24 Vitamin B Rich Foods You Should Include In Your Diet During Pregnancy
A balanced diet not only means energy but also nutrients. Vitamins and minerals make up for, probably the most, important constituents in your diet. Though they are needed in small amounts, they actually do a good job of maintaining your body’s well being, especially if you are soon to be a mom.
Vitamins, naturally, play a vital role in the development of your unborn baby. Among the many vitamins present, vitamin B in pregnancy is considered crucial.
Vitamin B During Pregnancy – Why It Is Essential?
There are several different types of B vitamins, with their distinct importance, when it comes to maintaining overall health.
However, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 are two extremely important types of vitamin B during pregnancy in particular.
- It is essential to note that these values are usually fulfilled if you follow a simple and healthy diet.
- Most supplements tend to contain higher amounts of vitamins than required on a daily basis, which could pose health risks associated with overdose. Thus, best avoided, particularly during pregnancy.
- That is why it is imperative to eat right, and not just eat what is available!
- Drafting a food chart and menu planning every week is the best way to get all your nutrients from your diet.
[ Read: Calcium Tablets During Pregnancy ]
Importance OF Vitamin B6 During Pregnancy:
Vitamin B6 is also known as pyridoxine. It is packed with many benefits for your developing baby.
- It is essential for your body when it comes for boosting metabolism from fats, carbohydrates and proteins.
- It is thought to help in the formation of RBCs, neurotransmitters and many antibodies, which make them extremely crucial during pregnancy.
- Several studies have revealed that a little extra vitamin B6 during pregnancy may help females cope up with vomiting and nausea.
[ Read: Iron Tablets During Pregnancy ]
Importance Of Vitamin B12 During Pregnancy:
Vitamin B12 is also known to play a crucial role in the development of the fetus. “Vitamin B12 is essential for the functioning of the nervous system and for the production of red blood cells,” says Duane Alexander, MD, director of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, USA.
- Deficiency of this vitamin is thought to cause brain and spinal cord defects in your baby.
- It is also thought to significantly raise the risk of anencephaly. This is a potentially lethal condition which is characterized by severely underdeveloped brain and skull.
- Partial paralysis is also noted among foetus. When mothers may have a deficiency of this vitamin during pregnancy.
[ Read: Vitamin B12 In Pregnancy ]
Common Food Sources Of B6 & B12:
The best way to get your daily quota of vitamins and minerals is to eat healthy and nutritious foods. Here we’ve listed down the best food sources of both vitamin B6 and vitamin B12.
Vitamin B6:
- Eggs
- Soya beans
- Milk
- Potatoes
- Fish
- Whole cereals
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Pork
- Fortified breakfast cereals
- Bread
- Peanuts
- Banana
- Spinach
- Hazelnuts
- Avocado
- Brown rice
Vitamin B12:
- Meat
- Cheese
- Eggs
- Cod
- Salmon
- Fortified breakfast cereals
- Salmon
[ Read: Ibuprofen During Pregnancy ]
Right Dosage Of Vitamin B6 & B12:
Just like a deficiency of a particular vitamin could pose health risks, an overdose too, may be harmful, especially in the long run.
- The maximum amount that is thought to be safe for consumption of vitamin B6 is 100 mg, regardless of the fact that you are pregnant or not.
- Healthy adults require around 0.0015 mg of vitamin B12 a day.
Now that you got to know why is Vitamin B important during pregnancy, hope you will definitely include it. Before consuming any amount of vitamins it is always best to consult your healthcare provider. As he or she knows the best for you.
A healthy and nutritious diet indeed does a good job of delivering you the much needed vitamins. But you may fall short of them sometimes, especially during pregnancy. This is the time when you have to provide these essentials to your baby without fail. So talk to your doctor and get your list of vitamin B requirements.
Tell us what foods you consume or had consumed to provide your growing baby with vitamin B.
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