Pregnancy Superfoods As Per Dietitians

Salmon You may have heard not to eat too much fish during pregnancy because of mercury levels, but, "Don't fear the fish!" says Katie Goldberg, MCN, RDN, LD, registered dietitian at Katie Goldberg Nutrition. "The benefits of omega-3s far outweigh the risks of mercury in seafood." Omega-3 fatty acids, especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are important for baby's brain development.

Asparagus Asparagus contains a significant amount of folate compared to other vegetables, says Ryann Kipping, RDN, CLEC, Author of The Feel-Good Pregnancy Cookbook and founder of The Prenatal Nutritionist. "Folate is key in the prevention of neural tube defects. Although asparagus is best fresh, the canned or frozen varieties work when it is out of season." Two cups of asparagus also has about 20% of your daily iron needs. Iron helps deliver blood and oxygen to your growing baby.

Eggs Eggs are one of the best sources of choline. "Choline has been compared to folate for its equally important role in brain development. Sadly, it is left out of the majority of prenatal vitamins."

Dark leafy greens You probably saw this one coming. Load up on kale, spinach, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. Dark leafy green vegetables are rich in folate, a nutrient essential in forming the neural tube (which ultimately becomes the brain and spinal cord).

Cottage Cheese Cottage cheese is chock-full of calcium, protein, and iodine. "As table salt has gone out of fashion," Goldberg explains, "iodine deficiency and insufficiency is on the rise. Iodine plays a role in brain and spinal cord development, along with thyroid function." 

Greek yogurt You need 1,200 mg of calcium per day when pregnant. Six ounces of plain Greek yogurt has 230 mg of calcium, delivering 19% of daily calcium needs. Not to mention, yogurt is also high in vitamin D and contains good-for-the-gut probiotics. Monroe recommends choosing full-fat dairy to help with vitamin absorption.

Meat Meat is high in iron, and you need 27 mg of iron per day when pregnant—that's one and a half times the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for non-pregnant women. The iron in meat, also called the heme form, is more efficiently absorbed than non-heme iron, the kind found in plants. So add lean ground beef, turkey, chicken, and lean pork to your grocery cart and consume one to two times per week.

Pumpkin Seeds One ounce of pumpkin seeds packs five grams of fiber, five grams of protein, and 18% of the recommended dietary allowance for magnesium, a key nutrient during pregnancy that helps regulate over 300 enzyme systems in the body. Magnesium plays a role in everything from blood sugar control to protein synthesis to muscle and nerve function. Along with pumpkin seeds, almonds, cashews, peanuts, chia seeds and avocados are also high in magnesium.

Beans and Legumes Beans and legumes, Think chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, lentils, and soybeans. Beans are packed with protein, fiber, iron, folate, and zinc - all crucial nutrients during pregnancy.

Whole Grains We can't conclude this pregnancy superfood list without including carbs. Besides being your body's preferred source of energy, carbohydrates are your best friend in the first trimester when nausea strikes.