Low-Fat Recipes for Your Second Trimester
Considering the need to reinforce your nutrient intake and maintain a balanced diet during your second trimester of pregnancy, today we’ll provide you with a list of delicious and healthy low-fat recipes.
The first trimester of pregnancy brings with it a number of hormonal changes, which cause a series of bothersome symptoms. However, by your second semester, most women will have gotten past some of the difficulties.
From the fourth month of pregnancy and on, your baby begins to grow at a much faster pace than before. So you’ll need to increase your calorie intake.
Specialists recommend gradually increasing your calorie consumption by 300 to 400. In other words, your total caloric intake per day during your second trimester should be between 2000 and 3000 calories per day.
What should you eat during your second trimester?
Given the growing volume of your belly thanks to fetal development, it’s common for pregnant women to experience acid reflux. These factors make it necessary for you to eat smaller portions throughout the day, but with more frequency.
For example, rather than eating 3 meals a day, you should divide your food intake into 6 smaller meals. You should also walk 40 minutes per day to stimulate digestion and prevent constipation.
At the same time, doctors recommend that pregnant women consume carbohydrates that are rich in fiber. For example, you can choose oats, whole grain rice, and other grains to help maintain your muscle function.
Also, remember to eat plenty of foods that are high in iron such as meats, lentils, and green leafy vegetables. Iron is important for the creation of hemoglobins in your baby.
On top of all these things, pregnant women must also eat abundant amounts of fruits containing vitamin C. This vitamin aids in the absorption of calcium and iron.
4 low-fat recipes for your second trimester
You don’t necessarily need to revamp your entire way of eating. However, you do need to make sure you’re getting the daily nutrients that you and your baby need.
To help, we want to offer you some amazing low-fat recipes for your second trimester. Be sure to try them all!
Creamy green pea penne pasta
If you like pasta, then you’ll love this tasty recipe for lunch or dinner.
Ingredient:
- 3 to 4 cups of penne pasta (or pasta of choice)
- 1 1/2 cups of fresh or frozen green peas.
- 3 1/2 ounces of turkey bacon.
- 3/4 cups cream cheese or white sauce.
- Salt, olive oil and parmesan cheese to taste.
Preparation:
- Cook the pasta in boiling water with salt to taste. In another pan, add the turkey bacon, olive oil and peas, and sauté for several minutes.
- When the pasta is cooked to the desired point, drain and mix with the sautéed ingredients.
- Add cream cheese or white sauce and serve with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.
- You can vary this recipe by adding pieces of broccoli, carrot or pineapple.
“Rather than eating 3 meals a day, you should divide your food intake into 6 smaller meals. At the same time, you should walk 40 minutes per day to stimulate digestion and prevent constipation”
Quinoa salad
This low-fat recipe is a second trimester favorite. It’s healthy and provides a great number of nutrients. It’s ideal for dinner time, but you can enjoy it for lunch as well.
Preparation:
- In 4 1/4 cups of low-fat chicken or vegetable stock, boil 1 cup of quinoa. Allow to cook for 20 minutes. Drain and allow to cool in the refrigerator. For extra flavor, lightly toast the quinoa before boiling.
- Wash, seed and chop tomatoes and add to a salad bowl. Also add cucumber, onion, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and cooked potatoes.
- Mix all of the ingredients, including the chilled quinoa. Add olive oil, salt and lemon juice to taste.
- Let set in the refrigerator for 40 minutes before serving.
Thanks to the quinoa and vegetables, this recipe is full of fiber and vitamins, making it ideal for you and your baby. We recommend eating it along with a couple of slices of toast.
Fruits with cereals
If you’re looking for a sweeter option to snack on or have for breakfast, we’ve got just the thing. To avoid reaching for fatty, sugar-packed products, go for fruit instead. Take note of the following recipe:
Preparation:
- Wash and peel one apple and one pear. Sauté in a frying pan with just a touch of butter.
- Add one tablespoon of honey, one cup of whole grain cereal, one cup of raspberry. Allow to cook for 1 minute on low heat.
- Add all of the ingredients to an oven-safe dish and sprinkle dark chocolate chips on top. Place in the oven for one minute on medium heat.
- Dig in!
Vegetable puree
If you have a hard time coming up with tasty vegetable options, take note of the following suggestion:
Preparation:
- Boil potatoes, squash, carrots and any other vegetables you would like. Set aside.
- Sauté chopped onions and garlic with spices of choice. Stay away from spices that cause indigestion.
- Blend all the ingredients well to form a homogenous puree.
- Add 3/4 cups of skim milk and add cubed low-sodium cheese on top.
This is an excellent and delicious source of fiber and carbohydrates. You can accompany your veggie puree with a tilapia fillet or chicken breast off the grill.
In conclusion, these 4 low-fat recipes for your second trimester of pregnancy will help you enjoy this beautiful time period. Also be sure to consult with your OB/GYN to receive more personalized indications regarding your nutritional needs.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Wang M., Iron deficiency and other types of anemia in infants and children. Am Fam Physician, 2016. 93 (4): 270-8.
- DePhillipo NN., Aman ZS., Kennedy MI., Begley JP., et al., Efficacy of vitamin C supplementation on collagen synthesis and oxidative stress after musculoskeletal injuries: a systematic review. Orthop J Sports Med, 2018.