The importance of good nutrition is perhaps most notable during pregnancy and when baby arrives.
From prenatal vitamins, abiding by various pregnancy nutrition guidelines (farewell, sushi!… for now), eating to support lactation (to, in turn provide optimal nutrition — and, therefore, the best start possible — for baby), to eating balanced meals, because well — life! — the importance of good nutrition isn’t some hidden secret.
There’s a reason why many of us do everything we can to breastfeed our babes. NUTRITION! Because breastmilk is liquid gold, and like a balanced meal, provides all of the nutrients baby needs to grow and thrive.
We all know we should eat balanced, nutritious meals to support physical and mental health, wellbeing and longevity.
But knowing and doing can sometimes be at odds with each other, especially perhaps where vegetables and fruits are concerned.
Admittedly, even with a background in dietetics, I’m not always great at getting my serves of veggies in each day.
And this is something that, due to my tastebuds being on a rollercoaster during pregnancy — thanks, hormones! — was particularly problematic when I was pregnant with Little Miss A.
Although, getting enough fruit was never an issue — we have a little banana baby!
But veggies was a different story.
To combat my tastebuds, one way I managed to get my veggies in (and therefore the vitamins and minerals) — or to help increase the amount I was having — was by snacking on Pom Potes (as well as the veggie equivalents)! I basically snacked on baby food 🙂
And so, yes, eating well — from all food groups, including veggies! — is something I’m definitely super mindful of, especially now that I’m breastfeeding our little cherub.
added incentive
As much as we all know that eating well is great for our health, perhaps some added incentive to getting in your veggie and fruit serves is the fact that the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients found in plant food sources is also great for your immune system — for warding off various virus and bugs that cause infection (looking at you, Covid!).
In fact, a recent study published in the journal, BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health reveals that people who eat a largely plant-based diet could be at lower risk of getting Covid-19.
And yes, there has been a lot of advice over the last few years — the ‘do’s and don’t’s’ — when it comes to Covid, so this may not be groundbreaking news. But hey, any incentive to eat better, right!
The observational study included 702 participants who were asked about their diets. This was then compared to rates of Covid infection and severity within the group over a period of March-July 2022.
Being an observational study means you can’t prove causation. But it does show that plant-based intake and risk of Covid infection are linked.
According to the researchers, even after adjusting for other variables such as weight and physical activity, participants who reported following a mainly plant-based diet were less likely to have been infected with Covid.
In fact, this study found that those following a predominantly plant-based or vegetarian/vegan diet were 39% less likely to become infected with Covid compared to those with a higher intake of foods from animal sources (i.e. meat, dairy etc.).
The reason for this, suggest the researchers, is that plant-based diets provide more nutrients that boost the immune system and help fight viral infections.
“Plant-based dietary patterns are rich in antioxidants, phytosterols and polyphenols, which positively affect several cell types implicated in the immune function and exhibit direct antiviral properties,” the researchers write.
tipping the scale in favour of plants
With that in mind, as well as (which is perhaps more of an incentive for me at the moment) the fact that I’m breastfeeding at the moment (as well as working to increase my milk supply), I’m definitely going to do my best to be more mindful and diligent when it comes to tipping the meal-balance scale in favour of veggies!
Soups are a great way to add more veggies into your life! My fave at the moment — homemade tomato soup.
Given all the health benefits, the way I see it, regardless of the added incentives — from warding of infections, breastfeeding, pregnancy, general health measures … whatever the incentive might be — we can all do with a little more plant-based meal options in our lives!
x G.
editor, journalist, digital content creator with a background in nutrition & dietetics.
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