Pregnancy Diet: Nutrients You Need

Your Healthy Pregnancy Diet: Top Nutrients

Vitamin D

Baby Benefits: Helps your baby's body use calcium to build bones and teeth.

Your Benefits: Helps your body absorb calcium from food and use it to build your bones and teeth.

Pregnancy RDA: 600 international units (IU); don't exceed 4,000 IU

Best Food Sources:

• Milk, plain or flavored, 1 cup -- 100 IU
• Fortified orange juice, 1 cup -- 137 IU
• Fortified breakfast cereals, 1 cup -- 40 to 50 IU
• Egg,1 large (vitamin D is in the yolk) -- 18 IU

Zinc

Baby Benefits:Brain development.

Your Benefits: Necessary to grow and repair cells and produce energy.

Pregnancy RDA: 11 mg; don't exceed 40 mg

Best Food Sources:

• Cooked oysters, 3 oz -- 76 mg
• Whole Grain Total Cereal, 3/4 cup -- 17 mg
• Beef, 3 oz cooked -- 9 mg
• Crab, 3 oz cooked -- 5 mg
• Pork, 3 oz cooked -- 4 mg
• White beans, 1 cup canned -- 3 mg
• Yogurt, plain, fat-free,1 cup -- 2 mg