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Pregnancy diet: Focus on these essential nutrients
A healthy pregnancy diet will promote your baby's growth and development. Understand which nutrients you need most and where to find them.
By Mayo Clinic staffThere's no magic formula for a healthy pregnancy diet. In fact, during pregnancy the basic principles of healthy eating remain the same — get plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein. However, a few nutrients in a pregnancy diet deserve special attention. Here's what tops the list.
Folate and folic acid — Prevent birth defects
Folate is a B vitamin that helps prevent neural tube defects, serious abnormalities of the brain and spinal cord. Lack of folate in a pregnancy diet may also increase the risk of low birth weight and preterm delivery. The synthetic form of folate found in supplements and fortified foods is known as folic acid.
How much you need: 800 micrograms of folate or folic acid a day before conception and throughout pregnancy.
Good sources: Fortified cereals are great sources of folic acid. Leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits, and dried beans and peas are good sources of naturally occurring folate.
| Food | Serving size | Folic acid content |
|---|---|---|
| Cereal | 3/4 cup (15 to 45 grams) 100 percent fortified ready-to-eat cereal | 100 to 700 micrograms — choose a cereal with at least 400 micrograms |
| Spinach | 1/2 cup (90 grams) boiled spinach | 131 micrograms |
| Beans | 1/2 cup (88 grams) boiled Great Northern beans | 90 micrograms |
| Asparagus | 4 boiled spears (60 grams) | 89 micrograms |
| Peanuts | 1 ounce (28 grams) dry roasted | 41 micrograms |
| Oranges | 1 orange (159 grams) | 48 micrograms |
Source: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 23
In addition to making healthy food choices, taking a daily prenatal vitamin — ideally starting three months before conception — can help ensure you're getting enough of this essential nutrient.
Calcium — Strengthen bones
You and your baby need calcium for strong bones and teeth. Calcium also helps your circulatory, muscular and nervous systems run normally.
How much you need: 1,000 milligrams a day. Pregnant teenagers need 1,300 milligrams a day.
Good sources: Dairy products are the richest sources of calcium. Many fruit juices and breakfast cereals are fortified with calcium, too.
| Food | Serving size | Calcium content |
|---|---|---|
| Juice | 8 ounces (237 milliliters) calcium-fortified orange juice | 500 milligrams |
| Milk | 1 cup (237 milliliters) skim milk | 299 milligrams |
| Yogurt | 6 ounces (170 grams) low-fat fruit yogurt | 258 milligrams |
| Cheese | 1 ounce (28 grams) part-skim mozzarella cheese | 222 milligrams |
| Salmon | 3 ounces (85 grams) canned pink salmon with bones | 181 milligrams |
| Spinach | 1/2 cup (90 grams) boiled spinach | 122 milligrams |
| Cereal | 1 cup (20 to 60 grams) calcium-fortified ready-to-eat cereal | 3 to 1,000 milligrams |
Source: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 23
Vitamin D — Promote bone strength
Vitamin D also helps build your baby's bones and teeth.
How much you need: 600 IU a day.
Good sources: Fatty fish, such as salmon and tuna, are great sources of vitamin D. Other options include fortified milk and orange juice.
| Food | Serving size | Vitamin D content |
|---|---|---|
| Fish | 3 ounces (85 grams) cooked sockeye salmon | 447 IU |
| Juice | 8 ounces (237 milliliters) calcium- and vitamin D-fortified orange juice | 137 IU |
| Milk | 1 cup (237 milliliters) skim milk | 115 IU |
| Asparagus | 4 boiled spears (60 grams) | 89 micrograms |
| Eggs | 1 large hard-boiled egg (50 grams) | 44 IU |
Source: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 23
Next page(1 of 2)
- Dietary reference intakes: Macronutrients. Institute of Medicine. http://www.iom.edu/~/media/Files/Activity%20Files/Nutrition/DRIs/DRI_Macronutrients.pdf. Accessed Jan. 19, 2011.
- Dietary supplement fact sheet: Folate. National Institutes of Health. http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/folate/. Accessed Jan. 19, 2011.
- Dietary supplement fact sheet: Iron. National Institutes of Health. http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-HealthProfessional/. Accessed Jan. 19, 2011.
- Dietary supplement fact sheet: Calcium. National Institutes of Health. http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/calcium/. Accessed Feb. 15, 2011.
- Nutrition during pregnancy. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp001.cfm. Accessed Jan. 19, 2011.
- Preventive services for adults. Bloomington, Minn.: Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement. http://www.icsi.org/preventive_services_for_adults/preventive_services_for_adults_4.html. Accessed Jan. 19, 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 Jan. 19, 2011.
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 23.U.S. Department of Agriculture. http://www.ars.usda.gov/SP2UserFiles/Place/12354500/Data/SR23/nutrlist/sr23a203.pdf. Accessed Feb. 15, 2011.
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 23. U.S. Department of Agriculture. http://www.ars.usda.gov/SP2UserFiles/Place/12354500/Data/SR23/nutrlist/sr23a301.pdf. Accessed Feb. 15, 2011.
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 23. U.S. Department of Agriculture. http://www.ars.usda.gov/SP2UserFiles/Place/12354500/Data/SR23/nutrlist/sr23a435.pdf. Accessed Feb. 15, 2011.
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 23. U.S. Department of Agriculture. http://www.ars.usda.gov/SP2UserFiles/Place/12354500/Data/SR23/nutrlist/sr23a303.pdf. Accessed Feb. 15, 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.
- Zeratsky KA (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 3, 2011.
- Dietary reference intakes for calcium and vitamin D. Institute of Medicine. http://www.iom.edu/vitamind. Accessed March 8, 2011.
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/DGAs2010-PolicyDocument.htm. Accessed March 30, 2011.
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 23. U.S. Department of Agriculture. http://www.ars.usda.gov/SP2UserFiles/Place/12354500/Data/SR23/nutrlist/sr23a324.pdf. Accessed April 12, 2011.
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