Did you know that poor dieting while pregnant could risk your life and that of your unborn baby? The baby could also come out premature or with various defects. 

Farmer-produced food comes with several benefits over many bought in supermarkets or elsewhere. Their nutritional content and flavor don't get altered like preserved or frozen foods.

You can also find them within 100 miles of your locality, meaning they haven't traveled over long distances to reach you. Large commercial farms modify their produce with chemicals to make them travel-worthy. They also preserve them artificially to prolong their lives.

The chemicals used in these processes may affect your health and your unborn baby. That's why in this article, we shall discuss the best healthy fresh foods to eat while pregnant.

Your diet should be rich in proteins, healthy fats, minerals, vitamins, fiber, carbohydrates, and fluids as a pregnant woman. Fortunately, you will find all these nutrients from fresh produce produced by a farmer next door. They include;

Legumes

Excellent examples of legumes for you and your forming baby includes and are not limited to;

• Soybeans
• Peas
• Peanuts
• Lentils
• Chickpeas

They will supply you with calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, fiber, folate, and protein you need while pregnant. Studies indicate that a pregnant woman requires 600mcg of folate or vitamin B9 every day. It is not easy to achieve this unless you add some legumes to your diet.

But it would be best if you were careful where you buy your legumes. According to research, factors like storage method and period, temperature and humidity level, and soil properties may cause aflatoxins in legumes.

As stated by WHO, aflatoxins can damage your liver. Because of the large quantity, large farms producing legumes for commercial purposes may not dry them properly to meet their delivery deadlines. In the process, they may develop aflatoxins.

A farmer next door has ample time to dry his legumes properly. You can also buy fresh versions of some legumes such as snow peas and green peas. They will boost your immune system.

You may find legumes dried using improper methods such as chemicals that can harm you and the infant. Also, the stocked legumes in supermarkets could have overstayed and be expired. The only sure way to enjoy healthy legumes is by buying them from your local farmer.

Eggs

An egg is a hub for all essential nutrients required in the body. Your baby will need choline, a critical nutrient in eggs, to develop his brain, preventing spine and brain abnormalities. Experts say that a pregnant woman requires 450mg of choline per day. One egg contains approximately 147mg.

Most local farmers allow their chicken to free-range. Penn State University found that organic eggs contain more of the following elements than eggs from caged chicken;

• Extra 40% of vitamin A
• Additional three times of omega-3 fatty acids
• Twice the amount of vitamin E

Most supermarkets stock non-organic eggs. The best eggs choice are farmer-produced.

White Meat and Red Meat

Both meat types contain many nutrients such as iron, vitamin Bs, and choline. What differentiates the two kinds of meat is their fat content. Red meat has more, including minerals and vitamins.

But despite that, if consumed highly, red meat can facilitate some cancer types, like colorectal. When pregnant, a small amount of both meat types will help you and your unborn baby. Your red blood cells require enough iron for the formation of hemoglobin.

You will need more iron in your third trimester because your blood increases volume. Otherwise, you may suffer from certain complications such as anemia or risk giving birth to a low-weight baby.

Meat from the supermarket may be canned or frozen to preserve it to last for an extended period. Canned food consists of a handful of problems. In the process, the nutrients contents and flavor get compromised. A nearby farm will sell you freshly cut meat.

Berries

Despite being nutritionally healthy for you and your baby, you will love the taste of berries. Though sweet, you don't have to worry about your sugar levels increase. They may have few calories but are rich in fiber, vitamin C, antioxidants, water, and healthy carbs.

Excellent examples of berries ideal for you and your unborn child include;

• Raspberries
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Acai berries
• Goji berries

Most supermarkets sell canned berries. Studies indicate that fruits' mineral and vitamin value will decrease by 65% when canned. It's better to buy fresh berries from a nearby farmer.

Avocados

They contain healthy fats and are rich in vitamins B, C, E, and K. You will also enjoy a lot of copper and potassium ideal for your baby's growth.

The fatty fats will assist in building your unborn baby's tissues, brain, and skin. Thanks to folate found in the avocado, your baby will also be safe from developing spine and brain developmental abnormalities.

While pregnant, you may suffer from leg cramps. But you need not worry about that when you consume enough avocados. The potassium content in the fresh fruits will sort you out. You can eat them in various ways to improve their taste. For example, put some in your smoothies or salads.

Supermarkets freeze avocados to preserve them. Studies show that freezing avocados interferes with their quality.

It will affect their taste, color, nutrient value, and texture.

Identify a fresh fruit supplier within your locality and source them from there.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes contain carotenoids, the reason behind their orange color. When consumed, carotenoids convert into vitamin A, essential for developing a baby's skin, bones, eyes, and lungs. Other important nutrients in sweet potatoes include;

• Manganese
• Vitamin B6
• Potassium
• Vitamin C
• Fiber

Vitamin B6 will help with your morning sickness.

Conclusion

Great fresh foods to eat while pregnant should contain all the essential nutrients you and your developing baby needs.

There are many healthy, fresh farmer-produced food you can eat. We picked the foods discussed above from the long list.

As illustrated above, sourcing your fresh foods from a local farmer comes with many benefits. You will enjoy all the nutritional value and natural taste, texture, color, and flavor of such foods. The results will be a healthy baby and mother!