Pregnancy and your baby’s growth and development is nothing short of a miracle. Since fertilisation occurred, and your egg and your partner's sperm cell combined to make a zygote, the zygote travelled to your uterus and divided into two distinct layers. The outer layer became the placenta and your baby started to develop from the inner cells. Around day 7 following fertilisation, the zygote implanted into the lining of your uterus and started receiving nutrients from your body. From now until birth and beyond, what you eat matters.

Essential Nutrients this Week: Folate, Iodine, Vitamin B12, Biotin, Choline, Zinc

Food of the Week: Lentils

Folate is essential during the early stages of pregnancy, and lentils are packed with it. Folate is crucial for cell division, which is why adequate intake is so important early on in pregnancy when the most rapid growth is occurring. Folate is also needed to prevent neural tube defects. One cup of cooked lentils (about 200g) contains more than half of your daily folate requirement (about 360mcg; you need 600mcg per day when pregnant). 

Tomato Lentils

If you’re looking for a meal that’s quick and easy to throw together and will nourish you and your baby during this early stage of pregnancy, reach for this recipe. These tomato lentils are delicious on their own or topped with feta cheese, grilled haloumi, chorizo, eggplant or sundried tomatoes.