If you want to eat the healthiest foods in order to nourish your growing little baby during pregnancy, but aren't sure which foods are best, start here. Incorporate these dietitian approved 10 best foods for pregnancy into your diet for healthy mom and baby!

Women’s bodies are amazing, aren’t they? For nine months they are house and nourish a tiny life, providing all the sustenance it needs to grow and develop into what will soon be a sweet little baby. How incredible is that?
And while we sometimes take for granted how our bodies naturally seem to know just what to do, it’s also hard work for us mamas. Our body's nutrition demands go up in order to grow a healthy baby. While pregnancy is often seen as a time to eat anything and everything, it's important for mamas to pay attention to what they eat in order to keep both she and baby healthy.
Nutrition Needs During Pregnancy
During pregnancy, nutrient needs are much higher in order to provide baby with everything he needs to develop correctly, and to make sure mama stays well, too. You need much more energy than normal to grow a baby, anywhere from 300-500 extra calories per day in the second and third trimesters. Aim for a mix of carbohydrates, protein and fat, and ideally plenty of fruit and veggies. Your body's demand for specific nutrients also goes up, such as:
A prenatal vitamin is a good safety net to make sure you and baby get all the nutrients you need, but a healthy diet is still important. For a healthy mom and baby, try incorporating these 10 nutritious foods into your diet often during pregnancy.
Top 10 Best Foods To Eat During Pregnancy
Salmon
All cells are made up of protein, so it’s crucial that women get enough protein during pregnancy. Besides being a great source of high quality protein, fatty fish like salmon is high in the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, which are essential for building baby’s brain and eyes.1 Pregnant women can meet their EPA and DHA needs by eating a serving of fatty fish like salmon twice a week. Since fish can also be contaminated by mercury, which poses a risk to developing babies, limit fish and seafood to 2 servings per week, and opt for low mercury varieties, preferably wild caught. Some other good fattier options besides wild caught salmon include wild caught anchovies, sardines, herring, shrimp, pacific mackerel, and freshwater trout.2
Beef
Another great source of protein is beef, which is rich in iron, too. Iron is important for transporting oxygen around the body in red blood cells. Since blood volume increases up to 50% during pregnancy and your baby is storing up iron for the months following birth, your iron needs greatly increase.3 Beef is an excellent source of high quality iron. Other red meat, such as lamb, venison and bison, is also high in iron.
Spinach
Spinach and other leafy greens are loaded with many of the nutrients pregnant women need, such as vitamins C, A and K, fiber, potassium and calcium. But what makes spinach so perfect for pregnancy is a combination of folate and iron.
Folate is critical for the health of both mother and baby. It reduces the risk of preterm labor, low infant birth weight and neural tube defects and other birth defects in babies. Spinach is one of the best food sources of folate, although it’s still recommended you take a prenatal vitamin with folic acid to ensure you’re getting enough.4 Also try other leafy greens like kale, chard, and collard greens.
Beans
Beans and other legumes (like lentils and chickpeas) are another great source of both iron and folate, as well as plant protein, so add them to your diet frequently! Plant sources of iron aren’t as easily absorbed by the body as iron from meat, so it’s a good idea to pair them with a source of vitamin C to enhance absorption.
Eggs
Eggs are a nutritional powerhouse made for pregnancy! Eggs not only contain high quality protein and lots of important vitamins and minerals, but they’re also one of the best food sources of choline, a nutrient similar to B-vitamins that is important for the development of baby’s brain, as well as for preventing neural tube defects. One large egg (with the yolk) will supply about 25% of a mom-to-be’s choline needs.5 They're also so easy to prepare, which is great for tired mamas-to-be!
Oats
Oats and other whole grains are an excellent source of fiber-rich carbohydrates, which are needed to keep your energy up during pregnancy. Oats also contain B-vitamins and both soluble and insoluble fiber that can help relieve constipation and improve blood sugar control. If you’re feeling especially queasy during pregnancy, oatmeal is a great choice because it can be prepared plain so that it doesn't worsen nausea.
Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt is a great source of both protein and calcium, which you need more of to help build baby’s bones during pregnancy. Greek yogurt also contains probiotics, which can help support mom’s digestive health at a time when bloating and gas are common. Blend some plain Greek yogurt into a smoothie, or try replacing your afternoon snack with some Greek yogurt and berries. Other sources of dairy, like milk and cottage cheese, are also nutritious choices!
Nuts
Most nuts are high in protein, healthy fat, and fiber, making them filling and nutritious. Many also contain folate and iron, two important pregnancy minerals. Two of the most nutrient dense are almonds and walnuts, though other nuts are great, too.6 Try snacking on low sodium mixed nuts, or adding a sprinkle of walnuts to your oatmeal. You can also nibble on raw almonds during the first trimester to keep nausea at bay.
Avocados
Avocados are a great choice during pregnancy because they contain a mix of fiber and healthy monounsaturated fat that is great for building baby’s brain and other tissues. Avocados are also a great source of potassium, which could help ease those pregnancy leg cramps.
Dates
Especially during the third trimester, dates are a great naturally sweet snack or dessert for moms-to-be. Eating dates daily in the last few weeks of pregnancy could reduce the gestation period and duration of labor, reduce the need for induction, and help speed up cervical dilation7 - meaning you get to meet baby sooner! Try dipping dates in peanut butter for a quick and balanced snack or drizzle them with chocolate for a healthier dessert.
References:
- NCBI - Omega-3 Fatty acids and pregnancy ↩︎
- Mayo Clinic - Pregnancy and Fish: What's Safe to Eat ↩︎
- NCBI - Blood volume changes in normal pregnancy ↩︎
- NIH - Folate Fact Sheet ↩︎
- NIH - Choline Fact Sheet ↩︎
- California Almonds Tree Nut Comparison Chart ↩︎
- NCBI - Effects of consuming date fruits (Phoenix dactylifera Linn) on gestation, labor, and delivery: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials. ↩︎
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