Eating Healthfully in the Hot Summer Months

With the abundance of summer produce, it's easy to put together healthy meals that will benefit both you and your baby. Summer's bounty is full of the vitamins and minerals that are essential for a healthy pregnancy. Look for these fruits and vegetables at your local grocery store or farmer's market:

• Spinach, corn, and peas have lots of iron. Iron is a crucial mineral in pregnancy. It is used to support the growth of the baby and to produce extra blood.
• Melons, tomatoes, strawberries, summer squash, cucumbers, and peaches are rich in vitamin C, which your body needs to absorb iron.
• Leafy greens, green beans, and citrus fruits contain folic acid, a vitamin that helps protect against neural tube defects.
• Cucumbers contain about a quarter of your daily requirement of vitamin K, which is needed to build strong bones, promote nerve development, and help blood clot.