Wondering what to eat to ensure a healthy pregnancy? Good nutrition is especially important during pregnancy, and you need to be taking in more calories than you usually would since you are "eating for two." However, being pregnant is not a license to eat as much as you want. Experts estimate that most women only need about 300 extra calories per day to support a baby’s growth and development. So instead of concentrating on eating more, you just need to think about eating smart and making sure that most of your choices are healthy ones. Maintain control over your portions; it can be very easy to eat too much without even realizing it. Try to eat foods from each of the five food groups every day. You should also limit sugar and fat intake, which is good advice for any time in your life.

To ensure healthy nutrition during pregnancy, consume the following:

Grains: 6 Ounces per Day
1 ounce of grains is equal to:

• 1 slice bread
• 1 cup ready-to-eat cereal
• ½ cup cooked rice, pasta or cereal
• 1 small pancake (4 ½" in diameter)
• 1 small tortilla (6" in diameter)

Vegetables: 2 ½ Cups per Day
1 cup of vegetables is equal to:

• 1 cup raw or cooked vegetables
• 1 cup vegetable juice
• 2 cups raw, leafy greens
• 1 medium baked potato (2 ½" to 3" in diameter; go easy on the butter, bacon bits and sour cream)

Fruits: 1 ½ to 2 Cups per Day
½ cup of fruit is equal to:

• ½ cup 100% fruit juice
• ½ cup fresh, frozen or canned fruit
• ½ a fruit (small orange, apple or banana)
• ¼ cup dried fruit
• 16 grapes

Milk Products: 3 Cups per Day
1 cup of milk products is equal to:

• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup yogurt
• 1 ½ ounces natural cheese (examples: cheddar, parmesan)
• 2 ounces processed cheese (example: American)

Proteins: 5 to 5 ½ Ounces per Day
1 ounce of protein is equal to:

• 1 tablespoon peanut butter
• ¼ cup cooked dried beans
• 1 ounce lean meat, poultry or fish
• 1 egg
• ½ cup nuts (12 almonds, 24 pistachios)

Folic Acid
Folic acid (also called folate) is a B vitamin that helps prevent birth defects of the developing brain and spinal cord (the neural tube). The critical time that folate is needed to prevent neural tube defects is during the first month of embryonic development. Because women may not even realize they are pregnant until after this period had passed, experts recommend that all women of childbearing age should take a multivitamin with 400 micrograms of folic acid every day before pregnancy and during early pregnancy, as part of a healthy diet.
Good food sources of folale include:

• Fortified breakfast cereals
• Enriched grain products
• Beans
• Leafy green vegetables
• Orange juice

Other Healthy Eating Tips

• Meals: Eat frequent small meals instead of three large ones. This can help relieve heartburn and abdominal discomfort that may accompany eating in the middle and late stages of pregnancy.
• Snacks: Chose healthy snacks, such as cheese, yogurt, fruit, nuts, and vegetables.
• Fluids: Drink at least six to eight glasses of water, juice, or milk every day.
• Vitamins: Take a prenatal vitamin every day. Ask your health care provider if you need to take an additional supplement such as iron or calcium, as well.
• Caffeine: Limit your caffeine intake, especially during the first trimester. Even small amounts of caffeine may increase the risk of miscarriage in early pregnancy.

For more information on proper nutrition during pregnancy, see the Healia Health Guide on Pregnancy. If you have questions about whether a certain food is OK to eat, ask the people in the Healia Health Community for Pregnancy.

_{Source: March of Dimes Pregnancy and Newborn Health Education Center, Eating Healthy, 2009. http://www.marchofdimes.com/pnhec/159_823.asp}

_{Photo: molly_darling, Flickr, Creative Commons}