During pregnancy, all women usually reconsider their daily consumption of food products and revise all their eating habits in general. What's especially interesting is that the choice of not just food but also beverages should undergo great changes during pregnancy. That's simply because not all beverages are beneficial and useful for women's health condition during this special period.
When you are expecting a baby, it is often better to choose healthy drink recipes for the benefit of your child and your own health. Let's take a closer look at not just the beverages that are beneficial and healthy for a woman during pregnancy, but also the ones that could be harmful to you and your baby.
So, speaking seriously about this precious time in the life of all women, it is especially important to take into consideration that every woman should drink sufficiently when expecting a baby unless it provokes edema in one’s particular case. Water is obviously the first and foremost beverage that should be included in the diet of women during pregnancy time. Pure water is all that you need. However, be careful with soda because the elements contained in this drink may just as well increase the chances of developing edema and may also cause serious problems with kidneys. In addition, soda beverages negatively affect the body so that it stops assimilating calcium normally.
You should not consume the aerated water either, at least for the period of pregnancy. This is not related to the dangers of carbonic acid gas. It is rather all about the extreme amount of sugar, colorants, and dangerous food additives so there is a great risk that your child may get allergic. Another risk faced by aerated water lovers is that it leads to an increased risk of premature birth.
Caffeine!
Beverages containing caffeine serve as a customary "wake me up" method. Still, pregnant women are usually not recommended to drink too many beverages with caffeine in them or at least it is better to reduce caffeine intake to a minimum. The advisable dosage of caffeine for pregnant women is not more than 200 mg daily, which translates into around two cups of coffee. This is simply because too much coffee often provokes an increased risk of tonus of the uterus. You should also avoid drinking dry coffee extract because it contains 4-5 times greater amount of caffeine than some other types of coffee. Still, a single cup of natural coffee daily may not cause too much harm, especially if you suffer from hypotension.
Cocoa drinks have their own pros and cons. One of the positive sides is that cocoa contains numerous vital minerals like iron and calcium but it may serve as a strong allergen which is harmful to women in their special condition.
In case you enjoy drinking tea, it would be better to substitute black tea with green or white one but you should still avoid drinking too strong tea. Best of all is to prepare berry or herbal tea, but be sure to make it yourself. Avoid purchasing the one that is sold at a tea store, because it may have "fruit additives" in it.
The healthiest and least harmful alternative is tea made of ginger, raspberry leaves and rose hips, as well as arrow-wood berries.
What about juices?
No one will argue that they are useful for the health of women expecting a baby but only the ones that you squeeze yourself. If you plan to purchase some juice, choose only the one that can be found in the baby food market. Avoid drinking any juice in excess amounts just because it is not quite harmless and may provoke a serious allergic reaction. If you prefer drinking fresh juices, it will be much better to opt for healthy fruit smoothie recipes that contain organic ingredients and will not provoke any harm to the baby.
As for dairy products, they are recommended to every pregnant woman. That’s because they encourage proper digestion and, consequently, allow you to keep your health in order. Nonetheless, it is vital to keep in mind that women during pregnancy should consume only pasteurized dairy products like milk and cheese because, otherwise, they will face a too high risk of bacterial infections. Instead, pasteurization allows killing dangerous bacteria without affecting the nutritional content of dairy products.
What about alcohol?
Well, it is a widespread fact that such drinks are no good for women in their special condition, so it would be better to completely avoid drinking alcoholic beverages for the period of pregnancy. As a last resort, a glass of red wine can be a monthly limit for all women expecting a baby.
