Foods to Eat and Avoid in Pregnancy

The basics: eat well, not double

A healthy pregnancy diet does not need to be complicated or special. The NHS describes it as a varied diet balanced across the week, and says there is no need to eat for two, even with twins or triplets. Hunger often rises, which is normal, and a good breakfast can cut down on grabbing high-sugar or high-fat snacks.

The second half of the story is food safety. When you are pregnant, your immune system works a little differently, so some germs that would barely trouble you normally, listeria especially, can be more serious for you and your baby. That is why guidance names particular foods to avoid or prepare differently. Most are easy to swap, and the rules are simpler once you understand why they exist.

Advice varies between countries, for example on eggs, caffeine and fish. We note where it does, but follow what your own midwife or doctor tells you.

What to eat during pregnancy

Top 10 nutrient-rich foods for pregnancy

"Superfood" is a marketing word rather than a medical one, but some everyday foods do pack in more of what pregnancy asks for. These ten are easy to find, affordable and safe when prepared properly.

1. Leafy greens (spinach, kale, broccoli). Good sources of folate, a B vitamin that matters in early pregnancy, plus iron and fibre. Wash well, or cook.
2. Lentils, beans and chickpeas. Plant protein, fibre, iron and folate in one cheap food.
3. Well-cooked eggs. Protein and choline, in an easy meal. Cook until the white and yolk are firm.
4. Salmon and other lower-mercury oily fish. Omega-3 fats and protein. Cook thoroughly and keep to the weekly limits below.
5. Pasteurised yoghurt and milk. Calcium, protein and iodine for your baby's bones and development.
6. Lean red meat and poultry. A well-absorbed source of iron and protein. Cook through.
7. Wholegrains (oats, brown rice, wholemeal bread). Steady energy and fibre, which helps with constipation.
8. Nuts and seeds. Healthy fats, protein, magnesium and zinc. Fine unless you are allergic, according to the NHS.
9. Orange and yellow vegetables (sweet potato, carrot, pumpkin). Rich in beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A safely, unlike liver.
10. Berries and citrus fruit. Vitamin C, which also helps you absorb iron from plant foods. Wash berries well.

This is a general list, not a prescription. Your needs may differ, so ask your midwife or dietitian, especially if you are vegetarian, vegan or have allergies.

Here is how those foods fit into the food groups across a day or week. You do not need to tick every box every day. Some people also need supplements such as folic acid, iodine or vitamin D, which we cover in our pregnancy supplements guide.

• Fruit and vegetables. The NHS suggests at least five portions a day, in any form. Frozen and canned count.
• Starchy carbohydrates. Choose wholegrain or higher-fibre options where you can, such as wholemeal bread, oats, brown rice or potatoes with the skin on.
• Protein. Include beans, pulses, fish, eggs, lean meat, poultry or nuts daily. Vegetarian and vegan diets can cover this with pulses, tofu, nuts and seeds, though it is worth talking to a dietitian or midwife about iron, B12 and iodine.
• Dairy or alternatives. For calcium, choose pasteurised milk, cheese and yoghurt, or unsweetened calcium-fortified alternatives.
• Fish. A good source of protein and omega-3. The NHS suggests two portions of fish a week, one of them oily, such as salmon or sardines.
• Limit. Foods high in fat, sugar or both, such as fizzy drinks, cakes and crisps.
• Water. Keep drinking regularly. It can help with constipation, which is common in pregnancy.

Top 10 foods to avoid or limit in pregnancy

The list below combines advice from the NHS and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Both are very similar on the main points, and Australian and New Zealand bodies add a few extras, marked in the table. The aim is to avoid three types of germ: listeria, salmonella and toxoplasma.

Also worth skipping or handling carefully: raw sprouts (cook them), pre-packed and salad-bar salads, pre-cut melon left out for long, soft-serve ice cream, enoki mushrooms (Australian and NZ advice) and unpasteurised juice.

Why listeria is the one to watch

Listeria is unusual because it can keep growing in the fridge. It is most often found in chilled, ready-to-eat foods that are not cooked again before you eat them. The infection is rare, but in pregnancy it can pass to the baby, which is why guidance is so firm. Heating food until it is steaming hot kills it. That is why a soft cheese that is unsafe cold can be fine in a hot baked dish.

• Keep the fridge cold and eat leftovers promptly, and stick to the use-by date.
• Buy cut fruit, salads and sandwiches fresh and eat them the same day, or make your own.
• Avoid foods that have been sitting out, such as buffet items and cut melon left on the bench.

Eggs depend on where you live

The UK NHS says eggs marked with the British Lion stamp are safe raw or runny, because of the vaccination and safety scheme behind them. That does not apply elsewhere. In most other countries, the safe approach is to cook eggs until the white and yolk are firm, and use pasteurised egg for dishes that are not cooked, such as mousse or homemade mayonnaise.

Fish and seafood: eat it, choose well

Fish is worth eating in pregnancy, but mercury builds up in large, long-lived predatory fish and can affect a baby's developing brain and nervous system. The Australian and New Zealand advice below comes from FSANZ via the Victorian Better Health Channel.

• Other countries. The NHS says to avoid shark, swordfish and marlin, to limit tuna to no more than four cans or two steaks a week, and to keep oily fish to two portions a week. The CDC also lists shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish to avoid, and names shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock and catfish as lower-mercury choices.
• Cooked, not raw. Cook fish until it flakes easily. Skip raw oysters and sashimi until after the baby is born, but sushi with cooked or vegetable fillings is fine.
• Chilled ready-to-eat seafood. Australian and New Zealand advice is to avoid raw oysters, sashimi, sushi containing raw fish, chilled smoked seafood and cooked ready-to-eat prawns. Smoked salmon cooked in a hot dish, such as a quiche or pasta, is fine, as is freshly cooked seafood.

Caffeine, alcohol and other drinks

• Caffeine. A practical limit used by many national health services, including the NHS, is 200 mg a day, which is roughly two mugs of instant coffee. WHO's threshold for advising people to cut back is higher, at more than 300 mg a day. Caffeine also comes from tea, cola, energy drinks and chocolate, so it adds up through the day. Energy drinks are better skipped.
• Herbal tea. The NHS says up to four cups a day is fine, but avoid liquorice root. Ask before using herbal blends sold as tonics or remedies.
• Alcohol. The NHS advises avoiding alcohol, and Australia's NHMRC says not drinking is the safest option. A single glass before you knew you were pregnant is rarely a cause for panic, but tell your midwife or doctor and stop.
• Juice and cider. Choose pasteurised, as the CDC advises.

Safe food handling at home

1. Wash fruit, vegetables and salad leaves thoroughly, which also removes soil that can carry toxoplasma.
2. Wash hands, boards and knives after handling raw meat, and keep raw and cooked food apart.
3. Cook meat through. The CDC gives safe temperatures of 74°C (165°F) for poultry, 63°C (145°F) for whole cuts of beef, pork and lamb, and 71°C (160°F) for mince.
4. Chill and reheat leftovers carefully. Australian advice is to refrigerate leftovers as soon as they stop steaming, eat them within 24 hours and reheat to 75°C, and to keep your fridge at 5°C or colder. Listeria can still grow slowly in a fridge, so don't eat food past its use-by date. New Zealand's health service allows up to two days, so the shorter window is the safer one.
5. Wear gloves for gardening, and wash your hands afterwards, because soil and cat litter can carry toxoplasma. The NHS advises asking someone else to change the litter.

I already ate something on the list

This happens to a lot of people, and most do not become ill, but it is worth taking seriously. Listeria infection can cause no symptoms or only mild, flu-like ones, and these can start anywhere from a few days to about three months later. Note what you ate and when, and contact your midwife or doctor to let them know, especially if you are worried. If a fever, chills, aches, headache, vomiting or diarrhoea develops, seek medical advice promptly rather than waiting for it to pass, because early treatment can protect your baby. If your baby's movements change, get checked straight away.

Common mistakes and confusing bits

1. Cutting out fish altogether. Most fish is fine and useful. Avoid the high-mercury types and follow the weekly limits.
2. Relying on the smell or look. Listeria cannot be seen, smelt or tasted.
3. Forgetting hidden caffeine. Tea, cola, chocolate and some pain relievers all count.
4. Eating for two. You need quality, not double the quantity.
5. Eating liver for iron. Choose other sources of iron instead, as liver is very high in vitamin A.
6. Assuming a supplement replaces food. They fill gaps. They are not a substitute for a varied diet.
7. Copying advice from another country without checking. Eggs, soft cheese and caffeine rules in particular differ.

Is it safe to eat a little of a forbidden food?

The rules are cautious because listeria is serious even though uncommon. There is no known safe amount for high-risk items, so pick the safer alternative instead, and if you have already eaten some, see the section above.

Can I eat nuts and peanuts?

The NHS says yes, unless you are allergic. There is no need to avoid them in pregnancy.

Frequently Asked Questions