What foods are part of a pregnancy diet menu plan?

A well-balanced, micro nutrient dense diet is the key to a healthy pregnancy. Ideally, women should start eating this way before conception, but making healthier choices at any time will always help.
A well-balanced diet should contain:

• carbohydrates from whole grain sources and fruits and vegetables;
• protein from beans, nuts, seeds and hormone-free animal products like meat and dairy; and
• healthy fats such as olive oil, avocados, and the fats that occur in nuts, seeds, and fish.

Pregnant women need more iron, folic acid, calcium, zinc, iodine, and vitamin D, and higher amounts of most other nutrients, than non pregnant women. The US Recommended Daily Allowance sets the level of nutrient intake that is estimated to meet the nutritional needs of 97.5% of pregnant women. Malnutrition increases the risk of having a low birth weight baby or going into preterm labor. Pregnant women need the following daily:

• 600mcg of folic acid
• 27 mg of iron
• 1000mg of calcium
• 11mg of zinc
• 220 mcg of iodine
• 600 IU vitamin D

In general, women will get high levels of these nutrients by choosing a diverse, colorful diet that focuses primarily (but not entirely) on plant-based foods.