Eating for two, the calm way

The second trimester is when most people start feeling human again, and start hearing a lot of food advice. Most of it is loud. Most of it is wrong.

Here''s the calm version.

What you actually need more of

The plate, simplified

At every main meal, aim for:

• A protein: dal, paneer, eggs, chicken, fish, tofu, sprouts
• A green or coloured veg: palak, methi, lauki, beans, carrots
• A complex carb: rice, roti, millet, oats, sweet potato
• A fat: a spoon of ghee, nuts, seeds, avocado, olive oil

A simple dal-chawal-sabzi-curd thali, made well, is one of the best pregnancy meals on earth.

The Indian protein gap

If you''re vegetarian, this is the single most important section.

• Add an extra protein source per meal, not just per day. Curd + dal. Paneer in your sabzi. Sprouted moong in your salad.
• Soaked nuts in the morning: 6 almonds + 2 walnuts + a date.
• Greek-style hung curd has roughly double the protein of regular dahi.
• A scoop of unflavoured whey or pea protein is safe in pregnancy if your doctor agrees — confirm.

Snacks that actually work

• Roasted chana + a piece of jaggery
• Banana + 2 tbsp peanut butter
• Boiled egg + a slice of multigrain toast
• Curd + a chopped pear + a sprinkle of flax
• A small bowl of upma with peas and peanuts
• Sukha bhel with sprouts (skip the chutneys if raw)

What about ghee?

Yes to ghee — 2–3 teaspoons a day across meals is wonderful. It carries fat-soluble vitamins, eases digestion, and is part of postpartum recovery too. No to drinking it by the cup in the "last month" — that''s a myth that mostly causes heartburn and bigger babies.

A spoonful of ghee on dal-chawal does more good than three "superfood" powders.

The list to actually avoid

• Raw papaya, large amounts of pineapple
• Unpasteurised milk, soft cheeses, raw eggs
• High-mercury fish: tuna, swordfish, king mackerel
• Street chaat with raw chutneys and unfiltered water
• More than 200 mg caffeine
• All alcohol