Table 3 Food and liquid recommended during pregnancy and the reasons

11

13

33

15

72 (51)

Vegetables (leafy)

Provides vitamins, increases blood, healthy mind, builds bones, improves growth of the baby

4

5

15

12

36 (26)

Fruits

Healthy for baby

2

1

12

6

21 (15)

Liver

Restores, increases and cleanses blood

1

1

6

6

14 (10)

Fish

Makes the baby clever, delivery will be easy like a fish swimming in water, restores blood

4

1

6

2

12 (9)

Peanuts

Healthy for the baby, protect one’s body from infections, a good source of healthy oil

2

3

5

2

12 (9)

Phuthu pap (maize porridge) and Samp

Healthy for baby, energy for the baby

2

4

6

12 (9)

Milk

For health and lactation reasons, strong bones, baby will be light in complexion, strong teeth, white eyes

4

4

2

1

11 (8)

Red meat, meat

Provide vitamins

4

1

1

4

10 (7)

Amasi (sour milk)

Provides good nutrition for the baby/lightens the skin of baby

1

4

5

10 (7)

Water

Avoid dehydrating and for healthy baby

1

3

4

1

9 (6)

Apple

Give white eyes (cleans the eyes), strengthens the babies bones and makes the baby’s skin to be fresh

1

4

3

8 (6)

Beans

Healthy for the baby, strong bones

1

4

2

7 (5)

Beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.)

Increases and cleanses blood

1

5

6 (4)

Carrot (Daucus carota (Hoffm.) Schubl. & G.Martens)

Clear the eyes of a baby and the mother, good eye sight, promote brain development of the baby

1

3

4 (3)

Igushe (slimy leafy vegetable) (Corchorus olitorius L.)

To helps dilate the uterus when one deliver

1

2

3 (2)

Banana (Musa acuminata Colla)

Gives mother strength/for nutrients, help monitor urination if one is traveling a long distance

1

2

3 (2)

Yogurt

For Healthy baby with fresh and beautiful skin

2

1

3 (2)

Ijuba (traditional beer)

Makes the baby pretty and lighter in skin color

2

2 (1)

Prickly pear fruit

(Opuntia spp.)

Because it is a slippery fruit it will ease the delivery, baby will be comfortable inside you

2

2 (1)

Raw egg, boiled egg

To facilitates labor

1

1

2 (1)

Cheese

Healthy for baby, causes the baby’s skin to be fresh

1

1 (0.7)

Ihlala fruit (Strychnos spinosa Lam.)

Healthy for baby

1

1 (0.7)

Chicken

Healthy for baby

1

1 (0.7)

Maize (Zea mays L.)

Healthy for baby

1

1 (0.7)

Brown bread

Healthy for the baby

1

1 (0.7)

Starchy food

Improve fitness of the baby

1

1 (0.7)

Tomato

Clean the baby’s eyes

1

1 (0.7)

Mopane worms (Gonimbrasia belina Westwood)

Provides Protein for the baby

1

1 (0.7)

Rooibos tea (Aspalanthus linearis (Burm.f.) R. Dahlgren)

Cleans the system of the baby

1

1 (0.7)

Amadumbe

Healthy for baby