During pregnancy, the standard health guidelines still stand — eat a balanced diet of whole foods, fruits, vegetables and protein — but certain nutrients such as iron and calcium are crucial to the healthy growth of the baby and it may be advantageous to increase consumption of foods with these nutrients during pregnancy.
Here are seven foods that are beneficial to the health of the mother and baby during pregnancy.
1. Fruits and berries
The American Pregnancy Association recommends eating two to three serving of fruits and berries every day while pregnant. Fruits and berries are loaded with vitamins and nutrients that help support healthy growth for the baby.
“Eating fruit during pregnancy as part of a balanced diet can provide many benefits to both the pregnant person and the baby. Some of the best fruits to eat include pomegranates, apricots, and oranges,” per Medical News Today.
2. Dairy products
Dairy is an excellent source of calcium — a nutrient that is essential to both the mother and child during pregnancy. It may be beneficial to add dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese to a healthy diet.
“You and your baby need calcium for strong bones and teeth. Calcium also supports healthy functioning of the circulatory, muscular and nervous systems,” reports the Mayo Clinic. “Dairy products are the best absorbed sources of calcium.”
A 2019 systematic review published in the journal of Advances in Nutrition reported that mothers who regularly consumed dairy products throughout pregnancy were less likely to have a low birth weight baby. In the review of 17 studies, consuming dairy during pregnancy was positively associated with infant birth weight and length.
3. Seafood
Incorporating healthy fats — like those found in fish, avocado and nuts — can be vital to the mother and growing child. The omega-3 fatty acids in seafoods like salmon help build the baby’s brain and eyes as well as increasing gestational length, reports a 2020 study published in the Journal of Perinatology.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends consuming 8 to 12 ounces of seafood each week while pregnant, noting that raw seafood and seafoods high in mercury should be avoided.
“Fish and shellfish have healthy fats that are good for you and your baby. But some seafood is high in mercury, a metal that can harm your baby’s development. It’s a good idea to eat seafood that’s high in healthy fats but lower in mercury,” per the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The seafoods with the highest levels of mercury that should be avoided during pregnancy include:
- Marlin.
- King mackerel.
- Swordfish.
- Bigeye tuna.
- Shark.
- Tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico.
If you prefer a plant-based source of omega-3 fatty acids, they can be found in flaxseeds, chia seeds and soybeans.
4. Foods with folate
Folate is a B vitamin found in foods such as spinach and beans. Folic acid, which boasts many of the same benefits, is the synthetic form of folate, which can be found in vitamins and fortified foods such as pasta and cereals. Our bodies use the nutrients in folate to develop new cells and help a growing baby develop a healthy brain and spinal cord.
“Folic acid can help reduce the risk of neural tube defects, which are birth defects of the brain and spinal cord. Neural tube defects can lead to varying degrees of paralysis, incontinence and sometimes intellectual disability,” reports Johns Hopkins Medicine. “Your intake of folic acid should begin before conception and continue throughout your pregnancy.”
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends pregnant women consume 400 micrograms of folic acid every day in addition to consuming folate through diet.
According to Harvard Health, foods high in folate include:
- Spinach.
- Asparagus.
- Beans.
- Citrus fruits.
- Peanuts.
- Sunflower seeds.
- Eggs.
5. Protein
Protein is vital to healthy growth during pregnancy, per Johns Hopkins Medicine. During pregnancy, you should consume between 75 and 100 grams of protein every day, per the American Pregnancy Association.
“Protein positively affects the growth of fetal tissue, including the brain. It also helps your breast and uterine tissue to grow during pregnancy, and it plays a role in your increasing blood supply,” reports the American Pregnancy Association.
Some good sources of protein include:
- Lean meat.
- Some seafoods.
- Poultry.
- Eggs.
- Legumes.
- Nuts and seeds.
- Soy products.
6. Iron-rich foods
Most prenatal vitamins contain iron, but during pregnancy, the amount of blood in your body increases by nearly 50%, according to a study from the journal Circulation. To make up for the significant increase in blood, pregnant women need more iron.
“If you’re pregnant, you’re at increased risk of iron deficiency anemia. Iron deficiency anemia is a condition in which you don’t have enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to the body’s tissues,” reports the Mayo Clinic. “Your body uses iron to make more blood to supply oxygen to your baby. If you don’t have enough iron stores or get enough iron during pregnancy, you could develop iron deficiency anemia.”
“Iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy is also associated with having a low birth weight baby and postpartum depression. Some studies also show an increased risk of infant death immediately before or after birth.”
In addition to physician-recommended prenatal vitamins, a healthy diet can also treat iron deficiency during pregnancy. According to the Cleveland Clinic, here are several healthy foods that are high in iron:
- Beef.
- Chicken.
- Eggs.
- Pork.
- Lentils.
- Beans.
- Figs.
- Dates.
- Broccoli.
- Dark, leafy greens.
- Nuts and seeds.
7. Drink lots of water
Staying hydrated while pregnant is crucial to supporting fetal circulation and an increased blood volume. Pregnant women should aim to drink between eight to 10 glasses (2.3 liters) of water each day, according to the Journal of Perinatal Education.
“When you’re pregnant, you need more water than the average person in order to form amniotic fluid, produce extra blood, build new tissue, carry nutrients, enhance digestion, and flush out wastes and toxins,” per Intermountain Health.
In addition to supporting the baby’s growth, according to Intermountain Health, staying hydrated can benefit pregnant women in these ways:
- Reduces swelling.
- Eases constipation.
- Increases energy.
- Softens skin.
- Keeps your body cooler.
- Lowers risk of urinary tract infections.
- Lowers risk of preterm labor and birth.