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Pregnancy nutrition: Healthy-eating basics
Smart food choices are the cornerstone of pregnancy nutrition. Find out what — and how much — to eat.
By Mayo Clinic staffEating a healthy diet during pregnancy is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your baby. After all, the food you eat is your baby's main source of nutrition. Smart choices about pregnancy nutrition can help you promote your baby's growth and development. Check out these guidelines, designed for a 25-year-old woman who has a normal weight and gets 30 to 60 minutes of exercise a day. If you're older, overweight, or follow a more or less intense workout program, your nutritional needs might differ. To find the plan that's right for you, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Daily Food Plan for Moms.
Grains
Grains provide essential carbohydrates, your body's main source of energy. Many whole-grain and enriched products also contain fiber, iron, B vitamins, various minerals and a small amount of protein. Fortified bread and cereal can help you get enough folic acid.
What to eat: Make sure at least half of your grains each day are whole grains. If that sounds like a lot, don't worry. It might not be as much as you think. You can get most of your day's grains with a bowl of fortified cereal for breakfast, a lunchtime sandwich made with two slices of whole-wheat bread and whole-wheat pasta for dinner.
To optimize pregnancy nutrition, trade sugary cereals and white bread for whole-grain cereals, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta and whole-grain bread. Try wild rice or barley in soups, stews, casseroles and salads. Look for products that list whole grains, such as whole-wheat flour, first in the ingredients list.
How much:
| Suggested daily servings of grains for a woman age 25, 5' 4" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight before pregnancy | 1st trimester | 2nd trimester | 3rd trimester |
| 110 lbs. (49.9 kg) | 6 oz | 8 oz | 9 oz |
| 140 lbs. (63.5 kg) | 7 oz | 9 oz | 9 oz |
Source: USDA Daily Food Plan for Moms, 2011
| Suggested daily servings of grains for a woman age 25, 5' 9" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight before pregnancy | 1st trimester | 2nd trimester | 3rd trimester |
| 128 lbs. (58 kg) | 7 oz | 9 oz | 9 oz |
| 162 lbs. (73.5 kg) | 8 oz | 10 oz | 10 oz |
Source: USDA Daily Food Plan for Moms, 2011
Fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are critical components of pregnancy nutrition, since they provide various vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber to aid digestion. Vitamin C, found in many fruits and vegetables, helps you absorb iron and promotes healthy gums for both you and your baby. Dark green vegetables have vitamin A, iron and folate — other important nutrients during pregnancy.
What to eat or drink: Top your cereal with slices of fresh fruit. Make a veggie pizza. Add extra vegetables to your casserole.
If you're tired of apples, oranges and green beans, branch out. Try apricots, mangoes, pineapple, sweet potatoes, winter squash or spinach. Make trail mix with a variety of dried fruit. Fruit juice counts, too, but remember that too much juice can lead to undesired weight gain.
How much:
| Suggested daily servings of fruits and vegetables for a woman age 25, 5' 4" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight before pregnancy | 1st trimester | 2nd trimester | 3rd trimester |
| 110 lbs. (49.9 kg) | 4 1/2 cups | 5 cups | 5 1/2 cups |
| 140 lbs. (63.5 kg) | 5 cups | 5 1/2 cups | 5 1/2 cups |
Source: USDA Daily Food Plan for Moms, 2011
| Suggested daily servings of fruits and vegetables for a woman age 25, 5' 9" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight before pregnancy | 1st trimester | 2nd trimester | 3rd trimester |
| 128 lbs. (58 kg) | 5 cups | 5 cups | 5 1/2 cups |
| 162 lbs. (73.5 kg) | 5 cups | 6 cups | 6 cups |
Source: USDA Daily Food Plan for Moms, 2011
Meat, poultry, fish, eggs and beans
Foods in this group have plenty of protein, as well as B vitamins and iron. Protein is crucial for your baby's growth, especially during the second and third trimesters.
What to eat: Try whole-wheat toast with peanut butter for breakfast. Eat a scrambled egg or an omelet for lunch. Serve a salmon fillet for dinner. Add chickpeas or black beans to your salad. Snack on a handful of soy nuts.
If your traditional sources of protein no longer appeal to you — likely during the first trimester — experiment with other options. Fish is an excellent source of protein as well as omega-3 fatty acids, which can promote your baby's brain development. Avoid fish that's potentially high in mercury, however, including swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish and shark.
How much:
| Suggested daily servings of meat, poultry, fish, eggs and beans for a woman age 25, 5' 4" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight before pregnancy | 1st trimester | 2nd trimester | 3rd trimester |
| 110 lbs. (49.9 kg) | 5 1/2 oz | 6 1/2 oz | 6 1/2 oz |
| 140 lbs. (63.5 kg) | 6 oz | 6 1/2 oz | 6 1/2 oz |
Source: USDA Daily Food Plan for Moms, 2011
| Suggested daily servings of meat, poultry, fish, eggs and beans for a woman age 25, 5' 9" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight before pregnancy | 1st trimester | 2nd trimester | 3rd trimester |
| 128 lbs. (58 kg) | 6 oz | 6 1/2 oz | 6 1/2 oz |
| 162 lbs. (73.5 kg) | 6 1/2 oz | 7 oz | 7 oz |
Source: USDA Daily Food Plan for Moms, 2011
Dairy products
The calcium in dairy products and calcium-fortified soy milk helps build your baby's bones and teeth. Dairy products also have vitamin D and protein.
What to eat or drink: Eat yogurt for your afternoon snack. Drink the milk in your cereal bowl. Have a glass of skim milk with dinner. Add low-fat cheese to a salad.
If you have trouble digesting dairy products, get creative. Try calcium-fortified orange juice. Experiment with lactose-reduced or lactose-free products. Use an over-the-counter lactase enzyme product when you eat or drink dairy products.
How much: Choose 3 cups a day, regardless of your height, weight, physical activity level or stage of pregnancy.
Next page(1 of 2)
- Healthy pregnancy: Staying healthy and safe. The National Women's Health Information Center. http://www.4women.gov/pregnancy/you-are-pregnant/staying-healthy-safe.cfm. Accessed Jan. 18, 2011.
- Nutritional needs during pregnancy. U.S. Department of Agriculture. http://www.choosemyplate.gov/mypyramidmoms/pregnancy_nutrition_needs.html. Accessed Aug. 10, 2011.
- Dietary supplements. U.S. Department of Agriculture. http://www.choosemyplate.gov/mypyramidmoms/dietary_supplements.html. Accessed Aug. 10, 2011.
- Nutrition during pregnancy. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp001.cfm. Accessed Jan. 19, 2011.
- Hibbeln, J., et al. Maternal seafood consumption in pregnancy and neurodevelopmental outcomes in childhood (ALSPAC study): An observational cohort study. The Lancet. 2007;369:578.
- Foods to choose often. U.S. Department of Agriculture. http://www.choosemyplate.gov/mypyramidmoms/foods_to_choose.html. Accessed Aug. 10, 2011.
- What foods are in the grain group? U.S. Department of Agriculture. http://www.choosemyplate.gov/foodgroups/grains.html. Accessed Aug. 10, 2011.
- Routine prenatal care. Bloomington, Minn.: Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement. http://www.icsi.org/prenatal_care_4/prenatal_care__routine__full_version__2.html. Accessed Feb. 8, 2011.
- What counts as an ounce of equivalent grains? U.S. Department of Agriculture. http://www.choosemyplate.gov/foodgroups/grains_counts.html. Accessed Aug. 10, 2011.
- Special health needs. U.S. Department of Agriculture. http://www.choosemyplate.gov/mypyramidmoms/health_needs.html. Accessed Aug. 10, 2011.
- Committee to Reexamine IOM Pregnancy Weight Guidelines, Food and Nutrition Board, and Board on Children, Youth and Families. Weight gain during pregnancy: Reexamining the guidelines. Institute of Medicine and National Research Council. http://www.nap.edu. Accessed Jan. 19, 2011.
- Panel on Dietary Reference Intakes for Electrolytes and Water, Standing Committee on the Scientific Evaluation of Dietary Reference Intakes, and Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary reference intakes for water, potassium, sodium, chloride, and sulfate. Institute of Medicine. http://www.nap.edu. Accessed Feb. 17, 2011.
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/DGAs2010-PolicyDocument.htm. Accessed April 14, 2011.
- Daily food plan for moms. U.S. Department of Agriculture. http://www.choosemyplate.gov/mypyramidmoms/pyramidmoms_plan.aspx#. Accessed July 14, 2011.
- Caffeine and pregnancy. Organization of Teratology Information Specialists. http://www.otispregnancy.org/files/caffeine.pdf. Accessed July 26, 2011.
- ACOG committee opinion No. 462: Moderate caffeine consumption during pregnancy. Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2010;116:467.
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