What fruits are good to eat while pregnant

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During pregnancy, good nutrition is more important than ever. To support a healthy pregnancy and your baby's development, include plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein foods, and fat-free or low-fat dairy products in your pregnancy diet. Limit foods and beverages with lots of added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium. At every meal, make half your plate fruits and vegetables. And enjoy the best foods for pregnancy listed below!

• Eggs are a great source of protein, a crucial part of your pregnancy diet. The amino acids that make up protein are the building blocks of the cells in your body – and your baby's.

  Eggs also contain more than a dozen vitamins and minerals, including choline. Choline – which is contained mostly in the yolks, so be sure to include them – helps your baby's brain and spinal cord develop properly, and helps prevent certain birth defects.

  Combine eggs with whatever veggies and cheese you have on hand and you'll have the makings of a frittata. Leftovers – if there are any – are perfect for breakfast the next day.

  Recipe: Frittata with chard, red onion, and feta

  Recipe: Ratatouille with baked eggs

• Beans – including legumes like lentils, peas, and peanuts – are a good source of protein and an excellent source of iron, folate, potassium, and magnesium. They're all important when you're pregnant.

  Beans are also a great food for fiber, which can help prevent and relieve two common pregnancy discomforts: constipation and hemorrhoids.

  Try tossing edamame (cooked soybeans, which are also an excellent source of essential fatty acids) in soups, salads, or stir-fries. Or snack on roasted edamame.

  Recipe: Creamy white beans with sausage, broccolini, and bread crumbs (extra easy, thanks to canned beans)

  Recipe: Tofu, broccoli, and sugar snap pea stir-fry

• Whole grains are high in fiber and nutrients, including B vitamins, iron, folic acid (if fortified), magnesium, the antioxidant vitamin E, and the mineral selenium. They also contain phytonutrients, plant compounds that protect cells.

  Trade white bread for whole grain, and sample different kinds of whole grains – from barley and buckwheat to oats and spelt – in your pregnancy diet.

  Recipe: Chicken soup with farro and shiitake mushrooms

  Recipe: Quinoa with shrimp, tomato, and avocado

• Greek yogurt typically has twice the protein of regular yogurt. Plus, it's a great source of probiotics, B vitamins, phosphorus, and calcium. Calcium helps keep your own bones strong and helps your baby develop a healthy skeleton.

  Yogurt is a versatile breakfast ingredient and a wonderful addition to savory dishes too. Drinking milk is another good way to get calcium every day.

  Recipe: Roasted cauliflower steaks with herbed yogurt (Note: Roasting this cruciferous vegetable has been known to win over cauliflower skeptics.)

  Recipe: Honey-yogurt mustard dipping sauce (baked chicken tenders optional)

• Broccoli and dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, and Swiss chard are prenatal superfoods, loaded with vitamins and nutrients, including vitamins A, C, and K, as well as calcium, iron, and folate. They're also rich in antioxidants and fiber, which can ease constipation.

  It's easy to up the amount of dark leafy greens in your diet. Just chop the greens coarsely and toss into smoothies, soups, omelets, or stir-fries.

  These recipes offer healthy options for comfort food.

  Recipe: Chicken and biscuits with Swiss chard

  Recipe: Roasted butternut squash and kale lasagna

• Meat is an excellent source of high-quality protein and a good source of B vitamins, iron, and zinc. Iron delivers oxygen to the cells in your body, and you need more of it during pregnancy.

  Look for cuts that are around 95 to 98 percent fat-free.

  Skip deli meats and hot dogs, though, unless they're heated until steaming hot. There's a small risk of infection from bacteria and parasites such as listeria, toxoplasma, or salmonella, which can be dangerous during pregnancy for you and your baby.

  Recipe: Steak fajitas with peppers and onions, featuring flank steak, a lean and flavorful cut of beef

  Recipe: Yellow curry with chicken, spinach, and butternut squash

  Recipe: Grilled chicken with pumpkin-seed pesto

• Avocados are high in monounsaturated fatty acids (the healthy fats), which help build your baby's skin and brain. They're also high in vitamin K, antioxidants, and folate, which helps prevent certain birth defects.

  Plagued by leg cramps? The potassium in avocados might help. Constipated? The fiber content is an antidote. Suffering from morning sickness? The vitamin B6 in avocados – which is also good for your baby's developing brain – can help ease nausea.

  Avocados deliver a lot of flavor, creamy texture, and nutrition. Try spreading on whole-grain toast, or add to salads and smoothies.

  Recipe: Carnitas with avocado and pico de gallo

  Recipe: Black bean and sweet potato tacos with avocado

• Portable and nutrient dense, dried fruit offers a good occasional alternative to the fresh fruit that's so important in your pregnancy diet. Look for dried fruit without added sugar.

  Depending on the dried fruit you choose, you'll boost your diet with a variety of vitamins and minerals (like iron), as well as antioxidants and fiber. Prunes, for example, are a tried-and-true remedy for the constipation that plagues so many pregnant women.

  Recipe: Grilled pork tenderloin with barley and dried apricots

  Recipe: Turkey meatballs with prunes

• • During pregnancy you need lots of protein and healthy fats, and more of certain vitamins and minerals (such as folic acid, iron, and calcium). See our list of nutrients you need to help your baby grow.
  • Eating well during pregnancy doesn't mean eating a lot more. If you start off at a healthy weight, you don't need additional calories during the first trimester. You'll need about 340 extra calories a day in the second trimester and about 450 extra calories a day in the third trimester. Learn more about pregnancy weight gain.
  • Some foods can be dangerous when you're pregnant. See what to avoid. (You'll also need to give up alcohol and limit caffeine during pregnancy.)
  • Healthy pregnancy snacks are where it's at! Choose snacks that help meet your nutritional needs, and cut back on processed foods, packaged foods, and sugary desserts.
  • If nausea, food aversions, heartburn, or indigestion make eating full-size meals uncomfortable, try eating small, frequent meals throughout the day. As your pregnancy progresses and your baby increasingly crowds your stomach and other digestive organs, you'll have less space in your body for big meals anyway.
  • Looking for more specifics? Create a pregnancy meal plan that will help you get exactly what you need from your pregnancy diet.

What To Eat During Pregnancy: Best Foods For You and Your Baby

Childbearing is the time when you need to take your health seriously and think carefully about what to eat during pregnancy. A healthy diet matters a lot in keeping your baby well-nourished from the time of conception.

It is typical to start going over your diet routines the moment you discover that you’re pregnant. But like others, you may be inclined to seek advice from your mom or friends, the Internet, or you simply rely on your past pregnancy habits. What you may not realize is that each pregnancy is different. Age or environment can be a contributing factor to physical or hormonal changes that may affect pregnancy, so the body’s response could be different.

Like it or not, there are conditions that only a specialist can understand and help you get through. There are also questions about prenatal diet that only a certified nutritionist** can accurately answer.

What to Eat During Pregnancy? Eating Right for Baby’s Health!

A balanced diet is ideal for everyone; however, during pregnancy, it’s important to make dietary adjustments based on your specific needs. Knowing what foods are good to eat during pregnancy will help address your pregnancy symptoms (nausea, vomiting, edema, constipation and heartburn, leg cramps and headaches, etc.) and nourish your baby well.

There is no one-size-fits-all meal plan for expecting moms. Some do not have problems with the food they eat and others may start experiencing issues. Certain types of food may worsen their symptoms, while some alleviate them. This is one reason why you might seek help from a prenatal nutritionist, who offers sound advice in terms of food restrictions. These food restrictions during pregnancy are based on several factors such as lifestyle, physical changes and hormonal changes. For now, stick to the basics described below:

Eat more vegetables

When you eat vegetables regularly, you are providing many benefits to your body. Some of the benefits of vegetables include:

• they are low in fat, calories and cholesterol
• they are good sources of fiber (to help combat and prevent constipation)
• they contain many vitamins and minerals, including folate (which helps reduce the risk of neural tube defects and spina bifida during fetal development)

Don’t be afraid to get creative with adding vegetables to your diet, such as adding them to sandwiches, mixing them into dishes or blending them into smoothies. You can also try to eat a variety of vegetables in any form (raw, cooked, fresh, frozen, canned or dried) and in a variety of colors, as they will provide different vitamins and minerals. If canned, choose ones that are low in sodium content. Vegetables are generally healthy, so you don’t need to stick to a particular kind; however, raw leafy vegetables are usually considered the best. Make sure to wash any vegetables thoroughly before eating, since you will be more susceptible to infections during pregnancy.

Among others, these veggies are full of vitamins and nutrients important during pregnancy:

• Artichokes
• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Peppers

• Cucumbers
• Salad greens
• Squash
• Corn
• Sweet potato

Pack on healthy proteins

Fill your plate with healthy proteins. Foods rich in protein will effectively support your baby’s growth and at the same time, provide you the energy that your body needs. It will also promote your baby’s healthy brain and heart development.

Include a portion of the following in your daily meal plan:

• Fish
• Chicken
• Turkey
• Lean meat
• Pork
• Lamb

• Veal
• Eggs
• Peanut butter
• Nuts
• Beans
• Meat substitutes like tofu

Don’t forget the grains

Your prenatal nutrition must include whole grains like brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, cereals and oatmeal. They are rich in fiber, iron, B vitamins and folic acid, which are beneficial for your baby’s physical development. These will also ward off constipation and hemorrhoids, which are some of the common discomforts that you may experience during pregnancy.

Color your diet with fruits

Some people will warn you against fruit consumption when you ask them about what not to eat during pregnancy. This is a myth. Fruit isn’t just delicious; it can help curb your sugar cravings and supply you and your baby the necessary nutrients. As long as you aren’t eating them in juice form too often, fruits are an important part of your pregnancy diet. If canned, choose unsweetened.

Be cautious in your preparation of fruit. Don’t use knives used for other raw foods that may have bacteria, and always thoroughly rinse raw fruit under running water. Rinsing your fruit is important since bacteria can be found on the outer rind or peel, which can cause illness or be harmful to you and baby. Cut off damaged or bruised spots to help remove any bacteria hiding out in these areas.

It is worth noting that eating fruits should be done with care. Observing how your body reacts every time you have some will help. For example, if you have a spike in your blood sugar or notice abnormal weight gain, you should cut back.

You can have moderate servings of the following fruits:

• Bananas
• Strawberries
• Apples
• Citrus fruits
• Mangoes

• Pears
• Avocados
• Pomegranates
• Grapes
• Dried fruits

Include healthy dairy

Dairy products are good sources of protein and calcium, which help with your baby’s bone development. If taken in moderation, you do not have to worry about weight gain, but this isn’t your major concern.

When buying dairy products, look out for the word ‘pasteurized,’ especially on cheeses like cotija. During pregnancy, your body is more prone to infections, and pasteurization helps kill germs in dairies like cheese, yogurt and milk. Ideally, pick dairy products that are low-fat.

Say ‘yes’ to healthy fats and oils

Among the many food restrictions during pregnancy, oils and fats are on top. Nutritionists do not advise completely giving them up, as they are beneficial for your baby’s brain and eye development. However, your oil intake should be limited to six teaspoons every day. It is also important to consume only plant oils like olive, canola or safflower. Regarding fat intake, solid fats (like lard and butter) are foods you should avoid taking in large amounts while pregnant so you do not gain excess weight.

If you eat healthy, drink healthy, too!

Water is a wonder drink. It addresses many different kinds of health issues and pregnancy is no exception. As much as possible, drink the recommended amount of water every day. Staying hydrated may help alleviate pregnancy symptoms like morning sickness and nausea. In contrast, dehydration, especially if this occurs during your third trimester, can lead to contractions and pre-term labor. Hydrate with water but never with energy drinks.

Cut back on soda and caffeine intake. Switch to fruit drinks and juices as a substitute for soda and caffeine, but still try to limit the amount of fruit juices so you are not taking in too much sugar too quickly. Even better would be to eat a small serving of fruit to help satisfy the sugar or caffeine craving.

And by all means, avoid any kind of alcohol as this will impact your baby’s health. Even once the baby is born, you’ll want to follow these same precautions (including limiting alcohol) while breastfeeding. Continuing these precautions while breastfeeding is important because unsafe foods, like alcohol, can pass through the breast milk to the baby. We consider this the “fourth trimester” of pregnancy.

Information about Specific Essential Nutrients

Get Legitimate Advice on What to Eat During Pregnancy

Knowing what to eat during pregnancy will keep you and your baby safe and healthy. With nutritious meals on the table, you can safeguard your child from various health risks. Eating the right foods will also reduce symptoms, such as nausea, morning sickness and fatigue.

Some long-time parents who insist that they know the routine should never assume this pregnancy will be like their others nutritionally. Your family and friends may also mean well when giving you pregnancy advice, but keep in mind that a legitimate set of guidelines is what you need the most. This will ensure that you get precise details on what to eat and what not to eat during pregnancy.

First-hand information from a nutritionist specializing in prenatal care is 100% reliable. Ideally, consult one, who will offer advice tailored for your specific needs. A certified nutritionist** can provide you definitive advice on proper prenatal care and diet.

During pregnancy, you are your baby’s only source of nourishment. What you eat and drink will affect your child’s health, so you want to be sure that you choose the best food to eat during pregnancy.

Family Health Centers of San Diego can guide you through your pregnancy. Our dedicated certified nutritionists** and registered dietitians will assess your condition and help you make healthy food choices. We will help you manage your symptoms through the foods you eat and educate you on prenatal care.

**All nutritionists at Family Health Centers of San Diego are certified to hold a Bachelor’s of Science (BS) in Nutrition. Some of our staff hold both a BS degree and are a Registered Dietitian (RD). Registered Dietitians have additional training that includes: a supervised dietetic internship, requirement to pass the Board Exam and have 72 hours of continuing education units every five years in order to maintain RD credentials.