16 Foods To Eat During Pregnancy

During pregnancy, good nutrition is highly recommended. To support a healthy pregnancy and your baby’s development, it is advisable to include plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein foods, and fat-free or low-fat dairy products in your pregnancy diet.

We’re here with a list of foods that answer your question: “what to eat when pregnant?” This list of foods to eat during pregnancy will convert your kitchen into a one-stop destination of healthy and delicious foods that will give your baby the best start to life for sure. Take a look!

Why Are Prenatal Vitamins Important In Pregnancy?

When building your healthy pregnancy diet plan, you’ll want to focus on whole foods that give you higher amounts of

• Vitamins and minerals
• Protein and healthy types of fat
• Fibre and fluids
• Complex carbohydrates

Prenatal vitamins are a storehouse of folic acid, iron, zinc, iodine, calcium and Vitamin D. They help promote the development of your growing baby. Therefore, it is recommended by doctors to have foods that are enriched with these nutrients.

Have A Proper Pregnancy Diet Chart

Wondering about what to eat when pregnant? Well, it is advisable to consult a doctor for meeting your nutritional requirements during pregnancy. The doctor will help you look for the following nutrients in your pregnancy diet plan:

• Folate: Try to get at least 600 micrograms of folate per day during pregnancy to reduce the risk for neural tube defects in the little one.
• Iron: It is recommended to double the iron intake during pregnancy, or 27 milligrams daily as it is used to make more blood that carries oxygen to your baby.
• Calcium: Try to aim for 1,000 milligrams of calcium daily to help your baby build strong bones, teeth, muscles and nerves.
• Vitamin D: Vitamin D helps calcium perform its job and keeps your immune system strong. Therefore, you should get 600 IU daily.
• DHA: An omega-3 fatty acid, DHA plays a vital role in your baby’s brain and eye development. Hence, you need 200 to 300 milligrams of DHA per day.
• Iodine: Iodine promotes your baby’s brain and nervous system development. Therefore, you should get 290 micrograms of iodine daily.
• Choline: You can aim to get 450 milligrams of chlorine per day to help prevent neural tube problems and support your baby’s cognitive development.

Here Is The List of Top 16 Foods To Eat During Pregnancy

We are here with our list of food for pregnant women. These nutritious foods to eat while pregnant will ensure that you’re hitting those nutrient goals:

1. Dairy products: Dairy products milk, cheese, and yoghurt contain two types of high-quality protein, casein and whey and are a rich dietary source of calcium that provides high amounts of phosphorus, B vitamins, magnesium, and zinc.

2. Legumes: A great plant-based source of fibre, protein, iron, folate, and calcium, legumes are the answer to your question, what to eat when pregnant? Legumes include lentils, peas, beans, chickpeas, soybeans, and peanuts.

3. Sweet potatoes: Sweet potatoes get their orange hue from carotenoids, plant pigments that are converted to vitamin A in our bodies.

Your unborn baby needs Vitamin A for healthy bones, lungs, eyes, and skin development. This sweet veggie is also enriched with Vitamin C, B6 and manganese, integral to a healthy pregnancy.

4. Salmon: A low-mercury option, salmon is loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids, protein and Vitamin D. It also promotes bone health and boosts immune function.

5. Eggs: Eggs are the ultimate foods to eat during pregnancy and contain a little bit of almost every nutrient you need during pregnancy.

A large egg contains about 80 calories, high-quality protein, fat, and many vitamins and minerals that are a requisite of a healthy pregnancy.

6. Broccoli and dark, leafy greens: One of the best foods to eat while pregnant is broccoli. Broccoli and dark, green vegetables are packed with fibre, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin A, calcium, iron, folate, and potassium.

Including servings of green veggies is an efficient way to pack in vitamins and ease constipation in pregnancy due to all that fibre.

7. Whole grains: Whole grains are another important foods to eat during pregnancy as these are a rich source of fibre and nutrients, including B vitamins, iron, folic acid, magnesium, antioxidant vitamin E, and the mineral selenium.

They are also loaded with phytonutrients, plant compounds that protect cells.

You can trade white bread for whole grains, and sample different kinds of whole grains from barley and buckwheat to oats in your pregnancy diet.

8. Fish liver oil: Made from the oily liver of fish, most often cod, fish liver oil is rich in the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, which are essential for foetal brain and eye development.

Medical studies have also found that fish liver oil helps protect against preterm delivery.

9. Almond: Almond is a rich source of folic acid and protein and helps in the healthy development of muscle mass in your growing baby.

A storehouse of calcium and Vitamin E, almonds reduce the risk of hypertension in pregnancy and preeclampsia during pregnancy. Almonds also top the list of “what to eat when pregnant.”

10. Cashew: Loaded with nutrients like copper, cashews help your body to make use of the iron stored in your body.

A powerhouse of phosphorous, cashew helps in forming healthy bones and developing blood clotting and normal heart rhythm.

11. Walnuts: A good source of omega-3 fats, walnuts help in the development of your unborn baby’s brain and eye.

You can chop a few walnuts and add them to other dishes like salads, soup, cereals, and desserts.

12. Pine nuts: Pine nuts are packed with nutrients like Vitamin K and zinc and improve immunity.

These nutrients also aid in the formation of your unborn baby’s organs, skeleton, nerves, and circulatory system.

13. Dates: Dates are a good source of folate and eating dates during pregnancy aids reduce the likelihood of certain birth defects, including spinal cord and brain abnormalities.

14. Avocado: Avocados are a powerhouse of folate and Vitamin B6 that promotes healthy tissue and brain growth for the unborn baby. Avocados also ease morning sickness, a common complaint during pregnancy.

15. Carrots: Carrots are crammed with beta-carotene, which is converted to Vitamin A by the body. This nutrient is crucial for your baby’s developing eyes, skin and organs.

16. Fruits: If you are still not sure about what to eat when pregnant, there are a plethora of fruits to eat during pregnancy that will help you meet the nutritional requirements to support your baby.

Some of these fruits include mangoes, oranges, pears, lemon and berries.

These are some of the items that should be included in your pregnancy food chart.

Key Takeaways

We hope that our list of what to eat while pregnant keep you and your unborn baby healthy. Now that you have an idea of some of the best foods for pregnancy, we are sure that you will soar high on your diet plans. It is advisable to include plenty of fresh fruits to eat in pregnancy to promote your baby’s growth and development.

FAQs

What foods should a pregnant woman eat daily?

A pregnant woman should include green veggies, eggs and dairy products like milk and yoghourt in her diet. 

Is rice good for pregnancy?

Plain rice is good for pregnancy as it can also fight nausea. However, it is advisable to avoid processed rice products such as crackers, cereal, gluten-free baked goods, and rice “milk” as these contain rice from unknown sources and might be significantly higher in arsenic.

Can I eat pizza during pregnancy?

Yes, you can eat pizza during pregnancy but you should keep in mind that that cheese is high in calories. If you are having cheese on your pizza, make sure that it is cooked well.

Also Read: 

Foods To Avoid During Pregnancy

Fruits To Avoid During Pregnancy