Healthy Eating While Pregnant: What To Eat And What To Avoid

A balanced and nutritious diet does wonders for our health. During pregnancy, being mindful of what you eat is crucial to support your and your baby’s development. Eating a healthy diet is associated with healthy birth weight, good brain development, and a lesser risk of anemia among others. We’ve compiled the best foods to give you and your little one all those vitamins and minerals you both need. And, there are also certain foods and drinks that you should avoid or limit to ensure a smooth and healthy pregnancy.

What to eat

Whole grains

Eating whole grains is linked to positive benefits including a lower risk of diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Whole grains are especially nutritious for pregnant women since they have plenty of fiber, vitamins, and plant compounds. Common varieties of whole grain include brown rice, wild rice, wheat berry, whole rye, oats, and quinoa. Certain types of bread, pasta, and breakfast cereals are made from these foods.

Lean meat

Chicken, lean beef, and pork provide a variety of minerals and vitamins. Beef and pork, in particular, are excellent sources of iron, choline, and other B vitamins. Iron, for instance, is an important mineral used by red blood cells as a part of hemoglobin. You will need plenty of iron during pregnancy because your blood volume will increase. Consuming lean meats rich in iron can support you and help the baby develop a red blood supply. Another great thing is that high-protein foods such as lean meats help you manage hunger as they stabilize blood sugar.

Dried fruit

Avocados, oranges, pomegranates, guava, bananas, grapes, berries, and apricots are some of the best fruits to eat during pregnancy. Consider dried fruits as well since they’re generally rich in fiber, calories, vitamins, and minerals. Don’t worry as dried fruit contains the same nutrients as fresh fruits. Prunes and dates are excellent to eat when you are pregnant. Just note that dried fruit can be high in natural sugar and sweetened varieties might contain even more.

Veggies

Getting your daily dose of veggies is vital as they are packed with vitamins such as vitamin C, beta carotene, and folic acid. They are, of course, rich in the much-needed fiber. Vegetables are not only great for your health but also help the baby develop a healthy birth weight. Broccoli, green peas, parsley, dark leafy greens, tomatoes, beetroot, and sweet potatoes are nutritious options. If you are not big on vegetables, you can always mix them a bit with your meals or blend them into smoothies.

Dairy

Products like milk, cheese, and yogurt are packed with extra protein, calcium, and vitamin D, perfect for meeting your baby’s needs. Greek yogurt, for example, contains high levels of calcium, which strengthens your little one’s bones and teeth. This will be essential during the second and third trimesters. Just make sure that the dairy products you’re consuming are low in fat. When foods from the milk group are high in saturated fat and cholesterol, the levels of LDL or “bad” cholesterol in the blood increase.

Eggs

Delicious and inexpensive, eggs contain a bit of almost every nutrient you need. A large egg contains high-quality protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals. They are also one of the food sources of the elusive vitamin D, which helps calcium build strong bones and teeth for your little one. And there’s more! Eggs are an excellent source of choline. This is a vital nutrient that contributes to your baby’s brain development and abnormalities. Make sure to cook your eggs thoroughly before eating!

Salmon

Salmon is a welcome addition to the list as it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These play a key role in the development of your little one’s eyes and brain. But they also have positive benefits for the mom-to-be as they help mobilize vitamins A and E. Salmon is a great source of iodine and vitamin D too.

What to avoid or limit

Fish with high levels of mercury

Tuna, marlin, king mackerel, swordfish, orange roughy, and shark are high in methyl mercury and should be avoided during pregnancy. This is a toxic chemical that can pass through the placenta and harm your -baby’s developing brain, nervous system, and kidneys.

Raw meat

Some of us enjoy a rare steak or plate of sushi from time to time. But skipping these types of food during pregnancy is the wisest choice. Any meat that is raw, pink, and bloody in the middle can make you ill and harm your baby. When you’re pregnant your immune system changes to prioritize your baby’s development. This makes you more susceptible to food poisoning. And, undercooked or raw meat can increase the risk of food poisoning caused by salmonella bacteria.

What’s more, raw meat increases the risk of getting toxoplasmosis. Although a mild illness for you, this can harm your baby and cause health issues. In very few cases, this leads to miscarriage. Even though getting toxoplasmosis while pregnant is very rare, it’s best to avoid any chances.

Don’t panic! Simply make sure to cook meat properly (at least 145℉) and be extremely careful about hygiene.

Raw eggs

Speaking about salmonella, it’s best to exclude raw eggs or undercooked eggs from your pregnancy diet. Normally a healthy and safe food to eat, raw eggs might contain bacteria. The infection typically disappears after a few days, but can still harm your immune system and make you experience uncomfortable symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhea. Purchase pasteurized eggs at the supermarket and cook them at a temperature of 160 ℉. Also, beware of foods containing undercooked eggs such as cake batter, raw cookie dough, chocolate mousse, tiramisu, and hollandaise sauce.

Raw salad

You might already have a pretty good idea of why you should skip raw salads during pregnancy. Eating pre-cut or undercooked veggies can harbor dangerous bacteria like E. coli. Moreover, veggies that aren’t thoroughly washed might contain salmonella or toxoplasma. Before getting your daily dose of veggies, wash and cook them properly.

Feta, queso blanco, and other types of cheese

While dairy products can be a source of protein and calcium, others like feta, queso blanco, queso fresco, blue cheese, Brie, Camembert, and panela can pose a risk. These cheeses are made with unpasteurized milk, which hasn’t been heated to kill bacteria like E. coli. This can negatively impact your and your baby’s health. Before buying, check labels on cheese to confirm if it’s pasteurized.

Alcohol

Not technically a food, rather a drink, but it’s still important to discuss it. To date, there’s no known safe amount of alcohol to drink during pregnancy. Experts recommend avoiding it altogether as it can be dangerous. Through the umbilical cord, the alcohol in the mother’s blood passes to the baby. Ultimately, this can cause stillbirth, miscarriage, several disabilities that are known as FASDs (fetal alcohol spectrum disorders). According to the CDS, children with DASDs might have abnormal facial features, low body weight, learning disabilities, speech delay, hearing problems, and more.

Caffeine

Don’t worry! You can still drink coffee while pregnant, but its consumption should be moderate. Opt for fewer than 200 grams of coffee per day, which is equivalent to a 12-ounce cup of coffee. Your baby can’t metabolize the same amount of caffeine as you do. That’s why it’s safe to limit your intake as much as possible. And, beware that many drinks contain caffeine including coca-cola, tea, and some desserts.

Bonus

Before you go, here are some important things to bear in mind.

• Don’t “eat for two”: You don’t need to eat double. Studies show that when future moms gain too much weight, babies develop a higher risk of obesity later in life. Base your pregnancy weight-gain goal on your body-max index (BMI), following the advice of a health professional. And remember to eat until you’re satisfied.
• Stay hydrated: Drink eight to ten 8-ounce glasses of water per day. Water helps to deliver nutrients to your baby and make new cells. Staying hydrated also prevents constipation.
• Be mindful of your cravings: While indulging in a chocolate mousse or ice cream is fine from time to time, try not to overdo it. Too much sugar can increase the risk of gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia. And, as mentioned before, it increases the risk of your baby becoming overweight later in life.
• Follow professional advice: Online advice can be very useful when you’re pregnant. But bear in mind that everyone is different. Perhaps you have special dietary requirements or conditions that prevent you from consuming certain foods. Seek advice from your medical caregiver to follow a healthy and balanced diet during pregnancy.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg. We have even more recommendations for a healthy diet during pregnancy. Watch our Pregnancy & Nutrition masterclass to support your baby and yourself during this crucial time.