FOOD FOR YOUR BABY’S BRAIN ~ OMEGA FATS & IRON DURING PREGNANCY
Looking for a few new snack ideas? How about recipes that will taste delicious and benefit your baby’s brain at the same time!
The food you eat during pregnancy can affect your baby’s growth and development in many ways. Two nutrients that have a big impact on their brain and cognitive development for years to come, are omega 3 fatty acids and iron.
OMEGA FATS
DHA is a form of omega-3 fatty acid that is important for brain development. It is an essential nutrient, which means that the body cannot make it – it must come from food or supplement. And it has been found to make up 90% of the omega-3 fatty acids found in the brain!
The significance of DHA in the diet starts from the moment of conception. Daily intake of foods and/or supplements that contain DHA while you are pregnant help to form your baby’s brain. The amount you eat directly affects the amount your baby has access to. If you breastfeed, this transfer continues through breastmilk.
Salmon and other fatty fish are the top sources of omega 3 fatty acids. Enjoying 2-3 servings per week is a great way to meet your needs. Here is a recipe you can try that is rich in omega 3 fatty acids.
However, you may have an aversion to strong fish tastes and smells while pregnant. If so, you can also find DHA in omega 3 eggs. There are many egg recipes in our 7-day pregnancy meal plan that you can use omega 3 eggs for to boost your daily intake.
You can also purchase fish oil supplements. Watch the labels to ensure that you choose one that is mercury free and a good source of DHA. We really like NutraSea and ThinkMist™-DHA DDrops®.
You may have heard that walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds, and avocado are sources of omega 3 fatty acids too. They are, but there is not a large conversion of the type of omega 3 fatty acid in them into DHA in our body. So while they are awesome foods to have in your diet, and do have health benefits, they do not provide enough to get the maximum benefit for your baby’s brain development. Having said that, everything adds up and it's great to have these foods as part of your diet too!
IRON
Iron is a mineral that has many incredible roles in the body. If your baby doesn’t have access to enough iron during pregnancy, there can be lack of brain development, and there is not an option for “catch-up growth” for this. Also, baby takes in enough iron to have stores for 3-6 months after birth!
Okay, so how can you get enough iron for this? During pregnancy you absorb three times more iron than outside of pregnancy. We always like to start with food sources for meeting nutrition needs. Beef, chicken, salmon, and eggs are great sources of iron that is absorbed well. However, calcium can interfere with iron absorption, so try to separate iron-rich foods from calcium-rich foods as much as possible. Plant-based iron sources such as oats, apricots, and blacks beans are best served with a vitamin C source as that helps with absorption.
Often food sources aren’t quite enough. A daily iron supplement of 30 mg per day is recommended and you will absorb about 30-45% of that amount. Iron supplements can cause stomach pain and/or constipation. You might find taking them just before bed works well. If you are looking for more tips for relieving constipation you can find them here.
Looking for a few iron-rich meals for days when that supplement is hard to get down? We have you covered! Our 7-day pregnancy meal plan has a ton of iron rich recipes so you and baby get all that you need.
Okay, but what if all of this sounds amazing but you are too nauseous to even think about trying it? Check out our free eBook to help reduce your nausea and increase your interest in all your favourite foods!
