Must-have foods for new moms

New mothers need to take proper care of their dietary needs after delivery. Eating nutritious food throughout the day will help boost your energy levels, say experts.

Poornima Shankar, Nutritionist, The Himalaya Drug Company, and Sheela Krishnaswamy, Bengaluru-based Diet, Nutrition and Wellness Consultant, says new mothers should avoid eating foods that are heavily spiced.

• Post pregnancy, nursing mothers need 74 grams of protein per day in addition to their other daily nutrient necessities. Good quality proteins can be consumed through the inclusion of lean meats, fish, eggs while for vegetarians, nuts, seeds, dairy and legumes along with rice, wheat, millets, or any other cereal provides complementary proteins that meet your daily protein needs.
• Calcium needs increase by about 600 mg per day and dairy products like curd, buttermilk, milk, paneer and cheese, as also ragi, dark green leafy vegetables, almonds, soybean, etc can help you in meeting these additional needs.
• Mothers need about 500-600 kcal extra per day while breast feeding their babies as energy is required for producing milk. The quickest and best source of energy is carbohydrates, which help you produce milk for your new born baby. Maintain blood sugar levels by not consuming excess sugar to gain energy.
• Wholegrains like oatmeal, quinoa, whole wheat, millet rice, brown rice, barley, and dalia provide energy with high fibre that helps in having healthy gut, keeping your lipid levels in check and reducing the risk of weight gain.
• Vegetables and fruits should have an important place in your post-delivery diet. They are a great source of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients which are essential for you and your baby. Ensure you take fruits and vegetables that are not contaminated by pesticides.
• Ghee, which is clarified butter, can be used in small amounts. Vegetable oils contain unsaturated fats that help control your cholesterol levels rather than increase them, unlike saturated fats. Olive oil and canola oil are rich in mono unsaturated fats which help to not only reduce the LDL (bad cholesterol).