A healthy diet is important for everyone, but for pregnant women, pregnancy will require a healthy diet for both the mom and the baby. Nigerian food is rich and nutritious; there's something for every palate, even in the sensitive time of pregnancy. That's why we have prepared a food time table for pregnancy in Nigeria; to help you maintain a healthy diet during your pregnancy. And if you're not pregnant but know someone who is, please share this with them. This food time table for pregnancy in Nigeria is for every Nigerian pregnant woman.
Here's our food time table for pregnancy in Nigeria
| DAYS |
MONDAY |
TUESDAY |
WEDNESDAY |
THURSDAY |
FRIDAY |
SATURDAY |
SUNDAY |
| BREAKFAST |
Akamu and akara with milk |
Fried eggs and boiled ripe plantains |
Custard with bread and milk |
Boiled potatoes and egg sauce (no raw eggs) |
Tea and bread with moi moi |
Chicken pepper soup with rice |
Akamu and bread |
| LUNCH |
Egusi soup with swallow (eba, fufu, semo, or any swallow of your choice) |
Vegetable soup with swallow |
Oha soup with swallow |
Afang soup with swallow of choice |
Efo riro with swallow or rice |
White soup and pounded yam |
Jollof rice and fried chicken |
| DINNER |
Beans pottage |
Moi-moi |
Boiled yam and stew |
Rice and goat meat pepper soup |
Beans and dodo |
Moi moi and tea |
Spaghetti and suya |
Please note: You should make fruits a big part of your diet. Eat 1 serving of fruits every day. Soft or unpasteurised cheese and raw eggs should be avoided along with raw papaya.
This meal plan and food timetable for pregnancy in Nigeria will help you balance your pregnancy diet!
This is why you need this food time table for pregnancy in Nigeria
Foodstuff is expensive in Nigeria, and you might be worried about being able to afford a rich diet for you and your unborn baby. The good news is that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get the right nutrients. You just need to eat a variety of things to get the right balance in your diet.
Healthy eating tips for your pregnancy diet
1. No eating for two
In this food timetable for pregnancy in Nigeria, we encourage you to avoid eating for two. Granted, you will be hungrier now that you are pregnant, and it is easy to fall into the temptation of overeating.
According to this article published on Livestrong, eating for two could lead to problems like gestational diabetes, heartburn and other kinds of discomfort, high
birth weight for your baby, and massive weight gain for the mama.
2. Observe proper food hygiene
You need to wash your fruits and vegetables thoroughly to remove debris, sand and germs. Pregnant women who don’t take the time to clean their food properly are at risk of getting toxoplasmosis.
Toxoplasmosis can lead to damage to your heart, eyes, brains and even lungs. Worst of all, it can affect the unborn baby through the placenta.
Also, it is not safe to eat undercooked meats and fish during pregnancy. Ensure that eggs, beef, chicken, sausages and other foods are well-cooked.
3. Cut out sugar and foods that are high in fats
Everyone has the occasional sweet tooth, but you will have to watch your sugar intake during pregnancy. Sugar has been linked to excessive weight gain and tooth decay. Also, fatty foods can increase bad cholesterol in your blood and eventually lead to heart disease.
Food time table for pregnancy in Nigeria: Healthy Tips Contd.
4. Eat dairy during pregnancy
Milk, cheese and yoghurt are important during pregnancy. You need to include lots of low-fat dairy products in your Nigerian food timetable for pregnancy. Your baby needs the calcium and other nutrients you will get from milk and other dairy products
5. Proteins in pregnancy
Nigeria has a lot of foods that are rich in protein. You should eat beans, fish, eggs, nuts, chicken, beef, etc. You should proteins every day during your pregnancy.
6. Eat fruits and vegetables during pregnancy
Fruits and vegetables are important in your Nigerian food timetable for pregnancy. Fruits like mangoes, bananas, pineapples, watermelons, and oranges are rich in vitamins and minerals.
For vegetables, you can eat ugu leaves or fluted pumpkin, cucumbers, afang, oha leaves, editan leaves, spinach, carrots. These vegetables help in digestion and preventing constipation during pregnancy.
As mentioned before, you need to wash your fruits and vegetables thoroughly to prevent infections and diseases.
7. Eat starchy foods and carbohydrates during pregnancy
Fortunately, starchy foods are the staple foods in Nigeria. It is important to include carbs in your Nigerian food timetable for pregnancy because these foods will fill you up and give you lots of energy.
You should eat carbs like fufu, eba, maize, potatoes, noodles, rice, bread, cassava, yams, cocoyams, and millet.
It is best to eat unprocessed carbs, which means buying your foods fresh from the market.
Resources: NHS
Livestrong
Healthline
WebMD
Also Read: How to stop fibroids from growing during pregnancy
