Few people eating their morning oatmeal or digging into their lunchtime sandwich give a thought to the vitamins and minerals they’re about to absorb. But every food we eat contains some of these essential elements so vital to sustaining our health and life. During pregnancy, their mission becomes even more important, as they fuel the needs of two bodies.

Expectant mothers need to take in more of these vitamins and minerals than ever before. Although prenatal vitamins can be a good source, expectant mothers can benefit even more from the foods they choose. Pregnancy food refers to those foods which contain the vitamins and minerals an expectant mother will have most need of during her pregnancy.

Here you will find a short list of vitamins and minerals most commonly in demand during pregnancy, and the foods you will find them in. True pregnancy food;

Vitamin A

Broccoli, carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, oatmeal and whole grains, cantaloupe, apricots, and dairy products are high in vitamin A. Truly deserving to be called pregnancy food. Unlike supplements, you can’t get too much vitamin A from your diet.

B Vitamins

Meat and dairy are good sources of a wide variety of B vitamins. Vegetarian sources include oatmeal and whole grains, beans, peas, nuts, brown rice, potatoes and tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, cauliflower, asparagus, leafy green vegetables. Also, most fruits are included. And avocados, bananas, oranges and grapefruits are a good source of folic acid as well. Good pregnancy food, all of them.

Vitamin C and E

While the importance of vitamin C and E can not be overstressed, nature is efficient, and you will generally get what you need from those groups listed above. Don’t count out nuts and seeds as a good pregnancy food; they are an excellent source of vitamin E and essential fats.

Vitamin D

Get some sun. You may not particularly feel like it at this time but try to get a little sun each day, weather permitting. Your body will take care of the rest. You can also find D in fortified skim milk, egg yolks, and sardines. More about fish as pregnancy food, in a minute.

Calcium

Almonds, dried figs, broccoli, sardines and canned salmon with the bones are good sources of calcium.

Iron and Zinc

Eating dark meat turkey or beef can be a good source of both iron and zinc. Oatmeal contains both as well.

Fish as Pregnancy Food - The Good and the Bad

Eating fish, particularly oil rich varieties such as salmon, trout, and sardines is good for you, especially during pregnancy. The oils in fatty fish contain particular omega3 fatty acids not found naturally in other foods that are essential pregnancy food for the healthy development of brain, retina, and nervous tissue of your child.

Omega3’s must be obtained from foods because the body cannot make them from other fats.

Although fish is a pregnancy food must, it may contain contaminants such as mercury, among others, that are harmful to your developing baby. The thing to know here is that the larger varieties of fish are the ones carrying the highest contents of mercury. If you stick to salmon, farmed trout, herring and sardines, you are generally safe although you want to eat these in moderation. Twice, maybe three times a week at most. You may also enjoy shellfish if you desire. They are known to be low in contaminants, but they offer less omega3 as well.

Remember to eat small and often, this will keep your blood sugar levels steady. If you need to cheat on your diet to stay sane, try to keep it down to one day out of the week. Stick to the right pregnancy food and receive a healthy, happy child. And don’t forget, it will make it that much easier to get back into shape after delivery.