Meeting Pregnancy Nutrient Requirements: Is Diet Enough?
A 9-month pregnancy is a demanding time for your body, which is why a healthy and balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals is important for both your health and your baby’s development.
Find out more:
Why is diet important during pregnancy?
A healthy and balanced diet helps your baby grow and develop from the moment of conception until birth. As an expectant mom, healthy habits will support your pregnancy and provide your baby with the essential nutrients needed to thrive.
When you’re pregnant, you are eating for yourself and your baby. However, it doesn’t mean you can eat just about anything. Instead, if you’re feeling hungrier than usual, reach for healthy snacks such as chopped vegetables, low-fat yogurt, or fruit, and avoid high-fat, sugary treats that provide little nutritional value. Aside from hunger, you’re likely to feel thirsty as well, so stay hydrated. Limit your caffeine intake and avoid alcohol, and make water your main source of liquid instead.
How much do you need to eat when pregnant?1
It’s important to keep track of the essential micronutrients, vitamins, and minerals needed during your pregnancy. With that in mind, here’s a chart showing what food sources you can eat and how much of them you need to meet the nutrient requirements.
For pre-conception and first trimester:2
| Nutrient | Daily Intake Requirement | Food Source | Multivitamins and Minerals (Elevit® Pre-conception) |
| Folate / Folic Acid | 400 - 600 µg | 18 - 27 eggs 3 - 5 cups asparagus 3 - 5 cups kidney beans 7 - 10 cups spinach | 800 µg |
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) | 1.3 - 1.9 mg | 200 g chicken breast 3 baked potatoes 300 g beef 300 - 400 g firm tofu 5 medium bananas | 2.31 mg |
| Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin) | 2.4 - 2.6 µg | 2 boiled eggs 100 g beef 1 L milk 1.3 kg chicken breast | 2.6 µg |
| Vitamin D | ≥ 600 IU | fortified foods (milk, yogurt) | 1000 IU |
| Iodine | 150 - 220 µg | 3 - 4 tbsps nori seaweed 5 g iodized table salt 8 boiled eggs | 220 µg |
| Iron | 15 - 27 mg | 600 g - 1 kg of beef 2.1 kg - 8.8 kg of broccoli | 27 mg |
| Calcium | 1000 - 1300 mg | 200 g lean pork 200 g chicken breast 400 g firm tofu 250 g Shiitake mushrooms 300 g beef | 125 mg |
| Selenium | 55 - 65 µg | 200 g lean pork 200 g chicken breast 400 g firm tofu 250 g Shiitake mushrooms 300 g beef | 50 µg |
| Zinc | 8 - 11 mg | 170 g beef 2 ¾ cups firm tofu 340 g lean pork | 11 mg |
| Biotin | 25 - 30 µg | 3 boiled eggs 800 g lean pork 6 cups sweet potato | 30 µg |
| Copper | 890 - 1000 µg | 2 - 3 potatoes 2 - 3 cups of firm tofu 3 cups of asparagus | 1000 µg |
For second and third trimesters:4
Aside from folate, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12, these are the other micronutrients needed during pregnancy.
| Nutrient | Daily Intake Requirement | Food Source | Multivitamins + Minerals + DHA + EPA (Elevit® Pregnancy) |
| Vitamin A | 2331 IU | 14 cups of carrots | 2566 IU |
| Vitamin D | 200 IU | fortified foods (milk, yogurt) | 200 IU |
| Iodine | 220 µg | 3 - 4 tbsps nori seaweed 5 g iodized table salt 8 boiled eggs | 130 µg |
| Iron | 27 mg | 500 g firm tofu 1 kg beef 4 cups spinach | 14 mg |
| Selenium | 60 - 65 µg | 200 g lean pork 200 g chicken breast 400 g firm tofu 250 g Shiitake mushrooms 300 g beef | 60 µg |
| Zinc | 11 - 12 mg | 170 g beef 2 ¾ cups firm tofu 340 g lean pork | 10 mg |
| Vitamin E | 15 IU | vegetable oil, corn, soybeans, almonds, sunflower seeds, spinach, broccoli5 | 15 IU |
| Thiamine | 1.4 mg | 200 g lean pork 1.4 kg brown rice 1.6 kg cooked oats | 1.4 mg |
| Riboflavin | 1.4 mg | 750 ml cow’s milk 3 boiled eggs 3 ½ cups spinach 700 g chicken breast 700g beef 700g lean pork | 1.4 mg |
| Niacin | 18 mg | 115 g grilled chicken breast 3 - 4 cups brown rice 15 cups of raisins | 18 mg |
| Vitamin C | 60 - 70 mg | 1 medium orange 1 medium kiwi 1 ½ cups cabbage 3 medium tomatoes 7 cups spinach 10 cups green beans | 85 mg |
| Magnesium | 360 mg | 100 g chia seeds 135 g almonds 3 cups soy milk 800 g brown rice 11 medium bananas 2 ½ cups spinach 1.1 kg chicken breast | 57 mg |
| DHA (Omega-3 PUFA) | up to 3000 mg | salmon, sardines 1 - 2 tbsps flaxseed oil up to 4.7 g fish oil | 200 mg |
| EPA | 1.4 g | 39 mg |
How can MULTIVITAMINS AND MINERALS (Elevit® Pre-conception) and MULTIVITAMINS + MINERALS + DHA + EPA (Elevit® Pregnancy) supplement aid in nutrition during pregnancy?
After reviewing the tables above that show the nutrients and the recommended daily intake, it is clear that meeting these requirements through diet alone requires more time and effort during this challenging time. This is one of the reasons why supplements are recommended to help you get the nutrition you and your baby need in a more convenient way. With proper diet and exercise, as well as MULTIVITAMINS AND MINERALS (ELEVIT® PRE-CONCEPTION) and MULTIVITAMINS + MINERALS + DHA + EPA (ELEVIT® PREGNANCY), you can be assured that you and your baby are getting the necessary nutrients, no matter what.
If symptoms persist, consult your doctor.
ASC Reference No. B0195P090524E
1Hanson, MA & Bardsley, A. FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) recommendations on adolescent preconception and maternal nutrition: International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics, 2015, 131(s4): S213-253
2Sacher, M. (n.d.). Pre-conception & The First 1000 Days Nutrition Table. Bayer.
3U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2022b, October 18). Copper. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Copper-HealthProfessional/#:~:text=Copper%20Intakes%20and%20Status,-Typical%20diets%20in&text=In%20adults%20age%2020%20and,adults%20age%2020%20and%20over
4Sacher, M. (n.d.). Pre-conception & The First 1000 Days Nutrition Table. Bayer.
5U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2021, March 22). Vitamin E. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminE-Consumer/#h3
66U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2022, November 18). Niacin. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Niacin-HealthProfessional/#h3
