For those of you who are pregnant, of course you will prefer to choose food and drinks to be consumed. Because, everything you eat now is not only important to maintain your own health, but also in the womb. Well, one of the important nutrients that must be in your diet is vitamin B complex. Indeed, what are the benefits of vitamin B complex for pregnant women? Come on, find out through the following review.
What are the benefits of vitamin B complex for pregnant women?
You may know a little more than 8 types of B vitamins such as vitamin B1, vitamin B2, and vitamin B12. Well, the combination of various types of B vitamins that we call vitamin B complex.
Vitamin B complex is one of the important nutrients during pregnancy. This vitamin consists of 8 different types of B vitamins, so the benefits will certainly vary too.
Well, here are the benefits of vitamin B complex for pregnant women seen from the type of vitamin B.
1. Vitamin B1
Vitamin B1, also called thiamine, is one type of B vitamin that is good for the health of the mother and fetus. This vitamin B1 intake plays an important role in optimizing the development of the brain, nervous system, and baby's heart.
Judging from the Nutrition Adequacy Rate issued by the Indonesian Ministry of Health, pregnant women need around 1.4 milligrams (mg) of vitamin B1 every day. You can meet this need by eating nuts, oats, salmon, mushroom broth, wheat pasta, and fortified bread or cereals.
2. Vitamin B2
Adequate intake of vitamin B2 can make your skin look brighter and shine while pregnant. In fact, your future baby will also have clean and healthy skin after birth.
If you have high blood pressure while pregnant, don't worry immediately. As long as you regularly consume food sources of vitamin B2 every day, the risk of preeclampsia can be prevented as early as possible.
To reap the benefits of this vitamin B complex, you must meet the daily requirement of vitamin B2 as much as 1.7 mg per day. You can find vitamin B2 in green vegetables, almonds, sweet potatoes, carrots, oats, tempeh, cheese, milk and eggs.
3. Vitamin B3
Vitamin B3 aka niacin has many benefits for the body, especially for pregnant women. Some of the benefits of vitamin B3 include treating digestive problems, reducing nausea, and relieving migraines that often occur during pregnancy.
In addition, adequate intake of vitamin B3 can also optimize the development of your prospective baby, you know. So, make sure to always meet your daily needs of 16 mg of vitamin B3 per day. You can fill it with eating chia seeds, sunflower seeds, chicken breast, beans, tuna, avocado, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes.
4. Vitamin B5
Leg cramps are one of the side effects of pregnancy that most pregnant women complain about. The good news, vitamin B5 intake can help alleviate this problem, you know.
So that your legs are not easily cramped, fill your daily vitamin B5 needs as much as 6 mg per day. For example by eating seeds, fortified cereals, egg yolks, brown rice, cashews, and broccoli.
5. Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 or pyridoxine is very important to improve the development of the baby's nervous system and brain in the womb. Because, this vitamin stimulates the production of the hormone norepinephrine and serotonin, two signaling hormone to ensure the body's metabolism remains optimal.
For those of you who often experience nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, aka morning sickness, vitamin B6 intake can be one of the drugs, you know. You can reap all the benefits of this vitamin B complex by multiplying eating bananas, papaya, whole-grain cereals, avocados, brown rice, and beans.
The need for vitamin B6 needed by pregnant women is actually very little, which is 1.7 mg per day. Even so, make sure to always eat healthy foods so that their needs are still met.
6. Vitamin B7
For those of you who often complain of brittle nails, itchy skin, and hair loss during pregnancy, try increasing your intake of vitamin B7. Not only maintaining healthy skin and hair, adequate intake of vitamin B7 can also optimize fetal growth during pregnancy.
Actually, the need for vitamin B7 during pregnancy is very little, which is 30 mcg per day. But in fact, not a few pregnant women who still experience vitamin B7 deficiency.
In order to maintain vitamin B7 in the body, you are encouraged to consume various foods rich in biotin. Among them are wheat, milk, mushrooms, royal jelly, cauliflower, and various green vegetables.
7. Vitamin B9
Of all the vitamin B complex, vitamin B9, better known as folic acid, has the most important role for pregnant women.
According to the American Pregnancy Association, meeting folic acid needs during pregnancy can help reduce the risk of preeclampsia. In addition, adequate folic acid can also reduce the risk of various birth defects in infants, such as cleft lip, heart defects, to neural tube defects (spina bifida) in infants.
To reap the benefits of this complex vitamin B, fill your daily vitamin B9 intake of 600 mcg per day. You can find Vitamin B9 in lentils, green vegetables, fortified cereals, nuts, egg noodles, and avocados.
8. Vitamin B12
Intake of vitamin B12 during pregnancy plays an important role in maintaining the health of your nervous system. When combined with folic acid, this vitamin B complex can further reduce the risk of birth defects and neural tube defects in your prospective baby.
So that the benefits of this vitamin B complex can be obtained to the fullest, make sure you always meet the needs of 2.6 mcg of vitamin B12 every day. Vitamin B12 is available in various types of food, ranging from soybeans, soy milk, fish, poultry, eggs, milk, to yogurt.
In addition to natural ingredients, the benefits of vitamin B complex can also be obtained through more practical supplements. However, you should consult your doctor first about the type and dose of supplements that are appropriate for your health condition.