A healthier substitute for rice for pregnant women

Complaints of nausea during pregnancy often make mothers reluctant to eat certain types of food because the smell is too strong. One of the foods that pregnant women usually avoid because it triggers nausea is rice. In this condition, can pregnant women not eat rice for a while? What other food substitutes for rice for pregnant women?

Can pregnant women not eat rice?

Everyone seems to know that rice is the staple food of Indonesians.

Although there are various other sources of carbohydrates, rice seems to have become a mandatory food in the daily diet.

No exception for pregnant women, rice is also needed as a source of carbohydrates to increase energy.

Moreover, the nutrition of pregnant women has increased compared to before pregnancy so that the mother should not be lazy to eat.

But unfortunately, nausea, which is one of the signs of pregnancy, usually makes mothers reluctant to eat certain foods.

Foods that are often avoided by pregnant women when they are nauseous and vomiting are generally foods with too strong a smell.

Well, rice turns out to be one of the foods for pregnant women that is often avoided because it triggers nausea and wants to vomit.

The main cause of mothers getting nauseous during pregnancy is due to an increase in hormones.

In addition, hypersensitivity or sensitivity to odors is also the reason why pregnant women get nauseous easily and avoid eating certain foods.

On the other hand, rice also quickly increases blood sugar levels.

For pregnant women who have gestational diabetes, rice intake should be avoided or even avoided so that blood sugar levels do not increase.

For these reasons, it is okay if pregnant women do not want to eat rice.

However, make sure the mother's carbohydrate and energy needs are well fulfilled from rice substitutes for pregnant women.

Yes, there are various rice substitutes for pregnant women that can be an option when you don't want to eat rice, for example because you feel nauseous when you smell the aroma.

A source of carbohydrates to replace rice for pregnant women

Ideally, rice substitutes during early pregnancy and late pregnancy are rich in complex carbohydrates.

Food sources of complex carbohydrates have a low glycemic index value, but are high in fiber.

This keeps you full longer and prevents you from getting hungry eyes and cravings for food junk food.

Various choices of food substitutes for rice are also easy to process, so you can make a wide variety of dishes at every meal.

Some examples of food choices for carbohydrate sources as a substitute for rice for pregnant women include:

1. Whole wheat bread (whole wheat)

Whole grain bread has a lower calorie and glycemic index than white rice.

That is why, this food is a substitute for rice for pregnant women because it can help so that blood sugar does not rise quickly and prevents hunger.

Wheat bread also contains several important minerals such as calcium, magnesium, zinc and phosphorus.

In addition, important vitamins for pregnant women such as vitamin E and folate are also in whole wheat bread.

Calcium during pregnancy is needed for the growth of your baby's bones and teeth.

Babies will take their calcium needs from the mother's body.

Mothers also need a lot of calcium intake to replace the calcium the baby takes. So, make sure you meet the needs of these calcium minerals.

Zinc is very necessary to support the development of the baby's brain and help the growth and repair of the mother's body cells.

In addition, the content of vitamin E in whole wheat bread can support the formation and work of red blood cells and muscles.

Folate is a form of vitamin B needed to support placental function and prevent birth defects.

2. Potatoes

Potatoes are also a food that can be a substitute for rice for pregnant women.

Potatoes have a lower calorie and glycemic index than white rice, but slightly higher than brown rice.

Potatoes also contain higher fiber than white rice, especially when eaten with the skin.

Apart from that, potatoes also contain vitamin B6, thiamine, riboflavin, folate and vitamin C, which are important vitamins during pregnancy.

Vtamin C can boost the immune system as well as the health of pregnant women and fetuses.

Vitamin C can also help iron absorption to prevent pregnant women from anemia.

Anemia is one of the most common health problems during pregnancy.

Interestingly, launching from the American Pregnancy Association, vitamin B6 was able to help overcome nausea during pregnancy.

So, eating more food sources of vitamin B6 is a good choice to relieve nausea.

That is why potatoes can be processed to be used as a substitute for rice for pregnant women, both during early pregnancy and at the end of pregnancy.

3. Pasta

Another rice substitute food for pregnant women in the first to third trimesters is pasta. In addition to the various kinds of processed creations, there are also various types of pasta.

Spaghetti, macaroni, fetucini, lasagna, pene, and fusili are a variety of pastas in different shapes and sizes.

Based on Indonesian Food Composition Data from the Indonesian Ministry of Health, spaghetti weighing 100 grams (gr) has an energy content of about 139 calories.

Spaghetti also contains 22.6 grams of carbohydrates, 7.4 grams of protein, 2.1 grams of fat, and various vitamins and minerals.

Another example, macaroni contains approximately 353 calories of energy, 78.7 grams of carbohydrates, 8.7 grams of protein, 0.4 grams of fat, and 4.9 grams of fiber.

Macaroni also contains minerals such as 20 milligrams (mg) of calcium, 80 mg of phosphorus, 0.3 mg of iron, 5 mg of sodium, 0.28 mg of copper, and 1.4 mg of zinc.

Various types of pasta can be processed by boiling, grilling, or sauteing according to taste.

4. Mi

Source: Live Japan

Although at first glance it looks the same, in fact noodles are not included in the pasta group. Noodles are processed from ordinary wheat flour which goes through a milling process.

Meanwhile, pasta is processed from semolina flour with a texture that is coarser than regular flour because it has grains that are not smooth.

During the pasta-making process, semolina flour is mixed with water to form a stiff dough which is then molded to make spaghetti, lasagna, macaroni, and more.

As you may have often encountered, pasta is usually sold in dried form.

Unlike the noodles, which can be sold in dry or wet conditions. The main difference between noodles and pasta is their taste and texture.

Pasta is very distinctive with textureal dente which means the level of maturity is just right because it's not too soft but not too hard either.

Noodles are rich in carbohydrates in them, so they can be used as a substitute for rice for pregnant women.

It's just that, pay attention not to eat instant noodles too often while pregnant.

5. Oats

Oats are usually eaten in the morning so they can be used as a breakfast menu for pregnant women.

You can brew oats by mixing them with warm water or adding milk with pieces of fruit for pregnant women to increase their nutritional content.

Oats also have quite a lot of carbohydrates to make it one of the few recommended rice substitutes for pregnant women from the first trimester to the end.

Apart from carbohydrates, nutrients such as protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals also complement the content in oats.