The Top 5 Foods for Pregnancy

During pregnancy, the list of foods to eat and not to eat during pregnancy can vary widely, depending on who you ask. It can be so confusing for those who want to focus on high levels of nutrition while expecting.

Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, the author of The Better Period Food Solution, gives her top five foods for pregnancy to help you stay energized and healthy as you prep for birth. 

TRACY'S TOP 5 FOODS FOR PREGNANCY

1- Whole grain carbohydrates

It's time to up the carb ladies for a surge in energy!  The carbohydrate requirements increase from about 130-150g carbohydrates per day in non-pregnant women to about 175-185g/day in pregnancy. Remember to focus on whole grain carbohydrates for a healthy dose of fiber (I'm looking at you buckwheat, farro, quinoa, kamut, sorghum) instead of highly processed and refined carbohydrates. 

2- Legumes (beans, peas, lentils)

Iron is integral for both fetal/placental development and to also increases mom's red blood cell count. The two dietary forms of iron include heme and non-heme. Although the most bioavailable form is heme iron (found mostly in meat, poultry, and fish), you can get non-heme iron in plant foods, fortified grains, and legumes. To increase the absorption of non-heme iron, pair it with foods rich in vitamin C (such as tomato, oranges, broccoli, peppers). 

3- Hard cheese (parmesan, gruyere, gouda, jarlsberg)

You heard it right! It's time to grab some hard cheese next time you are in the grocery store. Why? Well, hard cheeses are overflowing with vitamin D and calcium (in fact 1oz of gruyere cheese contains about 30% of the DV of calcium per day in a pregnant woman). Plus, it's even more important to eat foods rich in vitamin D and calcium in the 3rd trimester due to the high demands of the fetal skeleton development. 

4- Egg yolks

Did you get your choline today? Unfortunately, choline doesn't get much attention but it is an essential nutrient to the development of the central nervous system. Most women consume about 50% less than the recommended amount. Egg yolks are a rich source of choline and just 1 yolk gets you towards 20% of the DV of choline per day, 450mg respectively. Bonus: egg yolks contain especially crucial vitamins during pregnancy such as vitamins A, D, E, K, essential fatty acids and high amounts of iron, calcium, and vitamin B12. That's no yolk!

5- Hazelnuts

Not only do hazelnuts contain beneficial dietary fiber, a healthy boost of protein but it's rich in magnesium and folate. Hazelnuts are the #1 among treenut in folate content, clocking in around 8% of your DV per serving. Adequate folate is essential during pregnancy to decrease risk of neural tube birth defects and also may help to reduce cardiovascular disease risk. Hazelnuts are especially high in copper, which is essential for iron absorption. Talk about killing two birds with 1 stone (or hazelnut!).      

ABOUT TRACY

Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, MS, RD, CDN is the author of The Better Period Food Solution, a registered dietitian, and a fertility specialist at Tracy Lockwood Beckerman Nutrition. She is based in New York City.

 Tracy completed her dietetic internship and received her Master’s Degree in Clinical Nutrition from New York University.  At her private practice in midtown Manhattan, she specializes in weight management, women's health, preconception nutrition, gestational diabetes/PCOS, thyroid management, gastrointestinal disorders, eating disorders, and pediatrics.