The healthiest food for pregnant women. Useful products for pregnant women: what to eat for a future mother. The most useful foods during pregnancy

There are recommendations from nutritionists on what to eat for a pregnant woman: products should be healthy, contain many nutrients that are involved in the construction and proper functioning of a new organism. If a pregnant woman wants to eat some product, she should not deny herself. Refusal of the desired dish will lead the expectant mother to stress, which will cause more harm to the child than the “wrong” product eaten in a small amount.

Nutrition of a pregnant woman

A balanced, proper diet for a pregnant woman should be beneficial. All the products that the expectant mother eats end up in the baby's placenta. Some elements go to building his body, enriching cells and tissues with essential substances: potassium, calcium, magnesium, etc. Others can harm a small body, so it is necessary to approach the nutrition of a pregnant woman with caution.

How to eat healthy while pregnant

Food for pregnant women should include many necessary substances. A pregnant woman should not overeat or feel hungry. Key recommendations:

It is necessary to eat fractionally: 5-7 meals. Rigid diets are strictly prohibited, and in the first half a pregnant woman can eat up to 5 times a day, and in the second half - up to 7 times.
Nutrition should contain the right amount of fats, proteins, carbohydrates.
Be sure to eat foods containing vitamins, trace elements.
Heavy food should not be eaten in the afternoon, so meat dishes, fish, eggs are best cooked for breakfast or lunch.
For dinner, it is better to serve plant foods or dairy products, porridge.
It is important that the last meal falls at a time two hours before bedtime, at which time you can eat yogurt or drink kefir.
A pregnant woman should drink a lot - about 2-2.5 liters per day, but in the very last weeks the liquid must be reduced to 900 ml to prevent the occurrence of edema.
Eat more foods containing plant fibers that improve bowel function and prevent constipation.

What can you eat

Pregnant women can eat almost all foods, but it is desirable to limit themselves to something, for example, sugar, fast food. However, little by little, rarely, you can try almost everything. Among the main products that a pregnant woman is allowed to eat are milk, cottage cheese, fish, meat, fresh vegetables, fruits, cereals, vegetable fats, bread, cheese, kefir and others.

Food in the first half of pregnancy

The first half of pregnancy is a very important time when early toxicosis can occur. For a period of 1-5 months, the baby's body is formed. For the construction of the skeleton, the nervous system, the proper functioning of the brain, useful substances are needed. It is necessary to introduce liver and other offal into the diet, you need to eat meat, fish, dried fruits, herbs, vegetables, fresh fruits. An approximate menu of how a pregnant woman should eat in the first half of pregnancy during the day:

Nutrition in the second half of pregnancy

In the second half of pregnancy, a third of the protein consumed goes to the fetus. To avoid a deficiency, you need to eat more protein foods. Otherwise, the nutrition may not differ much, except that the number of meals will increase by one or two times. The daily diet of a woman in the second half of pregnancy should include the following foods:

Healthy nutrition for pregnant women

If the food includes products in the required proportions, then it is considered correct. There are certain dishes that meet the requirements of healthy food, among which vinaigrette occupies one of the main places. Useful products during pregnancy: pollock, milk and dairy dishes. Eat only carefully prepared meals to kill all possible harmful bacteria.

The vinaigrette

A classic vinaigrette can replace many dishes, because it contains all the necessary vegetables: boiled potatoes, carrots, beets; fresh onion; pickles, sauerkraut. It is recommended to fill the salad with vegetable oil. You can add other ingredients that a pregnant woman likes to it, for example: lean meat, beans, mushrooms and others.

Muesli

A very tasty, nutritious dish can be prepared from muesli. Cereals themselves are very important, as they provide the body with a large supply of nutrients and trace elements. They improve digestion, add the right amount of carbohydrates. And in muesli, they are served with dried fruits, which have a lot of vitamins. Eating muesli regularly, you can stock up on the proper amount of natural vitamins, so you don’t have to take additional medication supplements. It is not recommended for expectant mothers to eat sweets, and muesli will delight a woman with natural sugar.

Pasta

Pasta is rich in carbohydrates. They are needed for the proper functioning of internal organs, for the production of a large amount of energy. You can cook many dishes from them. They are served with vegetable stew, meat gravy, minced meat stew, liver fried. Almost all dishes are served with pasta, which will allow the body to consume the maximum amount of the necessary substances.

Pollock

Pollock fish is very popular because it is inexpensive, while tasty, healthy. Its undoubted advantage is its antioxidant effect, it also regulates blood sugar levels. It has a good effect on the body systems: digestive, nervous, thyroid, mucous membranes. It contains:

vitamin A, necessary for the health of vision and skin;
vitamin PP - to regulate the nervous and digestive systems;
fluorine - the formation of tooth enamel, strengthening bones;
chromium is involved in the regulation of carbohydrate metabolism, it is recommended for diabetes;
potassium promotes the removal of excess fluid;
phosphorus is of great importance in the work of the brain, heart muscles, as well as in the regulation of acid-base balance;
sulfur affects the condition of hair, nails, skin.

Milk and dairy products

You need to eat the most popular foods during pregnancy - this is milk and dairy derivatives, for example, kefir, natural yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese. They contain many trace elements:

proteins;
amino acids that cannot be synthesized in the human body;
milk fat is a source of energy;
required calcium;
phosphorus;
magnesium;
sodium;
potassium;
copper, cobalt, iron - in small quantities;
contains vitamins in a small amount of almost all possible types;
lactose - for the development of favorable microflora in the intestine.

The most useful products for pregnant women

The benefits of some products are listed above. It simply won’t work to single out the best, because everyone is rich in a certain set of elements, so just a list is given of what is better to eat:

Meat - animal protein, iron, B vitamins.
Fish - phosphorus, vitamin D.
Milk - vitamins B and D, calcium, fatty acids (Omega-3).
Raw eggs are a source of 12 types of vitamins.
Nuts - vitamin E, selenium, magnesium, omega-3 acids, phytic acid.
Broccoli - folic acid, iron, calcium, vitamins A, E, C.
Potato - vitamin C, folic acid, potassium, carbohydrates and fiber.

What not to eat when pregnant

As there are useful, so there are harmful, forbidden foods during pregnancy. The table shows what you definitely can not eat. Need to exclude:

Product	Action
Smoked meats	Contain carcinogens, chemicals may be added to create a smoked effect.
Acute	Overloads the liver and gallbladder.
Food products with E-additives	This is chemistry, therefore it harms various systems of the body, especially a fragile fetus.
canned food	Because of the content of preservatives in them.
Margarine	Trans fats clog arteries and can lead to heart disease.
Raw fish	It is possible to become infected with listeriosis, which will negatively affect the development of the child.
Seafood	May cause allergies.
Alcohol	It is forbidden to drink alcohol, because alcohol, chemicals in its composition have a destructive effect on many tissues and systems of the body, especially on the brain and nervous system.

What not to eat during pregnancy

There are some foods that you can eat, but you need to significantly reduce their number. For example, fried, fatty foods can be eaten in small quantities. It is better to replace them with baked and boiled dishes. Among the foods that are not advisable to eat are the following:

coffee or strong black tea, because blood pressure rises, there is a risk of miscarriage in the first trimester of pregnancy;
chocolate acts as a causative agent on the fragile nervous system of the fetus, causes allergies;
sugar and sweets contain a large amount of carbohydrates, which leads to weight gain;
fast food - because of the high calorie content;
exotic fruits - due to the risk of the presence of pesticides;
meat, if poorly processed, contains harmful bacteria that can be the causative agent of dangerous diseases: rabies, bird flu, listeriosis and others.

Video

Almost every woman during pregnancy changes her usual tastes in food to the most unimaginable things: for example, she can eat herring with condensed milk with pleasure or eat lime (chalk). This, of course, sounds strange at first glance, but every woman who has already become a mother remembers how she wanted some exotic gastronomy, even holding nails in her mouth.

But in fact, in order not to want to eat, you need to follow certain rules, because the mother’s nutrition during pregnancy is the key to the health of the unborn child, which is why it is so important to maintain a balanced diet and supply the body with macronutrients and vitamins. You can find a list of products for pregnant women in this article, and at the same time find out which products for pregnant women must be consumed by mom during this crucial period.

So what foods should pregnant women eat? Below is the TOP 10 gastronomic joys that a woman who is preparing to become a mother cannot do without. So, here are the most useful products for pregnant women.

Fresh vegetables and fruits

More specifically: avocados, broccoli, carrots and mangoes.

Avocados are useful in that they contain a lot of folic acid, which is very necessary for the baby that is forming in the mother's tummy. With its help, the nervous system is formed, as well as parts of the brain. Also, this acid increases the chance of not losing a child in the early stages of pregnancy. Vitamins C and B6, also contained in this fruit, save from excess toxins.

Carrots are a vegetable rich in vitamin A. It is important both for the mother’s vision and for the eyes, teeth and bones of the unborn baby.

Broccoli also has a large amount of folic acid, which was mentioned above, and in addition to it, there is also calcium.

Mango can be replaced with carrots and vice versa, because the main active vitamin here is A. This fruit is great for both salty and sweet dishes. It can be eaten both raw and, for example, boiled. Salads with mango are delicious, as well as various side dishes for meat and fish dishes.

nuts

Nuts are a storehouse of various minerals and macronutrients, and of course one of the most useful foods for pregnant women! And walnuts are very good for the brain, but you can’t abuse them, because the calorie content of nuts is quite high.

Eggs

Chicken, quail - no difference! The main thing is to eat this product regularly. But there are some nuances here: pregnant women should not eat raw eggs. Also prefer fried boiled, because it is much healthier.

Lentils

Of all the legume-type cereals, lentils benefit the intestines many times more than others. Lentils contain substances such as iron, vitamin B6, folic acid.

Spinach

This useful herb is easy to grow even on your windowsill or in your garden! But on the other hand, there are a lot of benefits from it: vitamin A, folic acid, calcium. All this is contained in thin green leaves of spinach, which occupies a worthy place in the list of the most useful foods for pregnant women. Soups, purees, side dishes - you can cook a bunch of healthy dishes from this plant.

Oatmeal (Hercules)

This cereal contains a lot of fiber, B vitamins and iron. It is possible (and, by the way, most useful) to cook porridge with milk. Oatmeal is also added to various kinds of pastries, such as cookies.

Yogurt

Natural yoghurts contain much more calcium than regular milk. It also contains bifidobacteria, necessary for the normalization of intestinal functions. Only here, yogurts in stores are often not as healthy as manufacturers promise us: they have a lot of preservatives, dyes and flavors. So better buy a special starter machine and make your delicious and healthy yogurt. Or kefir can serve as an alternative.

Liver

It contains just a huge amount of vitamin B, iron and protein. All this is useful not only for the future baby, but also for the mother herself, who is experiencing various health problems during these difficult but happy 9 months. For some, during this period, the level of hemoglobin drops, which the liver will help to restore - not only useful, but also a mandatory product for pregnant women.

Fish

Everyone knows that fish is a traditional source of calcium and phosphorus. Only now, during pregnancy, you should not eat everything in a row, but only sea and not fatty. Fish also contains vitamin D, which strengthens the nervous system. This is one of the most useful products for pregnant women.

Lean meat

That is, boiled meat, lean and practically without seasonings. Foods such as chicken, rabbit, pork, beef are perfect. Meat is the main source of protein, which, in turn, is the building material of all body cells.

Be sure to include all of these foods in your diet!

A few general words about useful products for pregnant women

The menu of pregnant women should contain only freshly prepared food: no stale foods and stale fruits.

It is necessary to ensure that useful substances enter the body without an overabundance. Otherwise, you risk changing your metabolism, and at the same time, the functioning of the endocrine glands will be disrupted, which will lead to the appearance of a child with excess body weight, weak muscles and underdevelopment of any individual organs. So make your own personal maternity food list and follow it while eating.

Per day, you need to eat about the same amount of useful substances that are in the above products for pregnant women:

Calcium - 1500-2000 mg
Magnesium - 300-500 mg
Phosphorus - 1-1.5 g
Potassium - 3-5 g
Sodium - 4-6 g
Chlorine - 4-6 g
Iron - 18 mg

Consult with your doctor: let him make you a personal menu for all three stages of pregnancy, and tell you what foods to eat during pregnancy.

Top 15 most useful products for pregnant women © shutterstock

Expectant mothers should constantly think about what foods they consume, because during pregnancy, women should take into account not only the taste of the product, but also the benefits and harm that it can bring to the child. Relatives and friends advise to eat one thing, doctors - another, but I want a third. Not surprisingly, many women are intimidated by the question: "What foods are the most useful for pregnant women?".

In order to somehow make it easier for you to choose nutrition during pregnancy, we have selected the 15 most useful products for expectant mothers.

What to eat in the first trimester

Healthy food for pregnant women already in the first trimester of pregnancy is different from the usual pre-pregnancy time. Of course, the main list of foods and dishes that are rich in nutrients does not change. But there are serious amendments and additions to it. Such changes in the diet are associated with a complete restructuring of the woman's body, the need to increase the amount of vitamins and minerals, as well as emerging failures: toxicosis, a change in taste preferences, and diseases that have arisen.

The first thing a pregnant woman needs to do when choosing a menu is to give up all products that are detrimental to health. Also in the first trimester of pregnancy, it is necessary to say “no” to all diets and food restrictions that were present in life before, if this does not harm health. For example, if you are allergic to nuts, of course, you should not eat them, although they are very useful.

It is also necessary to include milk and dairy products in the diet, which contain a lot of folic acid, calcium, potassium, and contain a large amount of vitamins and other useful substances necessary for the formation of an unborn baby. If you haven’t used them often before, then start with kefir, fermented baked milk, yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese and sour cream - these products are better absorbed than whole milk or fatty homemade cottage cheese.

Also, various seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame) and nuts will become an important source of protein and trace elements. You need to eat them in small quantities, as they are very high in calories and nutritious, and can cause allergies. Another product that is very useful during pregnancy is honey. For cheerfulness and energy, as well as to improve the condition with toxicosis, you can add a spoonful of honey in a glass of warm water in the morning, squeeze a little lemon juice there and drink it in small sips.

Experts consider eggs an important source of valuable macro- and microelements, vitamins, as well as amino acids and protein. There is a need in a well-cooked or fried form. To restore digestion and replenish the deficiency of nutrients, it is also necessary to include foods rich in fiber in the daily diet - fresh herbs, vegetables, fruits, berries.

Important! Do not make drastic changes in your usual diet as soon as you find out that you are pregnant. This can cause stress and various disruptions in the body. Of course, if your usual diet contained several cups of coffee, crackers, chips, alcohol, hot dogs and hamburgers, it's time to give them up. But try to make all changes smoothly. For example, first give up coffee and alcohol, add more fresh herbs, vegetables, and fruits to your daily menu. And after some time, when you get used to such changes, again improve your diet.

What to give up

There are a lot of foods that are undesirable not only during pregnancy, but also for everyone who wants to be healthy and cheerful. Such food can include:

all fast food and snacks, chips and crackers;
sweet soda;
foods and drinks high in caffeine;
products made from wheat flour of the highest grade, including buns, pastries, pasta;
canned food and food that has a lot of synthetic additives;
sausages;
fatty, fried or overly spicy foods;
ketchup, mayonnaise and some other store-bought sauces;
alcoholic drinks.

Also for pregnant women, this list can be replenished:

food that has not undergone heat treatment, such as fish, meat or eggs;
a lot of sweets;
freshly squeezed juices, as they can provoke heartburn and indigestion;
food high in vitamin A due to the risk of malformations in the formation of the fetus;
celery and some other herbs and plants (in large quantities they can provoke premature birth).

Important! Also, during pregnancy, doctors recommend not eating a lot of fish, as mercury and heavy metals can accumulate in it.

What to eat with toxicosis

Often during pregnancy, a woman is faced with a condition such as toxicosis. It manifests itself with nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, poor health, distortion of taste perception and many other symptoms. With toxicosis, it is necessary to eat lighter food than in other periods of pregnancy. Include in your diet the following foods:

broccoli and other varieties of cabbage rich in vitamin E, groups B, K, C, calcium, potassium, magnesium and many other useful substances;
yogurt or low-fat fresh kefir;
low-fat varieties of fish and meat;
various dried fruits and nuts;
chicken eggs;
some healthy pickles, such as sauerkraut and pickles.

With toxicosis, it is better to refuse spicy, fried or too hot food. Try to eat without haste in a position that is comfortable for you. Usually, with toxicosis, women take food reclining, and after eating they prefer to lie down so as not to provoke a new attack of vomiting.

Note. If you suffer from toxicosis, be sure to stock up on a healthy snack, carry it in your purse, put it in prominent places in the house, especially where you sleep. Eat small, frequent meals and avoid overeating.

Second trimester

Useful foods during pregnancy during the second trimester are practically no different from the food that is desirable to eat in the 1st trimester. A woman, as a rule, begins to feel much better, her appetite wakes up. At this time, experts recommend eating more foods that have a positive effect on the development of the nervous system, as well as food that contains proteins - the main building block for cells. It is also important to constantly replenish the reserves of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, iodine, all vitamins and amino acids.

In the second trimester, the brain actively develops, the skeleton of the baby is formed. Among the products that experts must include at this time in the diet, it is worth noting the following:

carrots and all dishes prepared from it;
low-fat dairy products;
shrimp, squid and other seafood, but in a well-cooked form;
boiled or stewed lean meat;
whole grain or bran bread;
rose hips, nuts, sea buckthorn, as well as dried fruits;
vegetable oils;
pomegranate, banana, apples and some other fruits, vegetables, berries;
various cereals.
What will help with anemia
Anemia comes in many types and forms. But during pregnancy, many women most often have a lack of iron in the blood. And this can manifest itself with various symptoms. Anemia is usually manifested by weakness, lethargy, shortness of breath, tachycardia, peeling and dryness of the skin, a change in taste sensations and a decrease in immunity, as well as many other signs. But the consequences for both the woman herself and the developing fetus from such a condition can be serious, up to miscarriage, premature birth and impaired development of the baby.

In mild stages of anemia, as well as as part of complex treatment for more complex conditions, doctors recommend including the following foods in your diet:

red meat, such as beef, lamb, veal, and some other meats, including rabbit and chicken;
legumes, and especially lentils, peas and beans;
different varieties of cabbage;
some berries and fruits - especially blueberries, rose hips, black and red currants, apples;
some cereals, such as oats and buckwheat;
chicken and quail eggs;
fresh greens;
nuts, seeds, dried fruits;
some types of fish.

Important! In case of anemia during pregnancy, the doctor, after a thorough examination, usually, in addition to introducing certain foods into the diet, prescribes the intake of vitamins and minerals, as well as preparations containing iron. This allows you to quickly restore balance in the body.

Diet in the third trimester

The main rule for choosing a diet in the third trimester of pregnancy is to adhere to proper nutrition. In the third trimester, there is an active improvement of the nervous system and brain, the formation of the hormonal system and the completion of the formation of the baby's body.

A woman in the third trimester already feels the heaviness of her stomach, and the grown fetus presses on the organs located next to the uterus. This is manifested by severe discomfort, frequent heartburn, digestive and stool disorders. Therefore, in the third trimester, it is best to give preference to light meals made from the most healthy food for pregnant women.

At this time, it is advisable to consume a lot of vegetables, fruits, fresh berries, dairy and seafood, low-fat varieties of fish and meat, cereals, legumes and cereals. Among the basic rules for nutrition of the third trimester:

frequent meals in small portions;
light dinner and hearty breakfast;
snacks between main meals;
drink enough pure water per day;
limit the amount of salt due to the risk of edema and sugar to prevent sudden weight gain.

As you can see, nutrition during pregnancy and after childbirth should be balanced so that both the woman and the child get the maximum of nutrients from food and do not experience their deficiency. But when choosing a daily menu, remember that everything is good in moderation. You can not eat one thing in large quantities, even if it is very useful. And you should not eat what is considered useful, but for some reason the woman herself does not like it. It is important that the food brings pleasure, but at the same time it is useful and of high quality.

For a pregnant woman, one of the main factors of her health and the health of her unborn child is good nutrition. In the first months of pregnancy, there is almost everything that she ate before, which is impossible because toxicosis will not allow this to be done. But, over time, the appetite returns and increases excessively, here it is harder and harder for women to resist overeating various harmful goodies. The diet of the future mother should consist only of healthy foods: cooked in the oven, stewed, boiled or steamed, and fried and smoked foods should be eliminated from the diet. The emphasis should be on fresh foods and vegetables, only they contain useful substances that will strengthen your health.

In tenth place are legumes. Peas, lentils, beans cooked both as cereals and in their natural form are perfectly absorbed by the body. Before cooking, they should be left in cold water for a couple of hours. Cholesterol will no longer be a problem for you, since legumes remove it from the body, the work of the stomach improves significantly. Fiber, zinc, iron, proteins and many other minerals are what can be found in these plants. With regular use of legumes, the circulatory vascular system improves, which is especially important for the mother and fetus.

It should be a must-have addition to any meal, whether it's made from corn, sunflowers, olives, or just plain butter. Each type of oil contains useful fatty acids, as well as a set of vitamins necessary for proper metabolism. If this butter, pregnant women should consume it up to 30 grams per day, cream can also be consumed up to 20 grams per day, as an alternative to cream, you can eat sour cream - 80 grams per day. But refractory fat, like pork and lamb, for use in the diet, is strictly prohibited.

Toxicosis, which torments pregnant women for a very long time, can be mitigated by cereals and grain products. Wholemeal bread, oatmeal, the most ordinary rice, sprouted wheat are natural and very easily digestible products. They contain a lot of fiber, are useful for metabolism, stabilize the liver. Phosphorus, iron, magnesium, calcium and B vitamins are all found in cereals and grain products that can be found in any supermarket at an affordable price.

Without meat, unfortunately for vegetarians, it is very difficult for a pregnant woman to get the full range of nutrients. But, for a pregnant woman, it is important that the meat is as useful as possible, so we chose rabbit meat. It is light and dietary, it has very little fat and a huge amount of protein. Then it has a lot of C and B vitamins, as well as manganese, fluorine and iron. With all this, it is a very low-calorie product, almost all 100% of the protein is absorbed by the body.

Mushrooms contain glycogen, amino acids, vitamins, carbohydrates and proteins. Mushrooms are very useful for pregnant women, although this was previously refuted by superstitious crowds. Mushrooms are also called “Forest meat”, because they are similar in composition to food of animal origin, but at the same time they are digested much easier. Mushrooms are rich in vitamins B2, B1, A, C, PP, as well as acids, phosphorus and zinc.

For expectant mothers, seafood is the main source of proteins and beneficial trace elements, the content of which exceeds the content of the same beneficial substances found in most types of meat. But, if a woman has some problems with the kidneys or some deviations in the work of the gastrointestinal tract are noticed, then she is forbidden to get involved in seafood. Seaweed, mussels, shrimp, crabs and many similar seafood are very useful for mothers and their future children. It is seafood that improves the functioning of the circulatory system and normalizes metabolism, which is so important for pregnant women.

Fish is a very easily digestible product. It contains a huge number of amino acids and proteins. Slightly fatty varieties of sea fish contain many minerals: iodine, fluorine, copper, zinc, and many others. When compared with meat, fish baked in foil is much easier to digest, fish broths should be excluded from the diet of women who suffer from gastrointestinal tract and increased acidity. We remind you that the fish should be of moderate fat content.

The basis of nutrition for pregnant women should be dairy products. Kefir, cottage cheese and yogurt are indispensable sources of many vitamin complexes and trace elements (in particular, vitamin D abounds there). If you decide to use cottage cheese, then it must be either low-fat or calcined, since only it contains protein. Your friends should be curdled milk and yogurt, as well as other fermented milk mixtures that will put your intestinal microflora in order. Hard cheese is also very useful, it has a lot of fluorine and calcium.

Pregnant women should not eat raw eggs: only fried or boiled, past any heat treatment. Only quail eggs can be consumed raw, which is very useful, both for the expectant mother and for anyone. Eggs contain a lot of useful substances, they can be found in folic acid, biotin, many amino acids and proteins. Eating eggs, you are simultaneously engaged in the prevention of diseases associated with vision, remove fats and cholesterol from your body and get a very high energy value. For women who are expecting a baby, the norm is two eggs a day.

So, the most useful food for pregnant women turned out to be an annual plant - broccoli. Its beneficial properties are known throughout the world. There are two types of broccoli: purple and green. This vegetable is just a store of vitamin C, its concentration in broccoli is one and a half times more than in an orange. Many different substances and vitamins: selenium, phosphorus, zinc, calcium, vitamins E, K, PP, U are found in broccoli. There are very few calories in broccoli, it will save you from problems associated with the nervous and cardiovascular systems. Also, broccoli significantly improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, stabilizes the composition of the blood. Like eggs, broccoli is high in folic acid, which is very beneficial for fetal development.