Diet Tips for Second Trimester

Glass of milk

Milka

A glass of semi-skimmed milk is packed with calcium and magnesium. If you do not eat dairy products, you should have calcium-fortified soy foods, such as soya yogurts. Keeping up your stores of calcium in pregnancy help your baby’s bones and teeth to develop and grow strong, and a vitamin D supplement helps your body to absorb and use calcium.

Baked potato with beans

Baked potato with beans

A jacket potato with baked beans makes magnesium, iron, and fiber-rich meal. Magnesium is important for bone development and helps your body to convert food into energy.

A variety of vegetables

Vegetables

Incorporate vegetables that contain magnesium and calcium such as broccoli, green beans, carrots, cabbage, and okra into your meals. Stir-fry or steam to retain the nutrients, and try not to overcook them.

Sunflower and pumpkin seeds

Sunflower and pumpkin seeds

A small handful of sunflower seeds of pumpkin seeds, whether as a snack to nibble, or added to yogurt and salads, will give you magnesium, iron, and omega-3 boost.

Dried fruit

Dried fruits

Dried fruit such as apricots, dates, and figs contain calcium and iron and are great snacks to have stashed on your desk. Or add some chopped to low-fat yogurt.

Brown rice vegetable risotto

Brown rice vegetable

Wholegrain or brown rice and mushrooms contain magnesium, fiber, vitamin D, and calcium. Try a mushroom risotto with cooked spinach on the side, or with peas mixed through. Or make a chicken and edamame bean pilaf with brown basmati rice.

Peanut butter on whole-meal bread

Peanut butter

Peanut butter, or any nut butter, contains healthy fats and is a good source of magnesium and iron, as is fortified whole-grain bread. The two together make a sustaining snack, and a glass of milk on the side adds calcium.

Cheese on seeded bread

Cheese on seeded bread

Low-fat cream cheese, or any cheese that you like, on seeded bread, will give you calcium, as well as magnesium. Have with crunchy salad such as radishes and cucumber.

Hummus

Hummus

Have a pot of low-fat hummus in the fridge for a tasty way to get calcium and iron. A small wholegrain pitta or granary bread and crunchy raw vegetables will add magnesium.

Canned sardines

Canned sardines

Mash canned sardines, including the soft, edible bones, on a slice of wholegrain toast. Or mix through spaghetti with a little parmesan and pine nuts for extra magnesium and iron. Choose sardines in oil or tomato sauce. A watercress salad is a refreshing accompaniment that is packed with calcium and vitamin C.

A little dark chocolate