LINUS PAULING INSTITUTE

NUTRITION DURING PREGNANCY
Nutrient needs during pregnancy are increased in order to support the growth of the fetus
while maintaining the health of the mother.

1

The food you eat should be packed
with nutrients, not empty calories.
Eat nutrient-dense foods, such as fruit,
vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein.

HEALTHY EATING

2Consider taking a dietary supplement under
the supervision of a qualified healthcare
provider.

HEALTHY OILSVEGETABLESWATERHOW CAN YOU MEET YOUR INCREASED NUTRITIONAL NEEDS DURING PREGNANCY?

HEALTHY PROTEIN

Folic acid
600 µg/day

PRENATALVITAMINS

Iodine220 µg/day

FRUIT

Iron
27 mg/day
Vitamin D
2,000 IU/day

WHOLE GRAINSFOLIC ACID
• Folic acid is thesynthetic form of folate
found in supplements
and fortified food.
• All women capableof becoming pregnant
should supplementwith 400 µg/day of folicacid and increase to600 µg/day throughout
pregnancy.
3IODINE• Consider a prenatal
multivitamin/mineral
supplement containing
220 µg/day.

IRON• Most pregnant
women will require aniron supplement.
• Take iron supplements
between meals or at
bedtime on an emptystomach.

VITAMIN D• 90% of pregnant
women do notconsume therecommended amountof vitamin D.
• The LPI recommends
2,000 IU/day ofsupplementalvitamin D.

Include foods that are good sources of the important micronutrients mentioned on the next page.

MICRONUTRIENTSVITAMINS | ESSENTIAL MINERALS | CHOLINEGOOD SOURCES

RECOMMENDED DIETARY ALLOWANCE (RDA) SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED WHEN PREGNANT
FOLATEIRON

IODINE

ZINC

From 400 to 600 µg DFE/day

From 18 to 27 mg/day

From 150 to 220 µg/day

From 8 to 11 mg/daylegumes (beans, peas,lentils), green leafy
vegetables, fortified grains

meat, fish, poultry, legumes,
nuts

dairy products, iodized salt,
seafood

meat, shellfish, poultry, nuts,
legumeslentils ½ cup cooked =179 µg DFE
garbanzo beans ½ cup
cooked = 141 µg DFE
spinach ½ cup cooked =131 µg DFE

lentils ½ cup cooked = 3.3 mg
beef 3 oz cooked = 1.6 mg
canned light tuna 3 oz = 1.3 mg

cow’s milk 8 oz = 99 µg
iodized salt 1 g or ⅙ tsp =77 µgcod 3 oz cooked = 99 µg

beef 3 oz cooked = 9 mg
crab 3 oz cooked = 4.7 mg
cashews 1 oz (18 nuts) = 1.6 mg

GOOD SOURCESRDA SLIGHTLY INCREASED, BUT UNDERCONSUMED BY PREGNANT WOMENVITAMIN A

VITAMIN C

CHOLINE*

From 700 to 770 µg RAE/day

From 75 to 85 mg/day

From 425 to 450 mg/day*

eggs, yellow & orange vegetables

fruit & vegetables

eggs, seafood, meat, poultry, nuts

egg 1 large = 80 µg RAE
sweet potato 1 medium = 1,096 µg RAE
carrot 1 medium 509 µg RAE

sweet red pepper 1 medium = 152 mg
kiwifruit 1 medium = 91 mg
strawberries 1 cup whole = 85 mg

egg 1 large = 147 mg
beef 3 oz cooked = 97 mg
salmon 3 oz canned = 75 mg

GOOD SOURCESRDA UNCHANGED, BUT UNDERCONSUMED BY PREGNANT WOMENVITAMIN D

VITAMIN E

CALCIUM

600 IU/day

15 mg/day

1,000 mg/day

fatty fish, fortified foodvegetable oils, nuts & seeds, avocado

dairy products, sardines

salmon 3 oz canned = 370 IU
canned light tuna 3 oz = 40 IU
fortified milk 8 oz = 98 IU

almonds 1 oz (23 kernels) = 7 mg
sunflower oil 1 tbsp = 6 mg
avocado 1 whole = 2.7 mg

plain low-fat yogurt 8 oz = 415 mg
cow’s milk 8 oz = 300 mg
sardines 8 oz (1 can) = 325 mgµg = micrograms | mg = milligrams | RAE = retinol activity equivalents | *AI = Adequate Intake | oz = ounce
IU = International Units | tbsp = tablespoon | g = grams | tsp = teaspoon | DFE = Dietary Folate Equivalents
A 3-ounce serving of meat or fish is about the size of a deck of cards.

MACRONUTRIENTSPROTEIN | CARBOHYDRATE | FAT
CARBOHYDRATE• Protein needs increase byapproximately 25 additional grams/
day during pregnancy.

• Carbohydrate needs increase from
130 to 175 grams/day.

• Consuming the right kind of fat is
important.

• Many women already consume thisamount of carbohydrate.

• Include sources of the essential fatty
acids, linoleic acid and linolenic acid.

• Many women already consume thisamount of protein.

GOOD SOURCESFATPROTEIN

seafood, lean meat & poultry, eggs,
low-fat dairy, nuts, legumes (beans,peas, lentils)
3 oz (cooked) = 17.4 g
egg 1 large = 6.3 g
lentils ½ cup (cooked) = 8.9 g• Include sources of EPA and DHA

whole grains, fruit, vegetables, legumes

vegetable oils, fish, olives, avocado,
nuts, seeds

1 slice = 15 g
strawberries 1 cup whole = 11 g
lentils ½ cup (cooked) = 20 g

safflower oil 1 tbsp = 10.1 g linoleic acidwalnuts 1 oz (14 halves) = 2.6 g
α–linolenic acidsalmon 3 oz (cooked) = 1.5 g EPA + DHAg = grams | tbsp = tablespoonoz = ounce | A 3-ounce serving of meat or fish is about the size of a deck of cards.

CAFFEINE

WATER• Consume no more than
300 mg/day (approximately
2–3 cups of coffee/day).

• During pregnancy, extra fluid is needed to maintain the amniotic fluid
and support an increase in maternal blood volume.

ALCOHOLIC
BEVERAGESTHE RECOMMENDED INTAKE IS ABOUT
10 CUPS/DAY FROM WATER AND OTHERBEVERAGES• Adequate fluid intake also helps combat fluid retention, constipation,and dehydration.

• There is no known
safe amount or time
to consume alcoholic
beverages during
pregnancy.

ENERGY: CALORIESMERCURY
CONCERNS• About 300 additional calories/day are needed in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters.

IDEAS FOR HEALTHY 300-CALORIE SNACKS
Eating for two ≠ Doubling your calories• No additional calories are needed in the first trimester.

• Eat 2–3 servings (8–12oz total) of low-mercury
fish/week.
• Good choices: salmon,sardines, canned light
tuna, trout• Yogurt (8 oz)• Bread (2 slices)• Oats (½ cup cooked)• Strawberries (1 cup)

• Cheese (1 oz)• Low-fat milk (8 oz)• Almonds (23)• Carrots (2 medium)• Banana (1 medium)SOURCES
Micronutrient Information Center• lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/health-disease/pregnancy-in-brief• lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/life-stages/pregnancy-lactation© 2018 Linus Pauling Institute