When they’re not topped with fattening dressings, salads are generally a smart meal choice during pregnancy because they are packed with the nutrients your baby needs to develop. However, some of the ingredients commonly found in salads can endanger your baby’s safety. Before you consume any salad, ensure it has been prepared properly and doesn’t contain any of the foods that are unsafe during pregnancy.
Garden salads filled with a variety of vegetables are a great source of vitamins and minerals. Because you need an increased amount of folate and iron, consider making your salad with spinach instead of lettuce. One cup of raw spinach provides .81 milligrams of iron and 58 micrograms of folate. Add cheese for calcium, but don’t use imported soft cheese as it may contain listeria, a bacteria that can cause a miscarriage. Always wash vegetables thoroughly to prevent ingesting the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which causes toxoplasmosis.
Fruits salads provide a sweeter-tasting choice. Any fruit is safe. Strawberries, kiwis, bananas, apples, blueberries, raspberries, grapes and peaches are common choices. Depending on your height, weight and trimester, you will need anywhere from 4 1/2 cups to 6 cups of fruits and vegetables a day. You need more fruit in the third trimester. If you desire a topping, avoid those with calories mainly from fats and sugars, such as whipped cream. Try a yogurt spread instead. One cup of yogurt provides one out of the three to four daily servings of dairy.
Meat and Seafood Salads
Protein is important for your baby’s growth, but many common sources of protein in salads are not safe when you are pregnant. Avoid salads with deli meats, raw fish, raw eggs, smoked seafood and fish with high amounts of mercury. The occasional salad with canned, chunk light tuna may be OK because this type of tuna is lowest in mercury, but check with your doctor to determine a safe amount. Salads with nuts, tofu, cooked chicken, turkey or salmon are safe choices to receive your needed two to three daily servings of protein.
Bean and Grain Salads
For a less traditional dish, try a bean or pasta salad. Make a mixed bean salad with a variety of unsalted beans for a good source of iron and protein. Add veggies, such as sweet potato, corn and bell peppers. Season with citrus fruit juice or a traditional vinegar-based salad dressing. Anything goes with a pasta salad. Cook vegetables to serve cold with pasta. Good choices include asparagus, green beans, carrots and broccoli. Just four boiled spears of asparagus contain 89 micrograms of vitamin D, which helps baby’s bones and teeth grow. Many pasta salad recipes call for eggs. Instead of using undercooked eggs, which are dangerous for your baby, use an egg substitute.
Articles For Your Diet
- spinach salad image by Trevor Allen from Fotolia.com