Pregnancy Nutrition: An Overview
During pregnancy, you and your growing baby need more of several nutrients. By eating the recommended number of daily servings from each of the five food groups, you should get most of the nutrients you need.
What to Eat for Good Pregnancy Nutrition
A healthy pregnancy nutrition plan contains a wide variety of foods from the five basic food groups.
Every day, you should try to consume:
- Whole grains
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Dairy products
- Proteins
- Water.
Whole Grains in Your Pregnancy Nutrition Plan
For adequate pregnancy nutrition, women should eat 6 or more servings of bread, cereal, rice, or pasta. One serving of whole grains equals:
- One slice of bread
- 1 ounce of ready-to-eat cereal (about 1 cup of most cereals)
- ½ cup of cooked cereal, rice, or pasta.
If you are physically active, you can eat more servings (up to 11 servings if you are very active).
Vegetables in Your Pregnancy Nutrition Plan
For adequate pregnancy nutrition, women should eat 3 to 5 servings of vegetables. One serving of vegetables equals:
- 1 cup of raw, leafy vegetables such as spinach or lettuce
- ½ cup of chopped vegetables, cooked or raw.
Fruit in Your Pregnancy Nutrition Plan
For adequate pregnancy nutrition, women should eat 2 to 4 servings of fruit. One serving of fruit equals:
- One medium piece of fruit, like an apple, banana, or orange
- ½ cup of chopped fresh, cooked, or canned fruit
- ¼ cup dried fruit
- ¾ cup of 100-percent fruit juice.
Dairy in Your Pregnancy Nutrition Plan
For adequate pregnancy nutrition, women should eat 2 servings of milk, yogurt, or cheese. One serving of dairy equals:
- 1 cup of milk or yogurt
- 1½ ounces of natural cheese, like cheddar or mozzarella
- 2 ounces of processed cheese, like American.
If you are 18 years or younger and pregnant, you need at least 3 servings of milk, yogurt, and cheese. Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy products whenever possible.
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