What you eat and drink while you are pregnant can help nourish you and your baby.
Important nutrients for pregnancy include folic acid, iron, calcium, vitamin D, omega-3 fats, and choline.
In this video we will talk about folic acid and iron and ways to include these nutrients in your meals and snacks.
Let's start with folic acid and foods with folate.
Folic acid is a vitamin needed to build baby's brain and spine, starting early in pregnancy.
Take a multivitamin with folic acid every day if you could become pregnant and while you are pregnant.
Folate is the form of folic acid found in food.
Try to eat foods with folate every day by including them with your meals and snacks.
You can find folate in foods like dark green vegetables, oranges, beans, lentils, breads, and cereals.
Next, let's talk about foods with iron.
Iron helps give you energy and build new blood.
When you are pregnant, you need more iron to help your baby's brain and body grow.
It is important to take a multivitamin with iron every day.
Choose one that has 16 to 27 milligrams of iron.
Try to also include foods with iron at meals and snacks.
Animal foods with iron include:
- Meat, like beef, pork, lamb, and goat
- Wild meat, like moose, elk, and venison
- Chicken, turkey, and duck
- Eggs
- Fish and shellfish
Plant foods with iron include:
- Grain products with added iron, including cereals, pasta, and bread
- Chickpeas, beans, and lentils
- Nuts and nut butters
- Pumpkin seeds
- Blackstrap molasses
- Tofu
- Peas, and
- Cooked spinach
Vitamin C can help you get more iron from your food. Eating vegetables and fruit is a great way to get vitamin C.
Try eating foods with iron with the vegetables and fruit you enjoy.
Here are ideas for meals and snacks that include foods with iron and vitamin C:
- Oatmeal with nut butter and frozen berries
- Curry with goat, chickpeas, and tomatoes
- Moose meat stew with potatoes
- Stir-fry with tofu and bok choy
We hope you enjoyed this video. Check out our other videos about nutrition for pregnancy.
If you have nutrition questions, call Health Link at 811 and ask to speak with a dietitian.
You can also complete the online form.
For information on nutrition for pregnancy and lactation, visit ahs.ca/prenatalnutrition.
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