Well Nourished Pregnancy
Daily Nutrition for a Well Nourished Pregnancy
This guide will help you make food choices to support a well nourished pregnancy. Here are your midwife's basic food and supplement recommendations for pregnancy. Some supplements are available in the clinic and others can be ordered from Fullscript.
6. Whole grains--5 choices
1 waffle or pancake made from whole grain
1 slice bread
whole wheat, rye, bran, other whole grain
1/2 roll, muffin, or bagel made from whole grain 1
corn tortilla
1/2 cup oatmeal or Wheatena
1/2 cup brown rice or bulgar wheat
1 shredded wheat biscuit
1/2 cup bran flakes or granola
1/4 cup wheat germ
7. Vitamin C foods--2 choices
1/2 grapefruit
2/3 cup grapefruit juice 1 orange
1/2 cup orange juice 1 large tomato
1 cup tomato juice
1/2 cantaloupe
1 lemon or lime
1/2 cup papaya
1/2 cup strawberries
1 large green pepper
1 large potato, any style
8. Fats and oils--3 choices
1 tablespoon butter or ghee 1
tablespoon mayonaise 1
tablespoon coconut oil 1/4
avocado
1 tablespoon nut butter
9. Vitamin A foods--1 choice
3 apricots
1/2 cantaloupe
1/2 cup carrots (1 large)
1/2 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup winter squash 1
sweet potato
10. Liver--at least once a week (optional)
4 oz liver
beef, calf, chicken, pork, turkey, liverwurst
11. Salt and other sodium sources--unlimited
Table salt, avoid
Sea salt--to taste
Kelp powder--to taste
Soy sauce--to taste
12. Water--unlimited
Drink to quench thirst, but do not force fluids
Real juice or milk might make better use of
limited stomach space.
13. Snacks and additional menu choices--
Unlimited foods from groups 1-11
14. Optional supplements--as needed
Vitamins, powders, herbs, yeast, oils, molasses,
wheat germ, etc.
*Note: Vitamin supplements do not take
the place of a sound, balanced diet of
nutritious foods.
1. Milk and milk products--4 choices
1 cup milk: whole, skim,1%, buttermilk
1/2 cup canned evaporated milk: whole or skim 1/3
cup powdered milk:whole or skim
1 cup yogurt
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup cottage cheese
1 large slice cheese (1 1/4 oz): cheddar, Swiss, other
hard cheese
1 cup rice milk
1 1/2 cup soy milk
1 piece tofu, 3"x3"x 1/2" (4 oz)
2. Calcium replacements--as needed
(2 per soy exchange from group 1)
36 almonds
1/3 cup bok choy, cooked
12 Brazil nuts
1 cup broccoli, cooked
1/3 cup collard greens
1/2 cup kale
2 teaspoons blackstrap molasses 4 oz
black olives
1 oz sardines
3. Eggs--2 any style
4. Protein Combinations--6 to 8 choices**
1 oz lean beef, lamb, pork, liver, or kidney
1 oz chicken or turkey
1 oz fish or shell fish***
1/4 cup canned salmon or tuna
3 sardines
3 1/2 oz tofu
1/4 cup nuts or nut butter
1/8 cup beans + 1/4 cup rice or wheat
(measured before cooking)
beans: soy beans, peas, black beans, kidney beans, garbanzos
rice: preferably brown
wheat: preferably bulgar
1/8 cup brewer's yeast + 1/4 cup rice
1/8 cup sesame or sunflower seeds + 1/2 cup cup rice
1/4 cup rice + 1/3 cup milk
1/2 oz cheese + 2 slices whole wheat bread or 1/3 cup
macaroni (dry) or noodles or 1/8 cup beans
1/8 cup beans + 1/2 cup cornmeal
1/8 cup beans + 1/6 cup seeds (sesame, sunflower)
1/2 large potato + 1/4 cups milk or 1/4 oz cheese 1 oz
cheese: cheddar, Swiss, other hard cheese 1/4 cup
cottage cheese: creamed, uncreamed, pot style
5. Fresh, dark green vegetables--2 choices
1 cup broccoli
1 cup brussels sprouts
2/3 cup spinach
2/3 cup greens
collard, turnip, beet, mustard, dandelion, kale
1/2 cup lettuce (preferable romaine)
1/2 cup endive
1/2 cup asparagus
1/2 cup sprouts: bean, alfalfa
