Choosing healthy, whole foods during your pregnancy helps fuel your body and will foster your baby's development. While fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins are the foundation of any healthy diet, certain types of these foods offer optimal nutrition for pregnancy. If you have any questions about your diet during pregnancy, consult your health provider.
Fruits
Fruits are a healthy way to satisfy a sweet tooth and to obtain carbohydrates for energy. Choose berries for their antioxidants, figs for fiber and potassium and oranges or orange juice for vitamin C and folic acid.
Vegetables
Most colorful vegetables offer a wide variety of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals that promote health. "Fit Pregnancy" recommends sweet potatoes for their vitamic C, folate and fiber and broccoli florets, which are also a nutritious source of folate and calcium. Folate is particularly essential in pregnancy as it helps prevent neural-tube defects and discourages anemia in pregnant women.
Protein
Extra lean beef offers iron, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and zinc. Fish and shellfish are low in saturated fat. Fattier versions like salmon provide omega-3 fatty acids, which help fetal vision and nerve development. Certain types of fish should be avoided during pregnancy, including shark, king mackerel, tile fish and swordfish. Vegetarian sources of protein like beans and nuts also provide folate, calcium and zinc during pregnancy. Beans provide additional fiber, which can help ease constipation during pregnancy.
Dairy
Pregnant women need a minimum of 1,000mg of calcium daily. Yogurt, skim milk and low-fat cheese are good sources of this mineral. An insufficient amount of calcium during pregnancy can cause the body to leach calcium from your bones to provide for the growing baby. Calcium-fortified soy milk is an alternative if you are lactose intolerant or allergic to cow's milk.
Grains
Oatmeal, brown rice, whole-wheat bread and quinoa are examples of fiber-rich whole grains. These foods give you energy during pregnancy and can help satisfy your ravenous appetite.
