Fruits are packed with a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. Not only are they low in fat and calories, but eating fruits while pregnant helps ensure optimal health for you and proper growth and development for the baby. Get at least 2 cups of fruit per day. Include fruits into your diet by adding them to cereals, oatmeal or make a fruit smoothie.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is essential to healthy embryonic growth. It helps with the development of the heart, lungs, kidneys, eyes, bones and the respiratory and central nervous systems. Vitamin A also helps with the creation of the immune system by making white blood cells and it aids postpartum tissue repair. Pregnant women 19 and older should get at least 770 mcg of vitamin A per day, while those younger need 750 mcg. Good sources of vitamin A include cantaloupe, mango, papaya, apricots and peaches.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an abundant nutrient that is found in kiwi, mango, strawberries and citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit. According to the Baby Center, vitamin C helps with the formation of collagen, which is a protein found in the connective tissues of the skin, bones, cartilage, muscle and blood vessels. You also benefit from vitamin C because it helps the body absorb iron, which is important because iron deficiency can occur during pregnancy. Consume at least 85 mcg of vitamin C each day.
Folic Acid
Folic acid, which is a B-vitamin, is one of the most important nutrients to get before conception and during the early stages of pregnancy. It is needed for the proper development of the baby's spinal cord and it helps prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida and skull and brain deformities. Folic acid is also needed to make DNA and RNA. It can be found in oranges, cantaloupe, strawberries, dates, peaches, apricots and raisins. According to the American Pregnancy Association, you should get at least 400 mcg of folic acid per day.
Fiber
Constipation can be a problem during pregnancy. It occurs because hormones relax the intestinal muscles, which slows the movement of wastes through the digestive tract or it is a result of the uterus expanding and adding pressure on the intestines. Fiber, which is the bulk of the fruit that your body cannot digest, can help prevent constipation. Eat at least 25 to 30 g of fiber daily from fruits such as apples, bears, bananas, blueberries and kiwi.
