What to eat in the first trimester
UPDATED JULY 2021
Eating for two (or more!) has never been so exciting (or daunting)! Let’s be real though, the first trimester can be tough. Whether you’re completely exhausted and in bed by 8pm (just me?) or you’re experiencing relentless nausea and vomiting, it can be difficult to eat what you need during the day.
In the first trimester, you don’t need to necessarily add anymore calories to your day. That’ll begin in the second trimester. Right now it’s important to eat what you can and ensure you’re taking your prenatal for good measure.
Here are some of the nutrients to pay particular attention to in your first trimester, how much is needed in pregnancy, and the forms you should watch out for in your prenatal supplement.
Macronutrients
Carbohydrates
Carbs are found in so many foods (ex: mainly all the delicious ones!). They’re essentially groups of sugars and starches that are the body’s primary source of energy. They can mainly be found in fruit, root vegetables, grains and legumes.
Once eaten, they are digested and broken down into sugar which can raise your blood sugar.
In the first trimester, it’s not uncommon for your body to crave carbohydrates. In fact, in the early weeks when I was pregnant, carbs were the one food group that I could stomach. It might have been because carbs are usually very easy to digest.
The increase in carbohydrate cravings might be your body’s way of building fat stores for later on in your pregnancy.
It’s important to keep in mind though, that eating a diet plentiful in carbohydrates can affect your blood sugar levels throughout your pregnancy and raise them. This may not be ideal if you begin to develop insulin resistance (or already have it). In the second trimester, you’ll be tested for gestational diabetes - so we don’t want the free reign of first trimester carbs to catch up.
Essentially, you’ll want to pair your carb-y foods with some type of protein to balance your blood sugar levels. If you’re eating salty french fries (been there!), then pair it with some chicken. Pair dark chocolate with nuts. Pair your fruit with some Greek yogurt. I think you’re catching my drift.
TO TEST: Consider testing your fasting glucose, fasting insulin, and HbA1c in the first trimester if you’re concerned about blood sugar levels and gestational diabetes.
Protein
Proteins are essentially chains of amino acids, which act as the building blocks for your body. All the cells in your body are made up of amino acids, so it comes as no surprise that protein is incredibly important as you’re growing a baby!
There are two types of protein: animal and plant. Animal protein tends to deliver all the amino acids that you need, and are known as complete protein sources. Whereas, plant protein typically lacks one or more amino acids, and are known as incomplete protein sources. If you eat a predominately plant-based diet, you’ll need to eat a variety of sources to get all your essential amino acids (because your body relies on food for these).
Protein requirements vary based on your body weight, and pregnancy stage. But you should aim for about 80g of protein in the first 20 weeks of your pregnancy.
Because 80g of protein is a lot (especially when you consider that an egg is about 6g of protein), you’ll want to eat some protein with each meal and snack. Protein is best paired with carbs because it can help to balance your blood sugar levels and prevent them from going too high or low. So pair fruits with nuts or cheese, chicken to your pasta, Greek yogurt to your smoothie, etc.
PRO-TIP: If you love bone broth, consider sipping it as a tea during the day for extra protein!
Fat
Fat doesn’t deserve to be demonized, it’s incredibly important (with the exception of trans fats). You need fat for many reasons:
to absorb the fat soluble vitamins (Vitamin A, D, E and K)
to serve as the backbone for your hormones
it’s needed for cell membranes
it helps to build your baby’s brain
There are different types of fats. Unsaturated and saturated, omega-3 and omega-6, cis fat and trans fat. The one to avoid is trans fat. The one to make sure you’re getting enough of are omega-3 fatty acids which are broken down to EPA and DHA. DHA is needed for your baby’s brain and eye development.
As with the other macronutrients, you’ll want to ensure that fat is present in each meal - because you want to absorb those vitamins! Whether it be olive oil, cheese, or fat within animal protein (chicken skin, eggs, etc.), fat provides a steady source of energy.
Necessary Nutrients
Folate (Vitamin B9)
Canadian recommended dietary intake: 600 ug
Preferred form: L-methylfolate
You likely already know that folate (you may know it as folic acid) is crucial during pregnancy. This is because it reduces the risk of babies being born with neural tube defects. It's especially important to get the required amount of folate in the first few weeks of your pregnancy to assist with neural tube formation (this eventually becomes the brain and spinal cord) and red blood cells.
Folate is preferred over the synthetic folic acid because many pregnant people cannot actually absorb folic acid. This is why I generally recommend that pregnant people look for a prenatal with folate, which is the active form and better absorbed.
Choline
Similar to folate, choline is necessary for brain development and cognitive function in infants, and helps with the prevention of neural tube defects.
Iodine
Canadian recommended dietary intake: 600 ug
Preferred form: Potassium iodide
Iodine is needed for brain and overall nervous system development. During the first trimester, fetal development is completely dependent on the your thyroid health. If you're at risk for hypothyroidism (or has hypothyroidism), it may lead to cognitive developmental problems in your baby. Moreover, if you have low thyroid function, you may be at risk for miscarriage during this trimester.
TO DO: Have a thyroid panel done (TSH, free T3, free T4, anti-TPO)
Essential Fatty Acids (DHA and EFA)
Along with amino acids from protein, DHA is one of the building blocks of the fetal brain. During this trimester, DHA comes directly from you! When your stores are full, it decreases likelihood of premature birth and postpartum depression. DHA is important for a healthy birth weight, and visual and cognitive development! While supplementation is important during the first trimester, it becomes key in the third trimester as your baby's brain growth is most significant at that time.
Low levels of DHA have been linked to shorter gestation, low birth weight, postnatal depression and allergy.
Antioxidants
As your body is undergoing many changes during pregnancy, it places more demand on your nutrient stores. As your body is creating a new organ, like the placenta, it creates oxidation. When there is a decrease in antioxidants in your body, the oxidation can cause damage, possibly resulting in poor growth, premature birth and low birth weight.
So if you can, continue to eat colourful fruits and vegetables to get these antioxidants and prevent too much oxidation from doing unnecessary damage to your baby.
MAKE THIS: Consider blending up some smoothies with organic berries (raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries) and a hunk of ginger for good measure!
Iron
Canadian recommended dietary intake: 27 mg
Preferred form: Iron bisglycinate
Iron is the most common nutritional deficiency in women! Do you know why? Periods! Yes, you're taking a break from your period right now, but it's likely that before you got pregnant your stores were low. It's necessary to have your levels tested because your baby will use your iron for itself - which may leave you even more deficient. A telltale sign of low iron is cravings for ice!
In the baby, iron helps to develop their cardiovascular system. If your stores are low it may increase miscarriage risk, increase the risk of preterm delivery and low birth weight.
Also, ensuring that you get enough iron may assist in decreasing the risk of postpartum depression after your baby is born.
TO DO: Get your ferritin levels tested (and make sure your levels are optimal, not normal)
PRO TIP: Vitamin C helps with iron absorption
Zinc
Canadian recommended dietary intake: 11 mg
Preferred form: Zinc picolinate
Zinc is important in the first trimester because it helps gene expression, it's involved in thyroid and progesterone production, and maintains a healthy immune system (for both you and your baby!).
If you've taking the birth control pill in the past, have a history of miscarriage, or are a vegetarian/vegan, this is one mineral to make sure is in your prenatal.
Vitamin C
Canadian recommended dietary intake: 85 mg
Preferred form: Ascorbate
Vitamin C helps to prevent rupture of membranes (ex. strengthening the amniotic sac), and as been shown to decrease the risk of preeclampsia (high blood pressure, high protein in the urine, and swelling of your hands, legs and feet)
Vitamin D
Canadian recommended dietary intake: 600 IU
Preferred form: Cholecalciferol
If you live in sunny Canada (ha!), you’re deficient in Vitamin D. And as we know, when you're deficient, baby is deficient. Vitamin D is important because it helps your baby's skeleton and brain grow. Before you start supplementing though, this is one of the vitamins where it's important to have tested. The amount of Vitamin D you may need to take, may be different than what your friend is taking!
Also, ensuring that you get enough Vitamin D may assist in decreasing the risk of postpartum depression after your baby is born.
TO DO: Get your vitamin D levels tested!
Vitamin E
Canadian recommended dietary intake: 15 mg
Preferred form: alpha-tocopherol
Vitamin E helps stabilize the cell membranes. Low levels can increase risk of miscarriage and preeclampsia, as well as lead to premature or low birth weight babies.
Selenium
Canadian recommended dietary intake: 60 ug
Preferred form: Selenomethionine
Selenium acts as an antioxidant and helps with thyroid metabolism. If there's a deficiency, early or recurrent miscarriage may occur.
EAT THIS: Eggs, poultry, seafood and other muscle meats
Next Steps
If you're pregnant and wondering if you're getting enough of the recommended daily intake of vitamins or minerals, wanting to take a look at your iron, thyroid and Vitamin D levels, or is looking for guidance on how to choose the right prenatal (hint: go with a professional line!), be sure to book an appointment with me!!
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