When you are pregnant and you are interested in the thought: 23 week pregnancy diet. You will find many valuable info on that topic, as well as tips, guidance, thoughts, and answers for you to questions around carrying a child, right nutrition and diet programs.
We tell you how your diet should be at week 23 of pregnancy : why control the consumption of salt, the role of vitamin A in the body of the future mother; and in the development of the fetus, and the benefits of nuts.
Healthy pregnancy at week 23
Come out, why? control your intake during pregnancy?
Salt is an additive that enhances the flavors of food. However, its use in excess can cause serious circulatory and cardiovascular problems.
During pregnancy, certain food precautions should be taken, since the possible risks of not moderating or avoiding certain foods not only affect the future mother, but also the baby. Therefore, it is essential to find what is the appropriate amount that the pregnant woman can consume.
Functions of salt in the body
Salt is an important source of sodium for the body , a mineral necessary for its proper functioning. Sodium ensures correct cellular osmoregulation, that is, the maintenance of water and solutes on both sides of the cell membrane.
A low sodium intake can alter the fluid balance in the body, affecting the function of the placenta and the ability to maintain enough amniotic fluid.
What What happens if the pregnant woman consumes too much salt?
– It retains more fluids and edema may appear , mainly in the third trimester.
– The more sodium you eat, the less calcium you absorb , which causes an increase in the mother’s blood pressure, a situation that increases the risk of pre-eclampsia and childbirth premature.
-Additionally, high blood pressure can be transmitted to the baby, which can develop high blood pressure problems. You could also be born underweight due to poor calcium absorption.
– It compromises the functioning of the kidneys . Various studies have been done suggesting that a diet with excess salt prevents the proper development of the baby’s kidneys.
The ideal way to achieve adequate salt intake is to choose a salt that is minimally processed and respect the amounts that were used before pregnancy; also avoid highly processed foods.
Food supplements at week 23
Vitamin A: retinol
Vitamin A is a very important substance for health, especially in pregnancy, as it contributes to the health of the skin and the vision of the future baby. However, too much vitamin A can harm the fetus.
There are two types of vitamin A found in the diet:
Preformed Vitamin A (retinoids) , found in animal products such as beef, animal liver, fish, chicken and dairy products.
Provitamin A (carotenoids) , present in foods of plant origin, such as fruits and vegetables. The most common type of vitamin A is beta-carotene.
Functions of vitamin A
Vitamin A plays a fundamental role in having a healthy pregnancy and breastfeeding. Also:
– Helps to form and maintain healthy teeth, soft tissues and bones, mucous membranes and skin. This vitamin is also known as retinol , as it produces pigments in the retina of the eye.
-This vitamin also promotes good vision, specifically in dim light .
Vitamin A dosage during pregnancy and why it is dangerous in excess
The recommended dose of vitamin A during pregnancy is 800 micrograms per day (amount found in a medium carrot) . In fact, it is very difficult to overdose on vitamin A if you only eat foods that contain it; the danger comes when it is also ingested in food supplements or multivitamins. Therefore, during pregnancy you only need to consume supplements recommended by the gynecologist.
Because vitamin A is fat-soluble -that is, it has a fatty structure and cannot dissolve in water-, it cannot be eliminated in the urine and accumulates in the body.
If the pregnant woman consumes more than 3000 micrograms of vitamin A per day, it can cause malformations in the skull of the fetus, such as defects of the pinna, blindness or atrophy. It can also cause heart, nervous and immune system damage; even reaching termination of pregnancy.
Feeding in pregnancy at week 23
Nuts
Nuts are a group of foods that include grains, seeds, and fruits. In general, they have a low amount of water and a high fat content in common.
Its main benefits include the reduction of total blood cholesterol, specifically LDL, commonly known as “bad cholesterol”; Likewise, its consumption maintains and slightly increases HDL (“good”) cholesterol, reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Nuts in pregnancy
In the right amounts, nuts provide great benefits in pregnancy due to their content of fibers, unsaturated fats, minerals and vitamins.
During pregnancy, nuts:
-Protect from cardiovascular diseases and keep total cholesterol at its proper levels.
-They contain a significant amount of fiber, which reduces the risk of constipation, a very common illness in pregnancy.
-They provide minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, manganese, copper, phosphorus, selenium and zinc.
-They contain vitamin E, which is an antioxidant.
-Its proteins are of vegetable origin, so they are rich in arginine, an essential amino acid.
-There are studies that state that consuming nuts during pregnancy reduces the chances of the baby have allergies or develop asthma.
What is the appropriate amount of nuts to consume per day?
Preferably, what can fit in a handful should be eaten, always choosing toasted or natural nuts and not those with additional salt.
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