Healthy Eating and Exercise in Pregnancy

Plate Planner

This plate planner is a good way to visualize how you should eat.  About half of your plate should be filled with vegetables and fruits.  One quarter of your food intake should be some source of protein such as meat, fish, eggs, cheese, and nuts.  The remaining quarter includes whole grain breads, starchy vegetables such as beans and peas, pasta, and rice.  Dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt are good sources of calcium and can be added at meals and snacks.  Lower fat options are lower in calories and are healthier.  If you are lactose-intolerant, green leafy vegetables are another good source of calcium. For most patients, 30mg is the daily target intake of iron, and most prenatal vitamins have 27-30mg of iron per serving. 

plate planner

Foods that are Rich in Iron

Pregnant patients need extra iron during pregnancy to help build the baby’s blood.  It is always a good idea to increase the iron you eat through your food to keep up with the demand.  For many patients an iron supplement is also needed and this will be prescribed if your red blood cells drop during pregnancy.  Vegetarians need twice as much dietary iron, 60mg per day.  Include vitamin C rich foods for better iron absorption.

The foods listed below are a good source of iron and you should try to eat one iron rich food with every meal.  The foods are listed in order starting with the highest amount of iron at the top.

Higher Iron

  • Meats
    • Beef, pork, ham, turkey, veal, lamb, egg yolks
    • Seafood, shrimp, cooked oysters, clams, canned tuna (see guidelines on safe seafood amounts during pregnancy)
  • Dark green leafy vegetables
    • Turnip greens, spinach, kale, chard, parsley

Medium Iron

  • Enriched breads and cereals
  • Enriched white bread, whole wheat bread, oatmeal, popcorn, bran flakes, wheat flakes, soy beans, brown rice, enriched corn meal
  • Legumes
  • Dried beans (pintos, pea, lima)

Lower Iron

  • Dried fruits
    • Prunes, raisins, apricots, dates, peaches, raw fresh coconut
  • Nuts
    • Pecans, cashews, almonds, walnuts, brazil nuts
  • Other foods
    • Blackstrap molasses, chocolate, cocoa powder

Talk to your Provider if you need help with your diet. They may be able to refer you to a dietician for more assistance. 

Plate Planner 2