Pregnancy superfoods: What to eat for a healthier bump and baby

Expecting a little one soon? This is a journey that you will remember for the rest of your life. 

Early on in this journey, you might realise that there are certain changes in your body and daily habits. For instance, you might notice that your hunger levels are higher than ever before. 

Don’t worry, that’s normal. It’s because your growing baby adds to your body’s caloric requirements. You may even need an extra 340-450 kcal per day in the later trimesters!

That’s because you’ll need to fuel both your baby’s development and your own body’s needs. Along with that, you need to eat smarter by focusing on nutritious foods that support that aim.

In this article, we’ll focus on the key nutrients for a healthy pregnancy diet. We’ll even suggest pregnancy superfoods that are rich in those nutrients!

Folic acid

Folic acid is vital for the early parts of the pregnancy because it supports the formation of the baby’s neural tube. That’s the part of your little one that becomes the brain and the spine!

Getting sufficient folic acid is a good way to bring down the chances of the baby getting neural tube defects. That’s why some women start increasing folic acid intake even while trying to get pregnant, before conception.

You can get folic acid naturally from foods like leafy greens and legumes. That being said, your doctor can also prescribe a supplement for it.

Superfoods to try: Spinach, oranges, citrus fruits, Chinese kale, chickpeas, black beans

Iron

Another thing that your body has to do during pregnancy is increase its volume of blood. That’s necessary to support the baby growing inside you.

To help your body with that, you should ensure you’re getting enough iron for it to continue red blood cell production. You don’t want to flirt with anaemia at this point!

Iron is relatively easy to get through your diet — look for lean meats and dark green vegetables. Don’t forget to take enough Vitamin C to help your body absorb the iron too.

Superfoods to try: Lean meats like beef, tofu, kidney beans

Vitamins A, B12, C, and D

These are four vitamins that every pregnant woman has to have in a healthy pregnancy diet. They all perform a specific role that’s essential for mums and babies.

1. Vitamin A

Let’s start with Vitamin A. It helps your baby’s heart, lungs, kidneys, eyes, and bones develop, so it’s definitely an important vitamin to include. in your diet during pregnancy.

However, it’s also a vitamin that you need to manage your intake of with care. That’s because too much of it can be harmful in early pregnancy. It can even increase the risk of birth defects!

You should consult your doctor for careful regulation of Vitamin A intake. As a general guideline, however, the Mayo Clinic recommends about 770 mcg of it per day for pregnant women. They revise this figure to 1,300 mcg for women who are breastfeeding.

Superfoods to try: Carrots, pumpkins, liver, mangoes

2. Vitamin B12

This vitamin is necessary for your nervous system. Along with that, it helps with the production of red blood cells.

Luckily, it’s one of the easiest vitamins to get from your diet, because it's in most animal products like eggs and dairy. The real challenge might come to the mums who are vegans – for these mums, a supplement might be necessary.

Superfoods to try: Eggs, milk, sardines

3. Vitamin C

Most people already know that Vitamin C is good for boosting the immune system. As we mentioned earlier, it can also enhance your body’s absorption of iron!

Aside from that, Vitamin C is critical in the production of collagen. As your baby will need that for his or her tissue development, that only increases the reasons to ensure you’re getting enough of this nutrient.

Superfoods to try: Citrus, guava, kiwi, broccoli

4. Vitamin D

This is another nutrient that helps with the absorption of another. Specifically, Vitamin D is needed for our bodies to absorb calcium properly. 

Obviously, this means you need it to support your and your child’s growing bones and teeth! Sunlight is the best natural source, but some foods have it as well.

Superfoods: Salmon, egg yolks

Omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-3 fatty acids like DHA are vital for the development of your baby’s brain and eye. They can even bring down the odds of a premature birth. What’s more, they support your own mental health both during and post-pregnancy!

So, you want to make sure these fats feature in your healthy pregnancy diet. Look for them in oily fish, but you can also get them from plant-based sources. 

Superfoods to try: Salmon, mackerel, sardines, flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts

Calcium

Want your baby to have strong bones, teeth, muscles, and heart? Want to keep your own bones strong? Then you definitely need to get calcium!

The curious thing about pregnancy is that if the mother isn’t getting enough calcium to supply to the baby, the body will actually draw it from her bones. That’s not ideal and can have negative effects on you later on in your life. 

So be sure to include dairy products and calcium-rich foods in your diet whenever you can. You may even ask your doctor for a supplement if needed.

Superfoods to try: Yoghurt, tofu, Chinese kale, cheese, leafy green vegetables

How superfoods benefit both mum and baby

Superfoods are so-named because they’re nutrient-dense. That’s one way of saying they pack a lot of key nutrients like vitamins and minerals into fairly small portions. 

The result is that a person eating superfoods gets the most out of every bite. That’s so important when you’re pregnant and may be dealing with a reduced appetite or high nausea.

These superfoods also support both the baby’s physical growth and your body’s adjustment to the changes of this period. In other words, they make your baby’s development smoother while making it easier for you to cope with the pregnancy.

Get more support in your pregnancy and journey through motherhood

While we’ve listed some of the best foods for pregnancy here, you should remember that pregnancy nutrition isn’t about getting a perfect diet. It’s about consistency, doing the best you can, and making informed choices. 

We strongly recommend talking to your doctor and nutritionist for more precise guidance on your pregnancy nutrition. And if you need more guidance on preparing for your baby’s arrival, check out the rest of our articles on our blog here!