Pregnancy Nutrition: What to Eat, What to Avoid and Why
The official rules in one place, with the reason behind each.
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Food advice in pregnancy can feel like a list of things you are not allowed to have. The official guidance is actually short, and most of it is about eating well rather than avoiding things. Here is what ACOG, FDA, CDC and NIH recommend, with the reason behind each rule.
What to eat during pregnancy
ACOG's main message is to eat twice as healthy, not twice as much.1 In practice:
- Eat from all five food groups (grains, fruits, vegetables, protein foods and dairy), choosing fresh, whole foods where you can.
- Make half your plate fruit and vegetables, and half your grains whole grains such as oats, brown rice or whole-wheat bread.
- Vary your proteins: meat, poultry, seafood, beans, peas, eggs, soy, nuts and seeds.
- Eat fewer foods high in saturated fat or sugar.
- Drink 8 to 12 cups of water a day.1
- Take a daily prenatal vitamin with folic acid. ACOG and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics both recommend one.8
Key nutrients and where to find them
ACOG lists these nutrients, with daily amounts for ages 19 to 50 and good food sources:1
| Nutrient (daily) | Why it matters | Food sources |
|---|---|---|
| Folic acid (600 mcg) | Helps prevent neural tube defects | Fortified cereal, enriched bread and pasta, beans, leafy greens, orange juice |
| Iron (27 mg) | Makes extra blood to carry oxygen | Lean red meat, poultry, fish, beans, iron-fortified cereal |
| Calcium (1,000 mg) | Builds bones and teeth | Milk, cheese, yogurt, sardines, leafy greens |
| Iodine (220 mcg) | Brain development | Iodized salt, dairy, seafood, eggs |
| Choline (450 mg) | Brain and spinal cord development | Milk, beef liver, eggs, peanuts, soy |
| Vitamin D (600 IU) | Bones and teeth | Fortified milk, salmon, sardines |
| Vitamin B12 (2.6 mcg) | Nervous system, red blood cells | Meat, fish, poultry, milk |
ACOG notes that choline is not found in most prenatal vitamins, so food sources matter.1 For exact doses and how prenatal labels compare, see prenatal nutrient doses.
Fish and mercury: what to eat and what to avoid
Fish provides omega-3 fats (DHA and EPA), iodine, iron and choline, and FDA says moderate evidence shows eating fish in pregnancy can help a baby's cognitive development.2 The Dietary Guidelines recommend 8 to 12 ounces a week of a variety of lower-mercury seafood during pregnancy.2
| FDA/EPA category | How much | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Best Choices | 2 to 3 servings (4 oz each) a week | Salmon, sardines, shrimp, cod, tilapia, canned light tuna, trout, pollock, crab, scallops |
| Good Choices | 1 serving a week | Albacore (white) and yellowfin tuna, halibut, snapper, mahi mahi, grouper |
| Choices to Avoid | None | King mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, shark, swordfish, tilefish (Gulf of Mexico), bigeye tuna |
Source: FDA and EPA advice about eating fish.2 ACOG also advises avoiding raw fish and shellfish, including sushi made with raw fish.1 For fish caught by family or friends, check local advisories; if there is none, FDA advises eating only one serving that week and no other fish.2
Foods that can carry listeria
Listeria is a bacterium that can cross to the baby during pregnancy even if you do not feel very sick. CDC estimates about 1 in 25,000 pregnant women in the United States are infected each year, and 1 in 4 who get it lose the pregnancy or the baby shortly after birth.4 CDC's safer swaps:3
| Skip | Choose instead |
|---|---|
| Unheated deli meat, cold cuts, hot dogs, dry or fermented sausages | The same foods reheated to 165°F or until steaming hot |
| Queso fresco, queso blanco and similar fresh soft cheeses; any raw-milk cheese | Hard cheeses made with pasteurized milk |
| Premade deli salads (coleslaw, potato, tuna, chicken) | Homemade salads |
| Refrigerated smoked fish | Shelf-stable smoked fish, or smoked fish cooked in a dish |
| Raw or lightly cooked sprouts | Sprouts cooked until steaming |
| Cut melon left out over 2 hours | Freshly cut melon |
Caffeine: under 200 mg a day
ACOG's committee opinion says moderate caffeine consumption, less than 200 mg per day, does not appear to be a major contributing factor in miscarriage or preterm birth.5 ACOG puts 200 mg at about one 12-ounce cup of coffee, and notes that limiting caffeine can help with nausea and sleep.6 Caffeine is also in tea, cola, energy drinks and chocolate.
Alcohol: none
CDC states there is no known safe amount of alcohol use during pregnancy, no safe time to drink, and that alcohol can harm the baby before you know you are pregnant.7 If you drank before you found out, tell your clinician and stop now.
Supplements and herbal products
Dietary supplements, including prenatal vitamins, are not FDA-approved and are not reviewed by the FDA before they are sold. NIH notes that a 2023 government review of 12 prenatal supplements found 11 had at least one nutrient outside acceptable limits from the label, which is one reason to look for products tested by an independent organization such as USP, NSF or ConsumerLab.8 Take only one daily serving of your prenatal: ACOG warns that doubling or tripling some ingredients, such as vitamin A, can cause birth defects.1 Ask your clinician before taking herbal products.
Special situations
- Vegetarian or vegan: the Dietary Guidelines advise asking your clinician whether you need extra vitamin B12, iron, iodine, choline or DHA.8
- Low calcium intake: ACOG recommends 1,500 to 2,000 mg of calcium a day for pregnant women whose intake is below 600 mg, to reduce the risk of preeclampsia.8
- Nausea: small, frequent, bland meals with protein, plus ginger and steady fluids, often help in the first trimester.9 See early pregnancy symptoms.
Getting help with meals
A registered dietitian can turn these rules into meals that work for your tastes, budget, culture and any condition such as gestational diabetes, and ACOG notes your ob-gyn may suggest seeing one.1 Some services, such as Fay, connect you with dietitians who take insurance. For your supplement, check the label against prenatal nutrient doses, and use the due date calculator and the first trimester checklist for the rest of the first weeks. Everything else is on the Pregnant hub.
Frequently asked questions
This page is educational and is not medical advice. Talk to a clinician about your own situation, and seek urgent care for heavy bleeding, severe pain or fainting.
Keep reading
Prenatal Nutrient Doses: How Much You Need in Pregnancy
Pregnancy RDAs, upper limits and ACOG advice for folate, iron, iodine, choline, vitamin D, DHA, calcium and B12 in one table, plus a prenatal label check.
First Trimester Checklist: 12 Things to Do After a Positive Test
A first trimester checklist built on ACOG, CDC and FDA guidance: folic acid, first appointment, food safety, caffeine, alcohol, medications and support.
Early Pregnancy Symptoms: What to Expect and When to Call
The most common early pregnancy symptoms, when they start, why they happen, what is normal (including having few symptoms) and the signs that need a call.
Step 6: Pregnant
What to do after a positive pregnancy test: due date, first prenatal appointment, nutrition, prenatal vitamins and the doses that matter, and support for your mind.
Sources
- 1Healthy eating during pregnancy (FAQ). American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
- 2Advice about eating fish. U.S. Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- 3Preventing Listeria infection. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- 4People at increased risk for Listeria infection. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- 5Moderate caffeine consumption during pregnancy (Committee Opinion 462). American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Less than 200 mg a day; reaffirmed 2026
- 6Having a baby (FAQ). American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. 200 mg is about one 12-ounce cup of coffee
- 7About alcohol use during pregnancy. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- 8Dietary Supplements and Life Stages: Pregnancy (Health Professional Fact Sheet). NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Updated April 3, 2025
- 9Morning sickness: nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (FAQ). American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists