The confinement period is a critical time for new mothers to recover from delivery and restore their health. It is important to eat the right confinement food and get enough rest.

Confinement foods should be nourishing and include protein-rich meats, fish, oats, finger millet, and more. These foods are rich in iron, calcium, and other essential nutrients.

Meat and Fish

In this confinement recipe, the main ingredient is Snakehead fish which contains many nutrients that can help new mothers recover from childbirth. This fish is rich in amino acids, fatty acid and omega-3 which can speed up wound healing, boost gastrointestinal function and promote breast milk production. It also contains black pepper that is known to promote blood circulation and strengthen joints.

In addition, the dish is cooked with ginger which can help improve blood circulation and fight against coldness in the body. This will prevent future health problems like rheumatism and joint pains. Other herbs and foods that are considered warming such as adzuki beans, cinnamon, oats and quinoa should be included in the confinement diet as well.

To make this recipe, boil all the ingredients except for the fish. Add in the fish and simmer until it is fully cooked. Once cooked, season with salt and pepper. Serve with a bowl of hot rice. Enjoy!

Dairy Products

Milk and dairy products are a vital part of most people’s diets, providing essential nutrients like calcium and protein. Dairy foods are versatile and come in a range of forms, from things you can bite into or scoop with a spoon to liquids you can sip on or slurp.

Dairy foods are rich in a package of nutrients that includes protein, calcium, vitamin D and phosphorus, which are important for the growth and development of bones and teeth. They contribute about 52-65 % of the average person’s recommended daily intake of these nutrients and are an integral part of many healthy eating patterns worldwide (4).

Cheese is a dairy food made by coagulating milk and separating curds from whey, often with the addition of other flavour enhancers like herbs, spices or wood smoke. Cheese comes in a variety of textures and flavours, and can be made from milk from animals like cows, goats, sheep or water buffalo.

Fluid milk is a rich source of protein, calcium and potassium, which are key nutrients for growing children and adults. It is also a source of energy for physical activity, and can help to keep the heart and bones strong. It is recommended to drink a minimum of 2-3 serves per day of low-fat milk, yoghurt and/or other dairy products.

Oats

Oats are cereal grains that have a high nutritional value. They are good sources of carbohydrates and quality protein with a well-balanced ratio of essential amino acids, fats especially unsaturated fats and fibre as soluble and insoluble fractions. They also contain minerals such as potassium, calcium, iron and zinc. Additionally, they are rich in dietary fibre and phytochemicals such as lignans, phenolic acids (especially avenanthramide) and polyphenols.

Cereal grains feed a significant portion of the world population and wheat, maize and rice are the largest cereals in terms of consumption worldwide. However, oats are gaining in recognition due to their nutritional benefits.

There are five major types of oats. They are rolled oats, steel cut oats, granola bars, oatmeal and oat bran. Rolled oats are the most commonly consumed oats. They are made from oat groats that have been steam-treated and rolled into thin, flat pieces. This process helps to retain the healthy oils that oats contain and increases their shelf life.

They can be added to pancakes, baked goods and granola, among other things. Oats are a great source of the cholesterol-lowering beta-glucan oat -glucan, which helps reduce LDL-cholesterol in the bloodstream. You can find oat -glucan in most brands of packaged oats, and some manufacturers include the amount of oat -glucan on the label. You can also get oats in their unprocessed, raw form, known as groats. They take a longer time to cook, and must be soaked beforehand.

Finger Millet

Finger millet is a small annual seeded grass with narrow leaves that grows in cool, high altitude regions of Africa and Asia. It is cultivated for its seeds which are ground to prepare flour and consumed in various forms including unleavened bread, porridges and alcoholic beverages. The crop also provides forage and straw for livestock.

The nutritional quality of the grain has been improved by processing technologies such as decortication, soaking, germination, fermentation and puffing. This increases the bioavailability of proteins, starch and minerals. The antioxidant capacity of the phenolic acids in the plant increases with processing (Ramachandra et al. 1977; Shobana and Malleshi 2007).

AMF enhances the growth of finger millet by acting as a biofertilizer. The fungi provide the plant with water and nutrients that are otherwise unavailable in arid soils. The fungi are also important in promoting deep rooting in arid and sandy soils. In the absence of AMF, finger millet plants accumulate less than half as much biomass as under well-watered conditions, both in shoots and roots. In the presence of AMF, however, a more than 2-fold increase in biomass accumulation was observed.

The protein, calcium and iron content of the grain varies with local landraces and altitudes. In addition, it contains essential amino acids such as lysine and methionine which are beneficial to human health. It also contains polyphenols which have antimicrobial, antioxidant and hypocholesterolaemic properties.