PREGNANCY DIET: DOS and DON’TS

1. Wholesome (Pathya) Food

2. Unwholesome (Apathya) Food

Pathya is a sanskrit word that means – belonging to a particular way or being healthy, fit, suitable or appropriate. Pathya, which is the Aahar (food) that calms the mind, is beneficial to the body and provides nutrients and Apathya is opposite of its means which harms the body

Some common examples of wholesome and unwholesome food is a follow:

Wholesome (Pathya) Food – 

• Cereals – Wheat, Rice
• Pulses – Green gram, split green gram, moong dal, split pigeon peas
• Vegetables – Bottle gourd, ridge gourd, bitter gourd, pointed gourd, drumstick, amaranth leaves, tomatoes, spiny gourd, pumpkin, capsicum
• Leafy Vegetables – Potherb leaves, coriander, fenugreek, mint, curry leaves
• Fruits – Apple, coconut, custard apple, grapes, pomegranate, sugarcane juice, mango, sweet lime, lemon, Indian gooseberry, banana and other seasonal fruits
• Spices – Coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cumin powder, cinnamon, clove, cardamom, bay leaf, chili powder, turmeric
• Dry fruits – Almonds, cashew, pistachio, apricot, walnut, raisins
• Salt – Sendha namak and black salt
• Milk – Cow milk
• Ghee – Cow ghee
• Oil – Sesame oil

Unwholesome (Apathya) Food – 

• Refined flour (maida) and related food items like pav, noodles, bread, pasta and cakes 
• Fermented items like khaman, dhokla, Sev khamni, locho, idali, dosa, uttapam 
• Oily and spicy food
• Chillies, pickles and papad
• Fast food and junk food

According to Ayurveda, there has to be a good balance of six rasa in the expectant mother’s diet.