Pregnancy Nutrition: Focus on These Essential Nutrients
Updated on 11/19/2024
For your unborn child to benefit from your pregnancy nutrition, it must be balanced and healthy. You need to get familiar with the nutrients your body requires the most and the sources of these nutrients.
When pregnant, Focus on These Essential Nutrients is essential to continue to follow the fundamentals of healthy eating: consuming a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats while following the principles of healthy eating. However, some nutrients in a pregnant woman's diet require additional focus and attention. The following are the essential items:
Folate and Folic Acid Affection
Folate is a type of vitamin B that plays an essential role in preventing severe problems that can arise when the brain and spinal cord are developing (neural tube defects) that can result from the structure of the brain and spinal cord. Folic acid refers to the synthetic form of folate found in many dietary supplements and foods that have been fortified with extra folate. Several studies have shown that taking folic acid supplements can reduce the risk of a baby being born prematurely or with low birth weight and reduce the chance that the baby will be born prematurely.
It is recommended that, before becoming pregnant, you take 400 micrograms (mcg) of folate or folic acid every day. You take between 600 and 1,000 micrograms (mcg) of folate or folic acid daily during pregnancy.
A cereal fortified with folic acid is one of the best sources of this vital nutrient. You can find high folate concentrations in foods such as dark green, leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, dried beans, peas, and lentils, all of which contain a good amount of folate. To reiterate what I have already mentioned, I would like to remind you that all foods are good sources of folate, so it is essential to keep them in mind.
| Food | Size of servings | Calcium content |
| Cereal | A cup (20 to 60 g) of calcium-fortified ready-to-eat cereal is a good source of calcium | 100 to 1,000 mg |
| Juice | A cup of calcium-fortified orange juice (237 mL) | 349 mg |
| Cheese | It weighs approximately 1.5 ounces. (43 g) of part-skim mozzarella | 333 mg |
| Milk | 1 cup (237 mL) of skim milk | 299 mg |
| Yogurt | Approximately 6 ounces. It is a low-fat fruit yogurt with a low-calorie sweetener that contains 170 grams | 258 mg |
| Salmon | The weight of the product is 3 ounces. (85 g) canned pink salmon with bones | 181 mg |
| Spinach | The amount of spinach to be used is 1/2 cup (95 grams) | 123 mg |
This is the FoodData Central website. USDA, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov. The date of access is January 27, 2022.
Taking a daily prenatal vitamin, preferably starting at least three months before conception, is another way to ensure that you get enough of this essential nutrient during pregnancy.
In addition to making healthy food choices, this should also be done. Anyone who has even the slightest possibility of being able to carry a pregnancy to term would do well to include folic acid in their diet.
Calcium Helps To Strengthen Bones
Both you and your baby need to consume sufficient calcium to maintain healthy bones and teeth. In addition, calcium is also beneficial for the circulatory, muscular, and nervous systems, all of which help to function correctly when taken in adequate amounts.
What is required of you: 1,000 milligrams (mg) per day; pregnant adolescents need 1,300 milligrams per day
The best way to absorb calcium is to eat foods like dairy products, which are also good sources of calcium. In addition to dairy products, broccoli and kale are good sources of calcium. These days, calcium is also added to a wide variety of fruit juices and breakfast cereals as a natural source of calcium.
| Food | Serving size | Calcium content |
| Cereal | One cup (20 to 60 grams) of calcium-fortified ready-to-eat cereal | 100 to 1,000 mg |
| Juice | A cup of calcium-fortified orange juice (237 mL) | 349 mg |
| Cheese | One and a half ounces. (43 g) of part-skim mozzarella cheese | 333 mg |
| Milk | 1 cup (237 mL) of skim milk | 299 mg |
| Yogurt | 6 ounces. It is recommended that you consume 170 grams of low-fat fruit | 258 mg |
| Salmon | It weighs approximately 3 ounces. (85 g) of canned pink salmon with bones | 181 mg |
| Spinach | 12 cup (95 g) of boiled spinach | 123 mg |
This is the FoodData Central website. USDA, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov. The date of access is January 27, 2022.
Vitamin D is Well Known For The Fact That It is Beneficial For Strengthening Bones
Along with calcium, vitamin D plays a vital role in developing your child's bones and teeth during childhood.
Daily, you must consume 600 international units (IU) of vitamin D to meet your needs.
Good sources: Fish like salmon, rich in vitamin D, are among the best sources of vitamin D. Fortified milk, and orange juice are good sources of vitamin D.
| Food | Serving size | Vitamin D content |
| Fish | Three ounces. (85 g) of cooked sockeye salmon | 570 IU |
| Milk | One cup (237 mL) of skim milk that has been added with vitamin D | 115 IU |
| Juice | Eight ounces. An orange juice that is fortified with calcium and vitamin D (237 mL) | 100 IU |
| Eggs | A large hard-boiled egg (50 grams) should be used for this recipe | 44 IU |
This is the FoodData Central website. USDA, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov. The date of access is January 27, 2022.
Proteins, Which Encourage Growth
As a pregnant woman, your baby's development needs to get enough protein while you are pregnant.
The recommended daily allowance is 71 grams (g).
It is essential to know that lean meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs are excellent protein sources and several other good sources of information. Other options, such as nuts, seeds, beans, and peas, as well as products made from soy, are also available.
| Food | Serving size | Protein content |
| Cottage cheese | In a large bowl, combine 1 cup (226 g) low-fat cottage cheese with 1% milk | 28 g |
| Poultry | Three ounces. (86 g) of boneless, skinless chicken breasts grilled on a grill | 26 g |
| Fish | Three ounces. (85 g) of canned pink salmon with bones | 17 g |
| Lentils | Half a cup (99 grams) of boiled lentils | 9 g |
| Milk | 1 cup (237 mL) of skim milk | 8 g |
| Peanut butter | 2 tablespoons (32 g) of peanut butter | 7 g |
| Eggs | There should be one large hard-boiled egg (50 grams) in the recipe | 6 g |
This is the FoodData Central website. USDA, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov. The date of access is January 27, 2022.
Iron: Avoid Developing Anemia Due to A Lack of Iron
As a result of the presence of iron in the body, hemoglobin is produced in the body. Red blood cells contain a protein called hemoglobin, which is responsible for transporting oxygen throughout the body via the red blood cells. It is estimated that your body requires twice as much iron during pregnancy as it does at any other time in your life. For your body to produce extra blood and ensure that your unborn child has enough oxygen, it requires this iron to make additional blood.
If you do not have sufficient iron stores or if you do not consume enough iron while you are pregnant, you are at risk of developing iron deficiency anemia. You may experience side effects from taking this medication, such as headaches as well as fatigue as a result of taking this medication. Women who have severe anemia during pregnancy due to a lack of iron are more likely to have a premature birth, a baby with low birth weight, and postpartum depression after giving birth.
What is required of you: 27 milligrams per day
A good source of iron is lean red meat, poultry, and fish, and all are considered good sources of iron. There are also cereals already enriched with iron, vegetables, and beans that can be eaten for breakfast.
| Food | Serving size | Iron content |
| Cereal | Half a cup (40 grams) of quick oats fortified with iron | 20 mg |
| Meat | Three ounces. (85 g) of roasted lean beef tenderloin | 3 mg |
| Spinach | Half a cup (90 grams) of boiled spinach | 3 mg |
| Beans | Half a cup (88.5 g) of cooked kidney beansHalf a cup (88.5 g) of cooked kidney beans | 2 mg |
| Poultry | 3 ounces. (85 g) of roasted dark turkey | 1 mg |
This information is based on Release 28 of the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, a publicly available resource.
Prenatal vitamins usually contain iron as part of their formulation. Your primary care physician may recommend taking an additional iron supplement if certain conditions are present.
Undoubtedly, iron is most readily absorbed when consumed in the form of animal products such as meat. The following foods are high in vitamin C and go well with iron-containing plant foods or supplements, such as orange juice, tomato juice, or strawberries. As a result, the body will be able to absorb the iron more readily. Taking iron supplements simultaneously as drinking orange juice with calcium added to it is a recipe for disaster. During pregnancy, calcium is an essential nutrient, but it has been shown that calcium inhibits the body's ability to absorb iron, which is a negative effect of calcium during pregnancy.
Ask Your Health Care Provider About Supplements
Even if you eat a well-balanced diet, there is still a possibility that you will be lacking in certain essential nutrients even if you eat a balanced diet. When you start taking a prenatal vitamin every day at least three months before you try to conceive, you can help fill in any nutritional gaps that may exist in the body during pregnancy. Suppose you follow a strict vegetarian diet or have a chronic health condition. In that case, your doctor or any other medical professional may recommend taking particular supplements if you follow a strict vegetarian diet.
Suppose you are pregnant and are considering taking a herbal supplement. In that case, it is recommended that you consult your primary care physician about the possibility of taking a herbal supplement during pregnancy nutrition. Some herbal supplements may be harmful to the baby if taken while pregnant, as there is a possibility that they could harm the unborn child.
