Pregnancy is an ideal time to focus on healthy eating. Many women are unsure of what foods they should eat during this exciting time of life. The following information will help guide women as they strive to make healthy choices during pregnancy. It is important to eat fruits and vegetables every day. Choose a variety of various colorful vegetables. Try to eat whole fruits instead of drinking fruit juice. It is imperative to eat high protein foods in pregnancy. Pregnant women should try to get 75-100 mg of protein every day. Try to eat a small high protein snack every 2-3 hours. This will help the baby to grow. It also helps reduce headaches, dizziness, and lightheadedness in the mother. Good choices include lean meats, eggs, almonds, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, peanut butter, black beans, chickpeas, and quinoa. Fried foods, soft drinks, desserts, whole milk, and fatty meats should be limited. Avoid sugary foods such as Pop-Tarts, donuts, syrup, flavored coffees, sports drinks, and sugary breakfast cereals. These types of foods are high in calories but do not provide any nutritional benefits. Women should try to stay well hydrated during pregnancy. Although the specific amount of water needed varies depending on body size and activity level, the rule of thumb is to drink about eight to ten 8-ounce glasses of water every day. It is ok to have a caffeinated beverage daily, but it is recommended to keep the daily total caffeine intake under 200 mg. Pregnant women should get at least 600 mcg of folic acid daily. Most prenatal vitamins include a sufficient amount of folic acid since it is difficult to get enough folic acid from food alone. Pregnant women need almost twice as much iron as non-pregnant women. An adequate amount of iron is found in most prenatal supplements. High iron foods include lean red meat, chicken, fish, beans, iron-fortified cereals, and prune juice. Iron is better absorbed if eaten with foods rich in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits and tomatoes. Calcium is an important nutrient during pregnancy because it is used to build the bones and teeth of the fetus. Pregnant women over age 18 need 1,000 mg daily, while women who are less than 18 years old need 1,300 mg of calcium a day. High calcium foods include dairy products as well as broccoli and dark, leafy greens. Prenatal vitamins do not contain much calcium, so some women may need to consider taking a calcium supplement in addition to their prenatal vitamin. Vitamin D works with calcium to build bones. Pregnant women should try to get 600 IU of vitamin D daily. Experts recommend 8 – 12 ounces of fish per week in pregnancy. Most seafood is safe in pregnancy, but it is important to avoid fish that are high in mercury. Fish such as crab, shrimp, tilapia, cod, salmon, catfish, chunk light tuna, and pollock are all safe options. White albacore tuna should be limited to 6 ounces per week. Avoid eating shark, swordfish, king mackerel, marin, or tilefish. To prevent food poisoning, avoid eating raw or undercooked meats. Pregnant women should not eat sushi made with raw fish (cooked sushi is safe. Food such as beef, pork, or chicken should be cooked all the way through. Hot dogs and lunch meat should be heated until steaming hot just before eating. Avoid unpasteurized dairy products. Making good dietary choices is a great step in having a healthy pregnancy!