Feeding Your Baby
Strawberries
If you eat one cup of strawberries you'll fulfill your vitamin C requirement for the day. Added bonuses: fiber and antioxidants. Because strawberries have one of the highest amounts of pesticide residue of all fruits and vegetables, buy USDA certified-organic when you can. It’s best to avoid consuming any extra pesticides during your pregnancy, says LaCroix Mallik. Not a fan of strawberries? Other berries, such as raspberries, blueberries and blackberries, offer comparable nutrients.
Spinach
Trade romaine or other salad greens for spinach—it’s high in folate, which helps prevent neural tube defects like spina bifida. It's also a good source of iron, which you need almost 40 percent more of during pregnancy. Your body absorbs iron best from meat sources, but you can help your body absorb more from plant sources like spinach by pairing the leafy green with vitamin C-rich foods. Toss bell peppers or strawberries on your salad.
Greek Yogurt
Check off one of your three daily servings of calcium with a cup of nonfat yogurt. Calcium is essential for healthy bones and teeth (in both you and your developing baby). It may also prevent preeclampsia. For the most nutritious option, go Greek. It’s super-high in protein and lower in sugar than traditional yogurt. Stick to plain varieties and mix in fresh fruit or nuts to kick up the flavor without racking up sugar.
Salmon
This low-mercury fish is a great source of lean protein. It’s also good for omega-3 fatty acids, DHA, ALA and EPA—all important for boosting baby’s brain. In some studies, moms-to-be who consumed higher levels of DHA had children with slightly higher IQs at 4 years old, says Dr. Hakakha. These essential nutrients are also important for eye and nervous system development. Avoid smoked salmon, and have the fish cooked medium well to avoid any bacteria.
Pumpkin Seeds
Perfect for snacking or tossing in salads, roasted pumpkin seeds contain protein, iron, omega-3s and magnesium. While the amounts of these nutrients are small, like the seed, every bit adds up. They’re also a healthy addition to a dried fruit and nut trail mix.
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Quinoa
Even though quinoa is a seed and eaten like a whole grain, it provides all of the essential amino acids to make it a complete protein—something that's typically only found in meat protein sources. This makes it a superb protein-packed choice for vegetarian moms-to-be. Quinoa is also naturally gluten-free, and provides iron, calcium, B vitamins, manganese, magnesium, copper and fiber. You’ll love that it cooks faster than rice. It tastes great made as a cold salad, too.
