Top Foods To Include In Your MTHFR Pregnancy Diet
Are you anxious about your pregnancy journey having been a carrier of the MTHFR gene variant, or had a previous pregnancy affected by the neural tube defect?
Or is someone you know in a dilemma with having to decide on the best edibles to fill their MTHFR pregnancy diet plan?
Why not make your life and pregnancy pleasant…
MTHFR is the acronym for the enzyme Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, which functions to convert folic acid to its active form, methyl-folate.
Each individual has a pair of the MTHFR gene, having acquired a copy from each parent; the gene oversees the production of the MTHFR enzyme.
The variant of the MTHFR gene occurs in some unique persons, believed to be about 40% in a general population.
This tends to predispose them to health conditions like heart diseases, cancer, stroke, and miscarriage in pregnancy.
You should be aware…
Having the MTHFR gene variant is not a death sentence.
An understanding of the situation and the awareness of the necessary lifestyle modifications needed to thrive will ensure you leave a quality life.
Good, yeah?
It gets better.
For a woman with the MTHFR gene variant, for example, the joy of the news of pregnancy may tend to be overrun by the fear of miscarriage or the occurrence of neural tube defects in the unborn child.
Either way, you may get anxious or worried when the lists of new must-dos and dietary modifications begin to set in…
Hearing about the essentiality of meeting up with the minimum Folic acid daily volume of 400mcg could also be a concern.
I am here to help you through all these…
This article summarises helpful dietary modifications that should help you live a healthy lifestyle while also paying attention to the MTHFR pregnancy diet.
So What Are The Top Foods That Should Be Part Of Your MTHFR Pregnancy Diet
Research as shown that every one of us requires Vitamin-B9 in our diet daily with women requiring more.
We should note that folate and Folic acid, although used interchangeably, are different.
Folic acid is the synthetic form of vitamin-B9 seen in pharmaceutical supplements and processed foods like cereals, bread, and Spaghetti.
Folate, on the other hand, is naturally occurring and seen in whole food like lentils, spinach, corn, and a host of other choices.
These naturally occurring sources of Vitamin-B9 are encouraged over the synthetic ones, though research is still ongoing on whether individuals with the MTHRF gene variant can breakdown folic acid.
Vegetables For MTHFR and Pregnancy
We like variety yeah…
Vegetables present you with a host of choices to explore. Options range through Broccoli, Asparagus, Lettuce, Brussels sprouts, and Bok Choy.
You should note that there are a host of vitamins and minerals in vegetables, especially the Cruciferous ones.
A cup of Bok Choy or spinach could contain as much as 100mcg of folate, and Broccoli about 104mcg, with high contents of Calcium, Vitamin C, and Iron.
These vegetables also have anti-cancer properties from their detoxifying effect.
Proteins For MTHFR and Pregnancy
Proteinous (yes that is a real word) foods like beans, legumes (like cooked lentils), peas, and eggs are good diet options…
Some of these foods can be taken singly or fortified with leafy greens. Legumes have micronutrients like iron and magnesium, including antioxidants. The quantity of the folate in proteins could vary.
A measure of cooked lentils could contain about 358mcg while the same cup of beans may have around 131mcg of folate.
Fruits For MTHFR Pregnancy Diet
Americans love beverages, and a lot of individuals pump calories into their bodies daily through these drinks.
Maybe you also do…
The best decision you can make today is to substitute beverages, alcohol, and beer with smoothies and home-made juices made from fruits.
Fruits may include tropical ones (like Kiwi, mango, etc.), Citrus (orange, grapes, etc.), Bananas, Strawberries, Raspberries, and a host of others.
There are a lot of recommended fruits that will keep you healthy and also supply the necessary daily nutrient requirements.
What makes this unique for me is the ability to combine different fruits or fruits + vegetables and or proteins in making your smoothies.
You should read up on smoothie types…
Others Foods To Consider For MTHFR Pregnancy Diet
There other folate-rich foods like Corn, Nuts, Okra, Seeds, and animal liver.
One chicken liver contains about 215 – 234mcg of folate, and that is pretty high…
Processed foods (like bread and pasta) contain folic acid, the synthetic form of Vitamin-B9.
Although, there are inconsistencies on whether folic acid can be converted to the absorbable form of Methyl-folate by individuals with the MTHFR gene variant.
Putting together an MTHFR pregnancy diet plan or one generally suited to individuals with MTHFR gene variants can either be easy or difficult.
The basis of the process is to consider the available options and look to their average folate content before deciding on combinations and preparations.
Good enough, there are lots of helpful materials on the internet, and you can always do your findings with this as your starting point