Pregnancy is an amazing and beautiful journey for most, but this does not mean it doesn’t come with thousands of rules and regulations to be followed. When pregnant, it is essential to consume a healthy and nutritious diet to keep you energized and nourish the developing baby. The paleo diet or the caveman’s diet emphasizes the food that our ancestors used to consume and the ingredients of this diet include everything which is natural. There are numerous benefits of eating a paleo diet during pregnancy as it is full of proteins, vitamin A, beta carotene, healthy fats, vitamin D, folate, and iron. These nutrients are important for the mother as well as the child.

Paleo is a very healthy diet to follow during pregnancy as it comprises proteins and there are no grains in this diet. However, before adopting this diet plan, it is absolutely necessary to consult a medical professional and assess the risk for your individual case. One of the best tips for following a paleo diet is consuming natural oils such as olive oil or omega-3 and others that have fatty acids. These are required to keep the mother and unborn baby’s nervous system healthy.

Below are a few of the best tips for following a paleo diet during pregnancy:

• Staple paleo foods such as lean meats, fruits, fish, nuts and seeds, and vegetables including starchy tubers and roots should be had in abundance as they are beneficial for pregnant women.
• As this diet is rich in iron, it prevents anemia during pregnancy. The diet does not allow the consumption of grains that contain phytates that prevent the absorption of iron, zinc, and calcium, making it important to avoid those options.
• One of the tips for following a paleo diet is that expectant mothers should replace processed carbs with options such as sweet potatoes and other starchy vegetables. They can also opt for brown rice or quinoa.
• Also, the intake of proteins in the diet needs to be reduced as excessive protein can lead to a low birth weight baby.
• As pregnant women need the nutrients found in dairy products, they can have calcium-rich foods such as legumes, broccoli, and kale.

The best tips for following a paleo diet during pregnancy are choosing fattier meats and fish, adding more plant fats, and eating root vegetables daily to reduce the risk of consuming too much protein. You can also add legumes to the diet as it helps fulfill folate requirements.

The paleo diet has a low glycemic index which is beneficial to keep blood sugar levels balanced. It reduces the risk of gestational diabetes in pregnant women. Additionally, this diet plan also protects pregnant women against common issues arising during pregnancy such as gas and acidity.