Daily consumption of omega 3 during pregnancy can offer several benefits for both the baby and the mother, as this nutrient promotes the baby’s brain and visual development, as well as reducing the risk of a woman developing depression during pregnancy and other complications. .
In fact, omega 3 performs several functions in the body, such as oxygen transport, energy storage, blood pressure regulation and the body’s inflammatory and allergic response, as well as acting in the clotting process.
- Some foods rich in this nutrient are salmon.
- Tuna and sardines.
- But there are also supplements in capsules and even multivitamins for pregnancy that already include omega 3 in their composition.
The main benefits of consuming omega 3 during pregnancy are
To achieve all these benefits, it is recommended to consume daily foods rich in omega 3, but another option is to take the omega 3 capsules that may be indicated by the doctor or nutritionist. Since the baby’s brain continues to develop after birth, this care is also important during breastfeeding.
See these and other benefits of omega 3 in the video below:
The doctor or nutritionist should recommend the use of omega 3 supplements, but all pregnant women may benefit.
This supplement should be taken according to the professional advice you have indicated to us, however, in general, 1 or 2 capsules of omega 3 may be used during pregnancy and lactation. In the case of a multivitamin for pregnant women, in most cases, the recommended dose is already indicated.
The maximum amount of omega 3 you can consume per day is 3g, so it’s important to consider the amount of this nutrient present in the foods and supplements you eat.
The best sources of omega 3 are cold deep-sea fish such as trout, salmon and tuna. Other sources are flaxseed oil or its seeds, avocado and primer oil, for example. See other examples of omega-3-rich foods.
Thus, from the first trimester of pregnancy and throughout the lactation period, the mother’s diet should contain at least 300 mg of DHA in her daily diet, which corresponds to 2 tablespoons of flaxseed oil per day or 200 grams of fish.
For infants who are not breastfed and simply bottle-fed, it may be a good alternative to use milk formulas with EPA, DHA and ALA that are types of omega 3.
Watch the video below and discover omega 3-rich fish
The following table shows an example of a 3-day menu that pregnant women can follow to make sure they consume the recommended amount of omega 3:
1 glass orange juice – 1 crepe with chia and ricotta seeds – 1 orange
2 slices cheese bread, 2 slices of tomato and 2 slices of avocado – 1 mandarin
1 cup whole grains with 1 cup skimmed milk – 20g nuts – 1/2 sliced banana
1 packet of crackers with homemade guacamole
1 mandarin – 6 walnuts
Pasta with 1 piece of grated salmon and olives – lettuce salad, tomato and cucumber seasoned with 1 tablespoon flaxseed oil – 1 mango
1 large tuna stuffed roll with tomato sauce, onion and pepper – green salad seasoned with 1 tablespoon flaxseed oil – 1 cup strawberries
2 roasted sardines with 2 tablespoons rice and 2 tablespoons beans – 1 cabbage salad with carrots seasoned with 1 tablespoon flaxseed oil – 2 pineapple slices
1 yogurt with 1 teaspoon flaxseed – 1/2 cup fruit
The amounts included in the menu vary depending on age, gender, physical activity and whether you have an associated illness or not, ideally seek the advice of a nutritionist so that a complete assessment and nutritional plan can be made tailored to your needs.