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Pregnancy Pyramid
Eating well when expecting is all about balance.
A healthy eating plan in pregnancy is based on carbohydrates, including breads, grain products, pasta, fruits, and vegetables. High-protein foods such as dairy products, meat, poultry, eggs, and legumes are very important, too, and round out a healthful eating plan.
Eating well when expecting is all about balance. Your pregnancy food choices should reflect the variety of foods in each of the groups. Balancing high-fat fare with low-fat choices, and choosing a variety of foods in the right amounts, are the key to a health diet, pregnant or not. We list below the serving intake you need depending on your pregnancy status.
Check out our listing of what a serving is by food group in the table of contents.
Intake Needed
| Group | Pregnant | Breastfeeding | Non-Pregnant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | about 2,500 | about 2,700 | about 1,600-1,800 |
| Bread/Grains | 9 servings | 10 | 6 |
| Vegetables | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| Fruits | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| Milk/Dairy | 3-4 | 3-4 | 2-3 |
| Meat | 2 | 2 | 2 |
This excerpt comes from the book Pregnancy Nutrition: Good Health for You and Your Baby. You can purchase this book at a discount via our online bookstore.