Food recommendations look different worldwide

Are you worried about the risk of eating certain foods during pregnancy? Relax! Food recommendations for pregnant women look different around the globe.¹

In India, pregnancy food charts state exactly what should be eaten at what time of the day, including a handful of nuts at 4 pm.² The charts are modified to suit women’s BMI, reflecting the vast differences in nutrition status of the Indian population.² Japanese guidelines for pregnant women similarly offer a pregnancy food plan, but for each day of the week. In addition to recommending vegetables, the Japanese food plan has a rather strong focus on seafood.³

In the Netherlands, precise amounts for each food product are stated, but there is no schedule.⁴ Sweden and Finland have even less detailed  pregnancy recommendations with pregnancy food charts focusing on the benefits of a diverse diet.^5,6

On the other hand, in the United States, expecting mothers are informed about food safety and how to avoid foodborne illnesses and harmful microorganisms. The focus is hence less on particular foods, but rather on hygiene practices when cooking.⁷ Pregnant women are for example given precise information on how to wash fruit and vegetables and instructions about how to heat certain foods.⁷ 

Despite local differences, there are globally well established recommendations to keep a good health during pregnancy, such as the intake of folic acid supplements, the avoidance of alcohol and the importance of a versatile diet combined with exercise.⁸

If you feel stressed about what you can or cannot eat, take a deep breath and remember that mothers around the world eat very different diets and that healthy babies are born everywhere.⁹ With that in mind,  check your country’s pregnancy diet recommendations and enjoy your meals!

Examples of daily food plans (India and Japan) and food recommendations (The Netherlands) for pregnant women. Amounts per day.