As another human develops in us, there are certain nutrients that we require a lot more
of to support the growing fetus. Save this post as a guide for those key nutrients, along
with supplementation recommendations. I’m working with Megafood to showcase how
their supplements have supported my pregnancy thus far #AD
I’ve also put together a free 3 day meal plan that are rich in those nutrients. For the
meal plan:
Iron- we need 27 mg of iron/day during pregnancy. Iron helps the body produce red
blood cells, which carry oxygen to the fetus and placenta. During pregnancy, the bodys
blood volume increases, which means more iron is needed to make blood. Iron also
helps support the development of the fetus’s brain and other organs.
In order to meet iron requirements each day, I have been supplementing with Megafood
Baby & Me 2, which provides 18 mg of iron for two tablets. I also plan to add in
Megafood Blood Builder if my iron needs drop in the third trimester, which adds an extra
26 mg of iron.
To meet iron needs through food, focus on tofu (4 oz), tempeh (4 oz), lentils (3/4 cup),
spinach (1/2 cup cooked), black beans (3/4 cup) and pumpkin seeds (1/4 cup).
Folate – folate is a b vitamin that helps with cell division, formation of red blood cells
and the development of the fetus’s brain, spine and skull. We need 600 mcg of folate a
day during pregnancy.
It’s important that folate is present in its active form for best absorption (aka not folic
acid). Look for a prenatal that contains folate in a highly bioavailable form (5-
methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) so your body has to do less work converting it into a
usable form. In Megafood Baby & Me 2, folate is found in the 5-MTHF form.
To meet folate needs through foods, focus on edamame (1/2 cup), spinach (1/2 cup
cooked), asparagus (6 spears), beans (3/4 cup), oats (1/2 cup dry).
Choline – Choline is an essential nutrient that plays a critical role in fetal development
and brain function. It helps to reduce the risk of neutral tube defects. We need 450-55
mg of choline/day during pregnancy.
Choline is a bit harder to get through food, but you can focus on beans (3/4 cup),
soybeans (3/4 cup), potatoes (1 large), quinoa (1 cup cooked). Megafood Baby & Me 2
has 300 mg of choline.
Calcium – Calcium needs increasing during pregnancy to help support the baby building
strong bones and teeth and also supports a healthy circulatory, muscular and nervous
system. If the mother doesn’t get enough calcium, her body will take it from her bones,
which can lead to osteoporosis. We need 1300 mg of calcium/day during pregnancy.
Calcium-rich foods to include in your diet are: soy milk (1 cup), tofu (1 cup), tempeh (1
cup), chia seeds (1/4 cup), edamame (1 cup) or white beans (1 cup)