What should mothers eat while pregnant

Benefits include fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin A, calcium, iron, folate, and potassium. Adding in servings of green veggies is an efficient way to pack in vitamins and fend off constipation due to all that fiber. Vegetables have also been linked to a reduced risk of low birth weight. Lean beef, pork, and chicken are excellent sources of high-quality protein.

Iron is an essential mineral that is used by red blood cells as a part of hemoglobin. This is particularly important during your third trimester. Low levels of iron during early and mid-pregnancy may cause iron deficiency anemia, which increases the risk of low birth weight and other complications.

It can be hard to cover your iron needs with meals alone, especially if you develop an aversion to meat or are vegetarian or vegan. Pro tip: Pairing foods that are rich in vitamin C, such as oranges or bell peppers, along with iron-rich foods may also help increase absorption. Toss some vitamin C-rich tomato slices on that turkey burger or whip up this steak and mango salad. Berries hold a lot of goodness in their tiny packages like water, healthy carbs, vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants.

Berries have a relatively low glycemic index value, so they should not cause major spikes in blood sugar. Berries are also a great snack, as they contain both water and fiber. They provide a lot of flavor and nutrition, but with relatively few calories. Some of the best berries to eat while pregnant are blueberries, raspberries, goji berries, strawberries, and acai berries.

Check out this blueberry smoothie for some inspiration. Unlike their refined counterparts, whole grains are packed with fiber, vitamins, and plant compounds. Think oats, quinoa, brown rice, wheat berries, and barley instead of white bread, pasta, and white rice.

Some whole grains, like oats and quinoa , also contain a fair amount of protein. They also hit a few buttons that are often lacking in pregnant people: B vitamins, fiber, and magnesium.

Avocados are an unusual fruit because they contain a lot of monounsaturated fatty acids. This makes them taste buttery and rich — perfect for adding depth and creaminess to a dish. Because of their high content of healthy fats, folate, and potassium, avocados are a great choice during pregnancy and always.

The healthy fats help build the skin, brain, and tissues of your little one, and folate may help prevent neural tube defects, developmental abnormalities of the brain and spine such as spina bifida. Potassium may help relieve leg cramps, a side effect of pregnancy for some women. In fact, avocados contain more potassium than bananas. Try them as guacamole, in salads, in smoothies, and on whole wheat toast, but also as a substitute for mayo or sour cream.

A doctor can can provide specific targets for each person based on their health. A person needs more of almost all the water- and fat-soluble nutrients during pregnancy.

As a result, medical professionals recommend taking prenatal supplements before, during, and after a pregnancy to support health and recovery. A well-rounded prenatal supplement contains all the necessary nutrients. These include , but are not limited to:.

A person can shop for prenatal supplements here. A pregnant person should be consuming 27 mg of iron per day. Most people can get enough from a healthy diet. However, supplements can help. According to the World Health Organization WHO , a person should consume mcg micrograms of folic acid per day up to the 12th week of pregnancy. Current guidelines state that a person requires 15 mcg , or international units IU , of vitamin D daily during pregnancy. However, some health professionals believe this target to be too low.

Some researchers have found that pregnant people need closer to 4, IU per day in order to maintain optimal vitamin D levels. People who are breast- or chestfeeding need around 6, IU per day. Taking zinc supplements during pregnancy may slightly reduce the risk of preterm birth. Getting 11—12 mcg per day may be enough. Choline is important for the health of the pregnant person and their baby. Studies show that most pregnant women in the U.

Many prenatal vitamins do not contain it, so getting enough from the diet, such as from eggs and shitake mushrooms, is crucial. Vitamin A, or retinol, is essential for health during pregnancy, but too much can be harfmul.

During pregnancy, a person should consume — mcg of retinol or retinol activity equivalents RAE. Vitamin A occurs in various forms. RAE measures the relative amount of the vitamin in these various forms. Increasing the intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids during pregnancy may reduce the incidence of preterm birth.

A person can do this through their diet or through supplements. Pregnancy increases the physical demands on the body. A person can tailor their diet to meet these demands and support fetal development. More protein is needed during pregnancy, but most women don't have problems getting enough protein-rich foods in their diets, said Sarah Krieger, a registered dietitian and former president of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in St.

Petersburg, Florida. She described protein as "a builder nutrient," because it helps to build important organs for the baby, such as the brain and heart. Experts recommend pregnant women eat at least 60 grams of protein per day, according to the University of California San Francisco. Food sources of protein: meat, poultry, fish, dried beans and peas, eggs, nuts, tofu. During pregnancy, the goal is to be eating nutritious foods most of the time, Krieger told Live Science.

To maximize prenatal nutrition, she suggested emphasizing the following five food groups: fruits, vegetables, lean protein, whole grains and dairy products. When counseling pregnant women, Krieger recommends they fill half their plates with fruits and vegetables, a quarter of it with whole grains and a quarter of it with a source of lean protein, and to also have a dairy product at every meal.

A healthy pregnancy diet should include lots of fruits and vegetables, particularly during a woman's second and third trimesters, Krieger said. She recommends eating from five to 10 tennis ball-size servings of produce every day. These colorful foods are low in calories and filled with fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Pregnant women should include good protein sources at every meal to support the baby's growth, Krieger said. Protein-rich foods include meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans, tofu, cheese, milk, nuts and seeds. Lean meats are meats with a lower fat content and therefore a lower calorie count. These foods are an important source of energy, and they also provide fiber, iron and B vitamins. At least half of a pregnant woman's carbohydrates each day should come from whole grains, such as oatmeal, whole-wheat pasta or breads and brown rice, Krieger said.

Aim for three to four servings of dairy foods a day, Krieger suggested. Dairy foods, such as milk, yogurt and cheese, are good dietary sources of calcium, protein and vitamin D. Detailed information on healthy food choices and quantities to include at meals can also be found in the pregnancy section of the USDA's choosemyplate.

Opinion is divided on whether pregnant women need to nix their cups of coffee or tea. The ACOG recommends pregnant women limit caffeine to mg per day, which is the amount found in one ounce g cup of coffee. They say that any relationship between caffeine and preterm birth is unclear; in addition, the ACOG says "A final conclusion cannot be made at this time as to whether there is a correlation between high caffeine intake and miscarriage.

Read more about eating meat in a healthy way. Make sure poultry, burgers, sausages and whole cuts of meat such as lamb, beef and pork are cooked very thoroughly until steaming all the way through. Check that there is no pink meat, and that juices have no pink or red in them.

Try to eat 2 portions of fish each week, 1 of which should be oily fish such as salmon, sardines or mackerel. Find out about the health benefits of fish and shellfish. There are some types of fish you should avoid when you're pregnant or planning to get pregnant, including shark, swordfish and marlin.

When you're pregnant, you should avoid having more than 2 portions of oily fish a week, such as salmon, trout, mackerel and herring, because it can contain pollutants toxins.

Eggs produced under the British Lion Code of Practice are safe for pregnant women to eat raw or partially cooked, as they come from flocks that have been vaccinated against salmonella.

These eggs have a red lion logo stamped on their shell. Pregnant women can eat these raw or partially cooked for example, soft boiled eggs. These eggs should be cooked until the white and the yolk are hard.

Find out more about foods to avoid in pregnancy. Dairy foods such as milk, cheese, fromage frais and yoghurt are important in pregnancy because they contain calcium and other nutrients that you and your baby need. Choose low-fat varieties wherever possible, such as semi-skimmed, 1 percent fat or skimmed milk, low-fat and lower-sugar yoghurt and reduced-fat hard cheese. If you prefer dairy alternatives, such as soya drinks and yoghurts, go for unsweetened, calcium-fortified versions.

Find out more about the nutritional benefits of dairy and dairy alternatives. There are some cheeses you should avoid in pregnancy, including unpasteurised cheeses.

To find out which cheeses you should not eat when you're pregnant on our page about foods to avoid in pregnancy. Sugary foods and drinks are often high in calories, which can contribute to weight gain.

Having sugary foods and drinks can also lead to tooth decay.