Whatever your previous weight, now's the time to adopt a sensible approach
to eating well. The American Dietetic Association suggest that, like all women,
if you are pregnant you should choose a variety of foods from the four food
groups daily: grain products, vegetables and fruit, milk products, and meat
and alternatives.
Choosing foods from each of the four food groups in the Food Pyramid can help you meet your special nutritional needs. It is important
to eat regularly and enjoy nutritious snacks. The guidelines suggest that you
eat three meals and three snacks daily. These should include:
| Nutrient or Vitamin |
What is it for? |
Where can I find it? |
| Iron |
Healthy blood cells and adequate oxygen supply |
Lean red meat, dried peas and beans, whole grains, enriched cereals, dark green vegetables, dried fruits and nuts |
| Folate/folic acid* |
Brain and nervous system development, healthy blood cells |
Dark-green leafy vegetables, dried peas and beans, cantaloupe, orange juice, grapefruit, nuts |
| Calcium |
Protects bones and teeth, and helps reduce high blood pressure |
Milk & milk products, sesame seeds, almonds, blackstrap molasses, fortified soy milk, soy beans, broccoli, turnip |
| Zinc |
Building and healing tissues (baby tissues too!) |
Meats, whole grains, nuts and seeds, milk products |
| Vitamin A |
Overall growth and development, vision and immune system |
Orange and dark green fruits and vegetables, meat, eggs, cheese |
| Vitamin D |
Helps calcium in protecting and building strong, healthy bones and teeth |
Sunlight, milk and milk products, eggs |
| Vitamin B12 |
Makes new cells (especially blood cells) and builds a healthy nervous system |
Lean meats, certain fish**, eggs, milk, hard cheeses, fortified breakfast cereals, soy products |
| Vitamin C |
Strengthens the immune system and helps build healthy tissues |
Citrus fruits, vitamin-enriched apple juice, green vegetables, tomato juice |
| Essential fatty acids |
Development of the brain and nervous system, hormone production,
and vision |
Soybean, canola oils and non-hydrogenated margarine, some soy-based products (e.g., tofu) |
| Protein |
Builds, repairs and replaces tissues; maintains fluid balance and immune system; aids in blood clotting |
Lean meats and poultry, combined grains and legumes, seeds, nuts, and egg and milk products*** |
Folic acid is a member of the B-vitamin family. It works with vitamin B12 in
making red blood cells. Folic acid helps reduce a baby's risk of developing
a type of birth defect called neural tube defect, or spina bifida. Neural tube
defects happen early in pregnancy, often before a woman even knows she is pregnant.
Make sure you get enough folic acid every day even before you become pregnant.
Since it's hard to get enough from dietary sources alone, most doctors recommend
that healthy women take 0.4 mg (400 µg) of folic acid daily
for several months before becoming pregnant as well as during pregnancy. Make
sure the supplement contains no more than 1 mg of folic acid, unless your doctor
recommends otherwise. Some women may need more than 0.4 mg of folic acid
per day. Check with your doctor to be sure.
** For a list of which fish and other foods to avoid during pregnancy, see
"What foods or substances should I avoid?" in this health feature.
*** For pregnant women who follow a vegetarian diet, see "Vegetarianism
During Pregnancy" in this health feature.
