Doctors have long been talking about the benefits of frequent meals: it is better to divide the daily diet into several parts and eat a little every two to three hours. It is especially important for pregnant women to eat fractionally, a large amount of food at one time can lead to heaviness in the stomach and digestive problems.
Eating frequency during pregnancy
Diet is important for all people, regardless of gender, age and health status. Doctors recommend dividing the daily allowance not into three meals, as is customary in many families, but by at least five, and in some diseases this figure increases to six or seven. Fractional nutrition is necessary for several reasons. First, the body cannot simultaneously assimilate a large amount of nutrients. For example, according to nutritionists, only 30 grams of protein is perceived per meal - that is, if a person eats more, he will not get any benefit from it. The metabolic rate decreases with rare meals.
Secondly, long periods between meals lead to a deficiency of amino acids, as a result of which muscles begin to break down for their production. This is especially important for people who have an intense workout during the day. And thirdly, too dense food intake loads the stomach, and if you eat it little by little and often, then it will cope well with its tasks.
Also, all nutritionists are advised to eat in accordance with a certain regimen, by the hour, so the digestive system will work better.
All of the listed advantages of frequent meals are especially important for women during pregnancy. The uterus with the fetus expands, taking up a lot of space in the abdomen, there is no additional space for the stomach, the intestines are also under stress, so digestion in pregnant women is more fragile. A large amount of food taken in one meal causes heaviness in the stomach, heartburn, and difficulty with digestion. And all of the above recommendations for many become a necessity.
How often should you eat during different periods of pregnancy?
In the first half of pregnancy, you need to eat at least four, and preferably five times a day. The diet should be scheduled by the hour. While the child is small, digestive problems are rare, but overeating is not worth it anyway. Ideal schedule: breakfast at 8-9 o'clock, lunch at 13 o'clock, afternoon tea at 16-15 o'clock and dinner at 19 o'clock, it is possible later depending on the time of sleep.
In the second half of pregnancy, you need to increase the number of meals per day. By this time, many organs increase in size, interfering with normal digestion and forcing to reduce the volume of one meal. Doctors advise to eat 5-6 times a day, supplement your diet with a second breakfast and a small snack two hours before bedtime.
