Pregnancy diet: Focus on these essential nutrients

Pregnancy diet: Focus on these essential nutrients

A healthy pregnancy diet will promote your baby's growth and development. Understand which nutrients you need most and where to find them.

By Mayo Clinic Staff

There's no magic formula for a healthy pregnancy diet. In fact, during pregnancy the basic principles of healthy eating remain the same — get plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and healthy fats. However, a few nutrients in a pregnancy diet deserve special attention. Here's what tops the list.

Folate and folic acid — Prevent birth defects

Folate is a B vitamin that helps prevent neural tube defects, serious abnormalities of the brain and spinal cord. The synthetic form of folate found in supplements and fortified foods is known as folic acid. Folic acid supplementation has been shown to decrease the risk of preterm delivery.

How much you need: 800 micrograms of folate or folic acid a day before conception and throughout pregnancy

Good sources: Fortified cereals are great sources of folic acid. Leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits, and dried beans and peas are good sources of naturally occurring folate.

Food	Serving size	Folate or Folic acid content
Cereal	3/4 cup (15 to 60 g) ready-to-eat cereal	100 to 700 mcg — choose a cereal that's 100 percent fortified
Spinach	1/2 cup (95 g) boiled spinach	115 mcg
Beans	1/2 cup (88 g) boiled Great Northern beans	90 mcg
Asparagus	4 boiled spears (60 g)	89 mcg
Oranges	1 orange (154 g)	52 mcg
Peanuts	1 ounce (28 g) dry roasted	41 mcg

In addition to making healthy food choices, taking a daily prenatal vitamin — ideally starting three months before conception — can help ensure you're getting enough of this essential nutrient.

Calcium — Strengthen bones

You and your baby need calcium for strong bones and teeth. Calcium also helps your circulatory, muscular and nervous systems run normally.

How much you need: 1,000 milligrams a day; pregnant teenagers need 1,300 milligrams a day

Good sources: Dairy products are the best absorbed sources of calcium. Nondairy sources include broccoli and kale. Many fruit juices and breakfast cereals are fortified with calcium, too.

Food	Serving size	Calcium content
Source: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 26
Cereal	1 cup (20 to 60 g) calcium-fortified ready-to-eat cereal	3 to 1,000 mg
Milk	1 cup (237 mL) skim milk	299 mg
Yogurt	6 oz. (170 g) low-fat fruit yogurt	235 mg
Cheese	1 oz. (28 g) part-skim mozzarella cheese	222 mg
Salmon	3 oz. (85 g) canned pink salmon with bones	181 mg
Spinach	1/2 cup (95 g) boiled spinach	145 mg
Juice	1 cup (237 mL) calcium-fortified orange juice	348 mg

Vitamin D — Promote bone strength

Vitamin D also helps build your baby's bones and teeth.

How much you need: 600 international units (IU) a day

Good sources: Fatty fish, such as salmon, is a great source of vitamin D. Other options include fortified milk and orange juice.

Food	Serving size	Vitamin D content
Source: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 26 Salam Sayang, Zalmin Zakaria
Fish	3 oz. (85 g) cooked sockeye salmon	447 IU
Juice	8 oz. (237 mL) calcium- and vitamin D-fortified orange juice	100 IU
Milk	1 cup (237 mL) skim milk	115 IU
Eggs	1 large hard-boiled egg (50 g)	44 IU