The foods that new moms consume play a major role in both the mother’s and the baby’s health. It is important for nursing moms/breastfeeding moms to take care of themselves as much as they care for their babies. This is because her health is the replica of the baby’s health too! It is important for mothers to have a balanced diet rather than just focusing on filling their stomachs with carbohydrates. Their meal should contain a lot of proteins, vitamins, fats, fibres, and more. Rather than making their plate filled with rice, including two to three varieties of vegetables, curries, and even fruits.
Our diet gets balanced and more nutritious only when healthy fats are been indulged in our meals on a daily basis. When it comes to fat, most of us avoid it. But choosing the right kind of fats is necessary for the body to be wholly balanced and healthy. Want to know what are fats? Fats are one of the essential nutrients for our body as much as proteins. The role of fats help absorb the vitamins into the body better.
Different Types of Fats:
Fats are generally of 4 categories. They are
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Trans Fat:
It is a type of dietary fat which is not good for health. This should be consumed only in moderation. Some of the examples of trans fat are fried foods, biscuits/cookies, pizza, and more.
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Saturated Fat:
This is also one of the unhealthy fats which seems to be similar to trans fat. Too much saturated fat would add to health issues in your body.
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Monounsaturated Fats:
They are one of the healthy fats that helps in lowering cholesterol. It helps in reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
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Polyunsaturated Fats:
This is also one of the most healthy fats that can be included in your everyday routine. This fat also helps in reducing the risk of heart disease.
Including Healthy Fats in our Bodies:
Wondering about the different options for including fats in a healthy way? Here are some of the healthy fat options for your reference:
- Avacado
- Different types of nuts like cashew nuts, almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts, and walnuts
- Peanut butter
- Including seeds like flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and pumpkin seeds.
- Having fish in your diet can give you a good amount of good fats.
- Eggs
- Oils like coconut oil, avocado oil, and olive oil have a good amount of fats
- Ghee – One of the best natural healthy fat
- Soymilk
- Cheese
Ways to Include Healthy Fats in Your Diet:
- Add one to two teaspoons of ghee to your afternoon meals.
- While cooking your dishes, adding olive oil or coconut oil can help in making your food healthier
- Add fish to your routine atleast twice a week
- While making any dishes, top it with seeds like sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and pumpkin seeds
- Make sure to add flax seed powder to your dosa or pancakes
- Use smashed avocado in your sandwiches to make them rich in fibre content.
- Have your snack by including nuts and seeds in your diet.
Conclusion:
Make sure to eat healthy and nutritious food for the health of both you and the baby, rather than just focusing on a diet or weight loss. You can focus on just healthy and mindful eating for the initial 6 – 10 months after delivering the baby.