium in every one ounce of serving.

• Go in for three servings of low fat dairy on a daily basis which can help to provide enough of calcium for strong bones as well as teeth. Greek yogurt is known to contain more proteins than the regular yogurt and it is also much more filling than the regular one. The plain yogurt is known to contain less sugar than the flavoured one but they both are considered to be a healthy option. You can sprinkle one or two tablespoons or nuts for an added protein as well as fibre. They can be also topped with fruits such as berries or raisins. Calcium is another must have nutrient for a pregnant woman. A pregnant woman ideally should be needing around 1000mg of calcium on a daily basis. Calcium is not only important for maintaining those bones and teeth strong but it is also essential for structuring of baby’s bones. If one does not get enough of these minerals or vitamins through the food which one consumes or through the supplements the baby would start to take it from the mother’s bones. The prenatal vitamins which are mostly packed with other nutrients mostly do not contain calcium hence do not count on them much for meeting your daily needs. One of the recipe for consuming greek yogurt would be to take a small container of plain greek yogurt and top it with one cup of blueberries and two tablespoons of chopped walnuts. Greek yogurt as mentioned earlier is loaded with proteins since for making it there is twice as much as milk required thereby boosting of 14grams of protein. It also provides 15 percent of the daily calcium need, apart from this it also contains probiotics which can help in making the digestive system healthy. When greek yogurt is topped with blueberries then it nearly adds up to four grams of fibre with just 84 calories in addition to the boost of antioxidant. The two tablespoons of chopped walnuts would make up for 93 calories and a gram of fibre along with the healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Walnuts are also said to contain Biotin which can also help one to get the energy from the food which we eat.

• Here is some good news for chocolate loving people. Chocolates are known to lower the risk of pre-eclampsia. It is a condition which is known to cause high blood pressure or organ damage to certain pregnant women. You can go in for some chocolate covered fruit so as to avoid the chocolate from getting too sweet. Preparation of chocolate pudding with milk would help to boost the dairy intake as well as help to build the bones of the baby. In moderation chocolate is anytime good but do not overeat it since eating lot of chocolates would make you feel less hungry for any other kind of healthy food items which would be needed for a balanced diet and chocolates again are high in calories and can also contribute to weight gain. Chocolate also contain caffeine which may not be good for a pregnant woman if taken too much.