24 healthy diet for pregnant women for the long pregnancy

Updates: 06/17/2024

Now all of you know that it’s the most important to eat right during pregnancy. Therefore, what are eat-smart keys and tips for expectant moms? Keep reading this blog and discover what women should eat while pregnancy.

Pregnancy is right time for you and your baby to make good changes in the daily eating habits. The good supplements for pregnant women are great vitamin and healthy foods for all people. There are also good supplements in particular that supply the best nutrients women need to grow the healthiest baby.

If women are beginning their pregnancy at the healthy weight, they should eat more than 300 calories per day. If they are underweight to start with, or they are carrying multiples, their doctor will suggest all women eating more; if women are overweight, they should eat less. The pregnant women should gain from 25 to 35 pounds during pregnancy (unless they have multiples). Stay in this good range, and women can give a birth to healthy babies, and can reduce the risk for high blood pressure and gestational diabetes. Here are what good vitamin and healthy food for all pregnant women.

I.  Vitamin Supplements In Long Pregnancy

Eating good and healthy habits, varied meals in pregnancy can help women get all of the needed minerals and vitamins. There are minerals and vitamins that are all especially important.

It is very important to get minerals and vitamins from the healthy food women eat, when women are pregnant they should take some good supplements and make sure that women can take all of thing they need for the long pregnancy. Doctor recommended that women should not take the vitamin A supplements, or some supplements that contain vitamin A (retinol) too much because too much vitamin A supplements can harm their baby. What are good supplements that you need to take? Let’s take a look about all of things in healthy diet for pregnant women for the long pregnancy:

1. Folic Acid Before And During Pregnancy

healthy diet for pregnant women menu

It’s recommended that you need to take 400 micrograms of the folic acid a day. All women should take this kind of supplement from before they are pregnant until they are 12 weeks of pregnancy. Folic acid is especially important for pregnant women because this supplement can prevent some birth defects, such as neural tube defects, and spina bifida. Women need to take a folic acid tablet with 400 microgram each day when they want to get pregnant, until they get12 weeks pregnant. If women didn’t take enough folic acid before they conceived, they should begin as soon as they discover that they are pregnant. 

Moreover, women should eat all of foods that include folate (the natural folic acid form), for example brown rice and all green leafy vegetables. Some kind of breakfast with breads, cereals and margarines has folic acid inside them which you can put in the healthy diet for pregnant women.

Some of women get a higher risk of having a pregnancy suffered by the neural tube defect, and they are recommended to get a higher dose of folic acid with 5 milligrams per day until these women reach 12 weeks pregnancy. Women get a higher risks if:

  • Women or their lovers get a neural tube defect.
  • Pregnant women have had a previous pregnancy or baby which suffered by the neural tube defect.
  • They or lovers have a family members got the neural tube defects
  • Pregnant women get diabetes. (We also provide a good guide for beating diabetes for all pregnant women)
  • Or they are overweight, with over 30 of  a body mass index (BMI)

Additionally, women need to consult the doctor for good advice, if they are getting anti-epileptic medication then they also need a higher dose of folic acid.

2. Vitamin D In Pregnancy

Women need 10 micrograms of the vitamin D a day during their pregnancy and if they want to be breastfeed. Vitamin D manages total of phosphate and calcium in their body, these supplements are very important to keep teeth and bones healthy.

Pregnant women need to get vitamin D during their long pregnancy to supply their baby with vitamin D during first few months. Women need to take 10 micrograms of the vitamin D per day when they are pregnant and when they breastfeed. 

With children, if they do not get enough amount of vitamin D, this problem will cause babies’ bones soften, and lead to rickets.

Women can find Vitamin D naturally in the oily fish, such as mackerel, salmon, and sardines or meat and eggs. You can find some products which were added more vitamin D, such as breakfast with cereals, some dairy products, soya products, powdered milk, and fat spreads.

The great vitamin D source is summer sunlight. The time women need in the sunlight to get enough vitamin D is very different from each person, and it depends on many things such as the time of day, or skin type and even the time of year.

3. Iron In Pregnancy

If pregnant woman is short of the iron, she can get very tired probably and she gets high risk for affecting from anaemia. She can get more iron in the green leafy vegetables, lean meat, dried fruit, beef, and nuts. If pregnant women love eating peanuts or foods which can contain peanuts during long period of pregnancy, they can eat them as a healthy diet. Some breakfast cereals have bên added iron inside. If the level of iron in women’s blood comes low, doctor can advise them to take more iron supplement. Pregnant women need more iron in their diet because their volume of blood will be increased during long pregnancy. If not enough volume of iron, they can increase iron deficiency anemia. The great sources of iron are leafy green vegetable, meat, spinach and broccoli, and strawberries. If the level of iron is low in your blood, you may need to take more this iron supplement. However, you should remember that don’t get iron supplement with milk, as milk will inhibit the absorption of all vitamins.

4. Vitamin C In Pregnancy

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Vitamin C was known as ascorbic acid which is essential for wound healing, healthy skin, bone growth and repair. Vitamin C can help the body fight against infection, and this vitamin acts like an antioxidant, and protects all cells from big damage. Both mom and her baby need vitamin C daily. Vitamin C is important for the body to create collagen – a kind of structural protein which is a component of the cartilage, bones, and tendons, even skin. Some studies show that the vitamin C deficiencies in all newborn babies will impair good mental development.

Vitamin C also supports all body to absorb iron. Try to eat the foods which are rich in vitamin C in every meal to get more iron. Citrus fruits contain high level of vitamin C, but many other fresh fruits and leafy greens vegetables are great sources. Because the heat can ruin vitamin C during the cooking, the best way is choosing fresh foods with vitamin C for all meal in day. You can find some juices and cereals which are fortified with high level of vitamin C, too.

5. Calcium In Pregnancy

Calcium supplement is vital in the healthy diet for pregnant women for building the baby’s teeth and bones. All the kind of fish with edible bones and dairy products are very rich in calcium. The big sources of calcium are dried fruit, cereals, figs, apricots, bread, tofu, almonds, and all green leafy vegetables as broccoli, curly kale, and watercress. If pregnant women cannot get enough calcium, their baby can take the calcium from mothers’ bones. All pregnant women must take four servings of the calcium rich foods a day. Milk, yogurt, cheese are great sources of the calcium. These foods also include protein, so pregnant women can get 2 great important nutrient supplements in 1 food.

6. Protein

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Protein is the basic foundation of all healthy diets that are the building blocks of any cell in the body. Rick-protein foods have a lot of benefits for both pregnant woman and her baby. All of high protein food can keep the blood sugar hunger and stable at bay. Some good proteins for all pregnant women are eggs, low-fat dairy products, lean meat, beans, fish, edamame, quinoa, and nuts.

All of pregnant women should take from 60 and 80 grams of the protein supplement a day. If pregnant woman are carrying twins, she can need more. Protein is especially important for the baby’s all body tissues and placenta. The best sources of the protein supplement include meat, chicken, fish, and turkey. Non meat sources of the protein are beans, eggs, yogurt, milk, cheese, tofu, and peanut butter. Some vegetarian pregnant women should be careful to take enough the level of protein during snacks and meals.

7. Essential Fatty Acids

In addition to 6 vitamin supplements recommended above, I want to add one more. It is essential fatty acids.

Essential fatty acids including the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA are not contained in prenatal vitamins. Essential fatty acids are fundamental for the growth of brain, eye tissue, and nerve of your baby.

If you are looking for a popular source of EPA and DHA, you can make use of fish. However, you should be careful that you should not eat too much fish that contain a high amount of mercury when you are pregnant.

The omega-3s are extremely important for you baby; therefore, talking with a healthcare practitioner is necessary, which helps you know whether you need a supplement or not.

Discover: Benefits Of Fish Oil

II. Best Food For Pregnant Women

1. Low-Fat Dairy

Low-Fat Dairy is all about calcium supplement which pregnant women can put in many healthy dessert recipes. All the babies need calcium for growing teeth, bones, nail and all mothers need calcium to keep their strong. This supplement also supports the muscles and the nerves function. If mothers drink only milk in their latte, they should try more dairy by ordering up a delicious yogurt smoothie on the way of working, eating string cheese, drinking a big glass of orange juice, or some spinach for healthy dinner. To take calcium out of every serving, find out good foods that are fortified with high level of vitamin D, which boosts absorption of calcium.

2. Flaxseeds

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These omega-3 essential fatty acids are the very important for both mothers and their babies that can be called DHA. These great and healthy fats can be referred to as “vital” for many good reasons, such as: These good fats can help metabolize fat-soluble vitamins such as: vitamin A and vitamin E, and both of them are important for the total development of the baby’s brain and eyes.

Drizzle flaxseed oil over the salad, and the sprinkle ground seeds in the cereal, soup, and yogurt. Some omega-3-rich foods are salmon, walnuts, and avocados. You must remember 1 thing that DHA and Omega-3 can be good and healthy fats, but they are fats; therefore keep the total intake about 30% of total daily calories.

3. Lean Beef

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Meat is a high source of iron, a vital component of the red blood cells, therefore not only the babies need the iron supplement to build his/her supply, but also the mothers need the iron supplement since their blood volume will raises by 50% when all mothers in the long pregnancy. Moreover, the iron supplement can build the brain by the way of strengthening the nerve connections. If you cannot eat meat, you also can try to eat quinoa, lentils, dark leafy greens, dried fruit, dried beans, or tofu. Try to raise the iron intake with anything which is high level of vitamin C, which increases absorption. Red bell peppers, tomatoes, citrus, kiwi, and strawberries are all good and delicious sources. If some mothers want to eat beef during the long pregnancy, I suggest that mothers should choose organic beef. The good meat from grass-fed and raised cattle will tend to be leaner and it can have about 5 times of the omega-3s of the conventional counterpart.

All pregnant women can look for more ideas in amazing copycat cookbook, wonderful cookbook of paleo, and good dessert for guilt free to get more information about healthy food for pregnant women.

4. Lentils

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One of the especially important nutrients in all healthy diet for pregnant women is vitamin B, and lentils are the good and huge source of this supplement. Vitamin B has a great protective effect against the neural-tube defects as spina bifida; a disorder in a part of spine was exposed. Because this is significant benefit, and it will be the most effective early in long pregnancy, even before women know that they have conceived. You can find the great source of this supplement in almost cereal, rice, pasta, and bread are now fortified with vitamin B. All pregnant women can find vitamin B in great northern beans, dark leafy greens, and asparagus.

5. Colorful Fruits And Veggies

Load up on every kind of green, orange, yellow, or red veggies, and fruits you like, especially the sweet potatoes. All colorful products are source of good photochemical, especially the beta-carotene supplement. The body can convert it to vitamin A, which is important for developments of their baby’s skin eyes, bones, even organs. Pregnant women can find vitamin A in some good supplements, medications, fortified foods, and some skin products. Unlike the beta-carotene, which is totally safe during long pregnancy, supper high vitamin A will raise risk of the birth defects. Pregnant women should eat various vegetables and fruit because these products can provide minerals, vitamins, and fiber which can prevent constipation, and help digestion.

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All women should eat about five portions of vegetables, and fruits per day, they can put in the healthy food for all pregnant women and baby with fresh, frozen, canned, dried or juiced product.

Remember that you should cook your vegetables lightly with a little water, or you can wash them carefully and eat them raw to get all the nutrients inside them. Discover what counts like a portion in 5 A: Contain a vegetable or fresh fruit in every snack and meal. Women should choose a big variety of nutrition and vitamin in many colors to take their nutritional needs. If women cannot get enough nutrients at all meals, vegetables, and fresh fruits make good snack choices.

6. Popcorn

Air-popped popcorn can be an easy and simple way to up women’s intake of total grains, popcorn can be the great thing that women can want to eat in every healthy diet for pregnant women. Popcorn and some complex carbs are big sources of fiber, plus the starchiness in these products can help quell nausea. A variety of grains as corn, rice, quinoa, oats, wheat, or barley can support mothers up their dose of a slew of baby-building minerals, and vitamins like the vitamin B, iron, or more.

7.  Water

healthy diet for pregnant women downloadEight cups of water per day can help women and their growing babies build new good cells, flush toxins, deliver nutrients, and more. Water can make the tummy feel totally full; therefore women are less tempted to eat chips, and cookies. Moreover, the risk of dehydration is real: Dehydration can raise the danger of early labor. The best news is that water can come from all source counts, such as 100 percent juice, soup, milk, decaffeinated coffee, or tea, therefore you cannot  stress much if two quarts water per day is too much for you to swallow. It’s very important for all mothers to take enough fluids in their diet. Mothers should drink at least 8 glasses of fluid per day. You should try to drink most of fluid intake from water and milk. Fruit juice is a good source of fluids. However, you should limit beverages and soda, or any kind of drinks that contain caffeine. Healthy juicy cleanse is a good idea for you to learn about natural and good juice.

8. Starchy Foods (Carbohydrates) In Pregnancy

Starchy foods are especially important pack of fiber and vitamins, and are satisfying without including many calories. They contain bread, breakfast cereals, pasta, noodles, potatoes, rice, maize, oats, millet, cornmeal, sweet potatoes, and yam. These foods can be the critical part of each meal. Paleo cookbook is an amazing idea for pregnant women

9. Healthy Snacks

healthy diet for pregnant women free downloadSnacks still are a great way for all mothers to fill in your belly with nutrition. If all mothers are experiencing heartburn or morning sickness, good and healthy snacks will help them get the good nutrients which can be missing at the meal time. Remember, stay far away from all the junk for good and get healthy choices when you eat the snack. Here is some snack for you:

–         Yogurt is a delicious and good source of calcium, protein, and fiber.

–         Trail Mix: You can make own trail mix with nuts, cereal, with dried fruit. Carry this trail mix with you in the zip lock bag for snacking.

–         String Cheese: The String cheese includes protein and calcium. String cheese is a great choice for your quick snack.

–         Salad: You can make a fresh salad with many fresh and delicious vegetables for between meal and snack. Include baby carrots, spinach, tomatoes and cucumbers for more variety.

You can check out good chinese food to cook, delicious americas recipes and natural healthy recipes to get more idea for your healthy meal in pregnancy.

10. Milk

If all mothers drink opt, milk for organic. Milk from pasture fed, organic cows will be produced without artificial hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides, and it will provide beta-carotene, and extra omega-3s. When pregnant women begin making all organic choices for their families and themselves, they intuitively begin at the great top of food chain with good, organic milk. These women can understand that good foods their family eats and the healthy medicines they get will get into mothers’ breast milk, therefore, all of this mother make a connection that all the foods and medicines given to dairy cows can affect health of their own family. They like to avoid the use of artificial hormones, antibiotics, genetically modified feed, and pesticides. The recent USDA monitoring data was shown that 27% of the milk samples included synthetic parathyroid pesticides. In contrast, the lower levels of pesticide found up in just 5% of all organic samples.

11. Potatoes

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When you want to make a switch to your organic vegetables, you should put potatoes on the top of shopping list. Potatoes is the first consumed vegetable in the US, farmed white potatoes have the highest levels of the pesticide contamination. Therefore, by switching to the organic, you should make a huge difference in 2 important ways: by the way of lowering your exposure to the chemical pesticides and by the way of using your own consumer clout to design a good market for healthy organic version of the popular veggie. This is the best way for you to get all available nutrients, and high levels of Vitamin C and potassium.

12. Apples

Among fresh fruits, all healthy diet for pregnant women should start with the fresh apples. Based on many controlled studies, healthy organic apples can tend to contain the higher level of nutrients, and it also more delicious than others.

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Children and babies of all the mothers who ate a lot of apples during long pregnancy can be much less likely to exhibit asthma and wheezing symptoms. Some researchers were reported the positive sign that the vitamins A, E, D and zinc consumption of all pregnant women can reduce danger of asthma, eczema, and wheeze in children. 

13. Soy

All products which made from the organic soy beans will be a great nutritious food for every healthy diet for pregnant women. Besides the high-quality protein, soybeans are a huge source of calcium, folate, iron, trace minerals, and zinc. Soybeans also contain the high level of fiber, and a great source of the omega-3 fatty acids.

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To let’s you know more about soy:

  • Soy contains more trypsin inhibitors which inhibit the protein digestion and can impair pancreatic function.
  • Soybean can increase the requirement for the vitamin D supplement of both mother and baby
  • The good soy are high in phytic acid, which can reduce the absorption of the minerals like iron and zinc, and it can inhibits enzymes which people need to digest food properly.
  • This kind of bean can contain phytoestrogens which disrupt endocrine function, and also have the potential to promote the breast cancer in adult women, and cause the infertility.
  • Moreover, soy is a good source of vitamin B12 analogs.

14. Eggs

Apart from many vitamins and minerals, protein makes up a high rate in eggs and is very necessary for pregnancy.

Cells of your baby are rapidly growing and they contain a lot of protein. Thus, you need to find foods that contain protein. Eggs contain choline that boosts the overall health, especially the brain growth, of your baby. Some eggs also involve omega-3 fats which are vital for brain and vision growth.

You need to know that eggs contain many cholesterols, they contain little saturated fat with approximately ½ grams/egg.

Each day, healthy women can consume one or two eggs as a balanced diet. In case cholesterol is your big concern, you can use substitute egg.

15. Greek Yogurt greek yogurt

The amount of Greek yogurt’s protein is twice as much as that of regular yogurt. Therefore, Greek yogurt becomes a favorite food of pregnancy. Any kind of yogurt is an abundant supply of calcium. If you don’t get enough calcium, the infinite amount you own will transfer for your baby and the calcium included in your bones will be reduced.

During pregnancy, you have to ensure that you can provide adequate nutrition for you and your baby.

Read on: Benefits Of Yogurt

16. Beans

There are many kinds of beans for you to choose like navy beans, black beans, chickpeas, and lentils. Beans can provide you with a lot of fiber and protein which are involved in all of the vegetables. During pregnancy, the speed of the gastrointestinal track is slow, which can put you at risk of hemorrhoids and constipation. When facing up to these problems, fiber inside beans will assist in preventing and relieving them. In addition, beans are also rich in iron, calcium, zinc, and folate.

17. Salmon Salmon

There is one food left that you need to consume when you are pregnant. It is salmon. This is the last food presented in this article.

Salmon not only contains high-quality protein, but it also provides omega-3 fats that are fundamental for the development of your baby. Unlike king mackerel, shark, and tilefish, salmon is low in methylmercury that can be harmful to the development of the nervous system.

There is an important thing you should not forget that do not consume more than 12 ounces/ week to prevent ingesting too much mercury.

Read more: 4 cycle solution – a program for gaining a healthy weight

All the 24 tips above are about healthy diet for pregnant women for the long pregnancy which can show you what are good vitamins and healthy foods for a long and healthy pregnancy. I am here happy to share my knowledge with all women who are expecting pregnant or who are carrying baby.

If you feel this post of healthy diet for pregnant women for the long pregnancy is really helpful for your own current expectation, just lets me know all your suggestion and comments at the end of my blog. I appreciate all of contribution from you and I will answer your entire question as soon as I can.

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