What To Eat While Pregnant

Fortified Breakfast Cereal

You likely already know that folate is important before conception and during your first few weeks of pregnancy, but your needs for the B vitamin stay high the whole nine months.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) advises getting 600 micrograms (mcg) daily. While experts recommend taking a prenatal vitamin to make sure you’re getting that needed folate or folic acid every day, fortified foods like breakfast cereal are an easy way to get more.

Beans and Lentils

Experts recommend getting at least 60 grams of protein per day during pregnancy. Beans and lentils are an excellent plant-based source of protein, with about 18 grams per cup. They’re also high in fiber, which helps to combat constipation, which is common during pregnancy.

One cup of cooked lentils is also packed with folate. “Add them to rice dishes and salads,” suggests Lola O’Rourke, RD, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Broccoli

Broccoli is packed with nutrients necessary for a healthy pregnancy. It contains calcium and folate and is also rich in fiber and disease-fighting antioxidants.

And since it contains plenty of vitamin C, this popular green vegetable will help your body absorb iron when you eat it with iron-rich food, such as whole wheat pasta or brown rice.

Nonfat Milk

Since most people get too little calcium during pregnancy, drinking more nonfat milk can be a smart move.

Bananas

Bananas are rich in potassium and offer quick energy to fight pregnancy fatigue. “They’re also easy on your stomach if you’re nauseated,” says O’Rourke. Slice them up into cereal or whip one into a breakfast smoothie with yogurt, berries, ice, and a splash of orange juice.

Lean Meat

When you’re pregnant, your daily iron needs increase, so it’s essential to eat plenty of iron-rich foods during pregnancy.

“If you don’t have good iron stores, you’re more likely to feel tired,” warns Jo Ann Hattner, RD, a dietitian in Palo Alto, California. Meat delivers a form of iron known as heme iron that’s easily absorbed by your body.

Cheese

During pregnancy, your risk of contracting Listeria is greater, so pregnant people should avoid soft cheese unless it is made with pasteurized milk.

Hard varieties are safest, and cheeses such as cheddar and mozzarella can help meet your calcium requirements. Each slice contains between 120 and 150 milligrams.

Eggs

Many people develop aversions to meat while pregnant, so eggs are an excellent alternative protein source since they contain all the essential amino acids your body needs, says Hattner.

There’s nothing better for a quick dinner than an omelet with lots of chopped vegetables and a bit of cheese. If cooking aromas make you feel sick, hard boil a batch of eggs to keep on hand in the refrigerator. Eat them whole for grab-and-go breakfasts and snacks or chop them up into leafy green salads.

Oatmeal

It’s easy to get your day off to an energizing start by trading in your usual morning bagel or muffin for a bowl of oatmeal a few times a week.

Why? Complex carbohydrates like oatmeal keep you satisfied longer. Plus, the oat bran it contains can help lower your cholesterol levels. Instead of buying flavored oatmeal that contains a lot of added sugar, cook up the plain kind and swirl in a teaspoon or two of maple syrup or jelly.

Leafy Greens

Spinach has high folate and iron levels, and kale and turnip greens are both excellent sources of calcium. Increase the nutrient value of your salads by passing up traditional iceberg in favor of darker-colored lettuces (the deep colors signal higher vitamin content). You can also add greens to a sandwich or stir them into soups and pasta dishes.

Whole Grain Bread

By swapping your traditional white bread for a whole grain variety, you can make sure you’re consuming enough fiber, iron, and zinc.

Oranges

Oranges are packed with vitamin C, folate, and fiber. And since they’re nearly 90% water, they’ll also help you meet your daily fluid needs (skimping on your fluid intake can leave you feeling fatigued).

Nuts and Nut Butters

Fat is crucial for your baby’s brain development and helps you feel fuller longer. Experts recommend replacing some saturated fats (such as those found in meat and butter) with heart-healthy unsaturated fats, like those found in nuts.

Some health guidelines used to encourage pregnant people with a history of allergies to avoid nuts during pregnancy to avoid raising their baby’s risk of food allergies. However, more current research has found the opposite: Early exposure to nuts and peanuts may lower a child’s risk of allergies.

Soy Foods

It’s perfectly safe to follow a vegetarian eating plan while pregnant as long as you’re diligent about getting enough of necessary nutrients like protein. So, be sure to include foods like tofu, which packs 10 grams of protein per half cup.

Dried Fruit

Dried fruit is a tasty, portable snack that’s especially helpful when you’re craving something sweet. Choose dried fruits such as apricots, cherries, and cranberries (which can also help to prevent urinary tract infections). Look for varieties with low or no added sugar.

Figs

Figs are a great source of fiber, iron, vitamin K, and calcium. And while your teeth may not appreciate the high sugar content, they will benefit from the potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium. These tooth-supporting nutrients aren’t just great for your mouth; they are essential to the 32 teeth forming below the gums in your growing baby’s mouth.

Chives

Since chives are often seen as a garnish, they tend to be overlooked. But, these small, mild-tasting green onions are a source of folate, iron, fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B6, calcium, and magnesium.

Leeks

Leeks are the vegetable equivalent of a super multivitamin-mineral tablet. They contain calcium, vitamin B6 (which may help alleviate morning sickness), vitamin K, iron, and magnesium. Not to mention, they make a delicious addition to pizza, pasta, soup, or salad.

Artichokes

Feeling sluggish? Reach for an artichoke. This vegetable is a great plant-based source of iron, an energizing nutrient. Artichokes also contain folate and fiber. They’re often recommended to soothe indigestion, another common pregnancy complaint.

Pumpkin Seeds

Muscle repair is part of the healing that occurs regularly in your body during pregnancy. As your uterus grows, your back, abdominal, and hip muscles stretch in new ways. With sufficient protein in your diet, like pumpkin seeds, these muscles will be better armed to keep up with their new tasks.

In addition, these tasty seeds also contain sodium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and many other minerals involved in muscle health and hydration.

Tahini

A paste made from sesame seeds, tahini contains all of sesame’s nutrients, including healthy oils called omega-6 fatty acids, required for proper cell integrity and healthy nervous and immune system function.

Proper development of your milk glands, placenta, and uterus also depends on sufficient levels of healthy fats in your body. Tahini is also a good source of thiamin, phosphorus, copper, and manganese, all key to your baby’s healthy development.

Basil

This fresh herb is a good source of vitamin E, riboflavin, and niacin; plus, it’s an excellent source of dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B6, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, and manganese.

Whenever possible, choose fresh basil because it contains more of these nutrients than dried basil.

Herring

Pickled herring contains a high concentration of fish oil. Plus, as a small, cold-water fish with low levels of contaminants like mercury, it’s a no-brainer when you’re pregnant.

Research has found that consuming foods containing omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA), such as fish, during pregnancy may reduce the incidence of preterm birth. However, that same study found it may also increase the incidence of post-term pregnancy.

Molasses

Sweet, sticky, and packed with sugar, molasses is not the type of food you want to start spooning onto every dish, but it has a few hidden nutritional gems, including magnesium, manganese, and vitamin B6. In moderation, molasses can be a helpful addition to your pregnancy diet.

Red Bell Peppers

One red bell pepper delivers 142 milligrams of vitamin C—more than twice as much as an orange! The nutrient is famous for keeping the immune system in fighting form, a benefit that’s particularly helpful in pregnancy, which can cause kinks in your immune system.

Vitamin C’s antioxidant powers may also promote fetal brain development and help your body absorb much-needed iron.

Sweet Potatoes

Whether baked, roasted, or mashed, just one small sweet potato delivers vitamin A, fiber (even more so with the skin on), and energizing complex carbs that fill you up and keep you energized.

Yogurt

Plain Greek yogurt offers calcium and probiotics, which promote healthy gut bacteria. One study found that getting enough probiotics during pregnancy may reduce your baby’s risk of developing eczema or other allergies later in life. For the most nutritional benefit, go for the plain varieties and sweeten them with some fruit, cinnamon, or ginger.