Certain vitamins, minerals and trace elements are a must for mums-to-be and their bumps, including calcium, folic acid, zinc, and iron, some of which you need more of when it comes to pregnancy nutrition.
Essential vitamins and minerals
| Calcium | Calcium helps develop strong bones and teeth and is extremely important throughout pregnancy, particularly in the later stages, when your baby's bones are hardening. Milk and dairy products like cheese and yoghurt are great sources of calcium. If you don't eat these, try to get your RDA of calcium from similar foods to these (you may also need a calcium supplement):
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| Folate and Folic acid |
Folate is a natural source of vitamin B. Folic acid is the manufactured form of folate.
Pregnant women need increased folic acid/folate, especially when trying to conceive and for the first three months of pregnancy. Not enough can lead to birth defects such as spina bifida. So, before you conceive and during the first three months of pregnancy, take a daily folic acid supplement. Another way to take in folic acid is to eat fortified breads and breakfast cereals, and to drink Ovaltine. You need folic acid/folate throughout your pregnancy to help prevent anaemia and tiredness. During your pregnancy, it?s a good idea to try and have 400mcg of folate every day from natural food sources. Folate is found naturally in many foods, particularly fruit (melons, apricots, oranges), green leafy vegetables, butternut squash, carrots, and beansprouts. Try and get these foods fresh and don't overcook them as folate is easily destroyed by storage and cooking. A bowl of fortified cereal with fresh milk, plus two slices of fortified bread and five folate-rich fruit and veg. can provide 300mcg of folic acid and folate. A mug of Ovaltine* every day provides nearly 1/3 of the folic acid you need when you are pregnant. *A 25g serving of Ovaltine Original made with 200ml of semi-skimmed milk. |
| Iron |
Our bodies need iron for the formation of red blood cells but pregnant women need more to supply their growing fetus and placenta. Too little can lead to tiredness and anaemia.
Pregnant women, especially vegetarians and those who don't eat red meat, can become iron-deficient. Your doctor or midwife should test your iron levels and prescribe supplements if you need them. Good sources of iron include red meat, pilchards, beans, lentils, eggs, nuts, bread, fortified breakfast cereals, green vegetables (especially spinach), and dried fruit. Many women only eat 2/3 of the iron they need and drinking tea doesn't help either. The tannin in tea can inhibit iron absorption, so avoid drinking it an hour before and after a meal. Try a mug of Ovaltine instead; drinking it every day* provides you with 1/4 of the iron you need. *A 25g serving of Ovaltine Original made with 200ml of semi-skimmed milk. Have some food or drink containing vitamin C with iron-rich meals to help your body absorb the iron. |
| Zinc | Zinc is essential to your baby's development - especially during the early stages of pregnancy. Zinc will boost your baby's natural immune defences and aid their healthy growth. Meat, shellfish, milk and dairy products, bread and cereals (e.g. wheatgerm), are all good sources of zinc.
A mug of Ovaltine* a day provides nearly a third of the zinc you need. *A 25g serving of Ovaltine Original made with 200ml of semi-skimmed milk. |
| Omega-3 fatty acids | Omega-3 essential fatty acids have been found to help prevent premature births. They are also beneficial for your baby's birth weight, and brain and nerve development.
You can find these fatty acids in oily fish, such as mackerel, herring, salmon, and sardines. Eat oily fish at least once a week (up to 2 portions per week). |
| B-group vitamins | You need certain B vitamins during pregnancy to help your body get the extra energy it needs from the food you eat.
In addition to folate, these B vitamins include thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), pyridoxine (B6), and B12 (cobalamin). These vitamins are water-soluble, which means your body can't store them, so you need to make sure you get enough every day. A mug of Ovaltine is an excellent source of folic acid, riboflavin, thiamin, and vitamins B6 and B12. |
| Thiamin | You need extra thiamin in the last three months of pregnancy, which a balanced diet will provide.
Thiamin works with other B-group vitamins to break down and release energy from starchy foods, and helps keep nerves and muscle tissue healthy. It's found in most types of food, but good sources include: pork, vegetables, milk and cheese, peas, fresh and dried fruit, eggs, wholegrain breads, and some fortified breakfast cereals. |
| Riboflavin | Riboflavin helps enzymes to function and release energy and you need extra all the way through your 9 months of pregnancy.
It's found in small amounts in plenty of foods but UV light can destroy it, so keep these foods out of sunlight. Good sources include milk, eggs, fortified breakfast cereals, rice, and mushrooms. |
| Vitamin B6 |
Vitamin B6 encourages the release of energy from proteins to help maintain hormonal balance and prevent nausea.
You can find it in many different foods, including pork, chicken, turkey, cod, bread, eggs, vegetables, soya beans, peanuts, milk, whole cereals (oatmeal, wheatgerm and rice), and some fortified breakfast cereals. |
| Vitamin B12 | Vitamin B12 is important for the growth and development of your baby. It also promotes healthy blood to help prevent you from developing anaemia.
Dairy products, meat, fish, and eggs are all good natural sources of B12. If you are vegan, try getting B12 from a supplement and foods like Marmite, some soya products and certain breakfast cereals. |
| Vitamin C |
Pregnant women need extra vitamin C from their diet (plus, an extra 10mg a day during the last trimester). It's vital for healthy gums, blood and skin for you and your baby throughout pregnancy.
Vitamin C also helps you absorb iron better - another important nutrient during pregnancy. Your body can't store vitamin C, which means you need to make sure you get enough every day. Plus, it's easily destroyed by cooking, so don't overcook vegetables - try steaming or stir frying. Lots of fruit and vegetables contain vitamin C, especially peppers, broccoli, brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, citrus fruits, strawberries, blackcurrants, and kiwi fruit. One mug of Ovaltine* provides over a third of your daily vitamin C requirement. *A 25g serving of Ovaltine Original made with 200ml of semi-skimmed milk |
| Vitamin A | Vitamin A is vital for the healthy development of your baby's eyes and nerves. It also helps to strengthen immunity and maintain healthy skin and mucus linings (in the nose, for example).
A well-balanced diet should provide you with all the vitamin A you need during your pregnancy. Retinol comes from animal sources and carotene is found in vegetables. Good sources of vitamin A include milk, cheese and yoghurt, eggs, oily fish (e.g. mackerel and herring), fortified margarine, and vegetables - especially red or yellow coloured veg. However, certain foods are rich in Vitamin A and these should be avoided during pregnancy, as should supplements of Vitamin A. One mug of Ovaltine* provides over a quarter of your daily vitamin A requirement. *A 25g serving of Ovaltine Original made with 200ml of semi-skimmed milk |
Pregnant women need 10% more nutrients than women of the same age who are not pregnant.
