It is important to eat well-balanced meals at all times, yet this is even more essential when you are trying to get pregnant as well as during pregnancy. Many nutrients including vitamins and minerals are needed for the proper development of the baby.

Eating healthy during pregnancy is important

A balanced diet is your best bet to have a healthy pregnancy. Restricted diets, diets with too low or too high calories, high-fat diets, and some vegetarian diets are discouraged during pregnancy because they may not provide all the nutrition needed for the developing fetus. Studies have shown that women who eat a healthier diet with fruit and vegetables have children with higher IQs when compared to women who were in the meat and potatoes cluster and white bread and coffee cluster. Read on for a breakdown of what you should eat (and not eat) during your pregnancy!

How to keep a healthy weight during pregnancy

• Work with your doctor  on your weight gain goals at the beginning and regularly throughout your pregnancy.
• Track your pregnancy weight gain at the beginning and regularly throughout pregnancy and compare your progress to recommended ranges of healthy weight gain.
• Weigh yourself without shoes, wearing light weight clothing, and using the same scale ideally on the same day and time each week.
• Eat a balanced diet high in whole grains, vegetables, fruits, low fat dairy, and lean protein.
• Limit added sugars and solid fats found in foods like soft drinks, desserts, fried foods, whole milk, and fatty meats.
• Know your calorie needs. In general, the first trimester (or first three months) does not require any extra calories. Typically, women who begin pregnancy overweight need an additional 200 calories per day during the second trimester (second three months) and an additional 400 calories per day during the third (last) trimester.
• Additional calories can be met by adding in two healthy snacks per day, such as in the morning and afternoon. 
• Work up to or maintain at least 150 minutes (2½ hours) of moderate intensity aerobic activity (such as brisk walking) per week. 150 minutes may sound overwhelming, but you can achieve your goal by breaking up your physical activity into 10 minutes at a time. Physical activity is healthy and safe for most pregnant women. 

Food to avoid

• Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy
• Junk Food and Pregnancy
• Alcohol and Pregnancy
• Cheese and Soft Cheeses
• Cold Cuts
• Fast Foods 
• Fish and Seafood
• Unpasteurized Milk

Healthy food and recipes

• Healthy Food Suggestions
• Recipes For Pregnancy
• Jewish Penicillin: Chicken Soup 
• Healthy Dessert Ideas to Beat Sugar Cravings
• Perfect (Healthy) Food Pairings
• Best Food for Morning Sickness

Food and nutrition research

• Antioxidants and Phytochemicals
• The Best Packed Meal for Work During Pregnancy
• Energy Alternatives to Caffeine
• Importance of Folate (Folic Acid)
• Pantry Superstars for Quick Meals
• Whole vs. Refined Grains
• Good vs. Bad Fats
• 3 Food Groups to Look and Feel Great
• Best Kind of Fiber For Reducing Diabetes Risk
• Herbs and Breast Milk Production
• Vegan Pregnancy Safety
• Why You Should Go Easy on the Green Tea During Pregnancy
• Do Not Ditch All Fish When Pregnant
• Three Common Fall Foods are More Nutritious Than You May Think
• Don't Let Salt Cravings Compromise Good Nutrition
• Healthy Nutrition Guidelines for Life
• Sweet Secrets for Sugar Cravings During Pregnancy
• Is a Low Acid Diet the Way to Go During Pregnancy?
• Fiber Fact and Fiction
• Can Glycemic Index Help With Gestational Diabetes?
• Magnesium for Muscle Cramps
• Pregnancy Diet: Ancient Grains in the Modern World
• Pregnancy Nutrition Q & A for Pregnant Women
• Eat Yourself Beautiful with Three Key Food Groups

Should you or shouldn't you eat this?

• Artificial Sweeteners
• Caffeine
• Caffeinated Sodas
• Canned Food
• Chicken
• Chocolate
• Coffee
• Cold Cuts
• Diet Sodas
• Fish
• Fruit Juice
• Ground/Minced Meat
• Herbs
• Hot dogs and Frankfurters
• Peanuts
• Pork
• Probiotics
• Raw Meat
• Raw Milk
• Raw Sprouts
• Salami
• Soy
• Sushi
• Tea
• Vitamins
• Walnuts

Food news

• Study Links Trans Fat to Bigger Babies
• How to Know if Your Food is Really Safe
• Does Celiac's Cause Infertility?
• How to Avoid Harmful Toxins Passed from Mother to Child
• Fish Oil Supplements and Intelligence
• Harmful Fats in Mom's Diet That Can Affect Child's Long-term Health
• Vitamin D and Diabetes Risk?
• Iron Deficiency Common Problem During Pregnancy
• Animal Fat Linked to Gestational Diabetes?
• Consume Fish for Smarter Children?
• 100% Fruit Juice Does Not Mean 100% Healthy
• Gluten-Free?
• Sneaky Food Labels and How to Read Them
• Soy Helpful or Harmful to Health?
• Beyond Bone Health: Vitamin D Status May Affect Weight Gain
• New Studies Focus on Iodine During Pregnancy: How Much is Too Much?