Nutrition in the Real World

You have to eat and work and have a life. Here's how to get the nutrients you and your baby need.

Nutritional information per serving (1/4 of recipe): 226 calories, 28 percent fat (7 grams), 64 percent carbohydrate, 8 percent protein, 234 milligrams calcium, 2.5 milligrams iron, 185 micrograms folate, 7.5 grams fiber.

Pizza With Sautéed Peppers, Onions, Spinach, Lemon and Pecorino Romano
Serves 4
This quick meal is made easy with the help of a high-quality pre-made crust.

            1             tablespoon olive oil
            1             small yellow onion, sliced
            1             small red bell pepper, sliced
       Zest of 1 lemon
           Salt and freshly ground black pepper (or red pepper flakes) to taste
           Handful of torn fresh spinach
            1             large pre-made pizza crust
            2             tablespoons Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
            1/4             cup part-skim mozzarella, grated

Preheat oven to 450° F. Heat olive oil and sauté onion and bell pepper until both are softened and the onion has begun to brown. Add lemon zest and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat, add torn spinach, toss until wilted and spread over pizza crust. Sprinkle with Pecorino Romano cheese, then mozzarella. Bake on a sheet pan on the top rack of the oven for 8 to 10 minutes.

Nutritional information per serving (1/4 of recipe): 432 calories, 31 percent fat (15 grams), 50 percent carbohydrate, 19 percent protein, 400 milligrams calcium, 1.5 milligrams iron, 210 micrograms folate, 4 grams fiber.

— E.W.

Nurturing Nutrients
To make your pregnancy eating even easier, here’s a complete list of the nutrients you need every day and where to get them.

Nutrient/Daily Requirement During Pregnancy	Function	Best Sources
Calcium, 1,000–1,500 milligrams Folate, 600 micrograms Iron, 30 milligrams Protein, 60 grams Riboflavin, 1.4 milligrams Vitamin B6, 1.9 milligrams Vitamin B12, 2.6 milligrams Vitamin C, 70 milligrams Zinc, 15 milligrams	Promotes fetal bone development and strong bones in mom; supplements may prevent high blood pressure in at-risk moms Helps prevent neural-tube defects and anemia (best if 400 mcg taken before conception) Helps prevent anemia and premature delivery; helps baby gain weight Helps make cells, hormones and enzymes; regulates fluid balance Helps prevent anemia; builds baby’s tissues; helps body produce energy Assists in body’s production of proteins used to make new cells Helps prevent anemia; promotes cell growth; helps body use carbohydrates and fat Builds strong bones, teeth, tissues and blood cells; increases iron absorption Necessary for cell growth and energy production	Dairy, dark green leafy vegetables, legumes, fortified soy milk, tofu processed with calcium sulfate Enriched grains, dark green leafy vegetables, orange juice, legumes Meat, poultry, seafood, legumes, fortified grains, spinach Meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, eggs, legumes, tofu, nuts Dairy, enriched grains, broccoli, asparagus, spinach Poultry, fish, pork, bananas, avocados, peanuts, walnuts Meat, dairy, eggs, some fortified nondairy milks, fortified cereals Citrus fruits, red bell peppers, tomatoes, strawberries, kiwi Meat, oysters, poultry, legumes, wheat germ, whole grains — E.W.

>> Lisa Hanauer is an Oakland, Calif.-based food writer. Elizabeth Ward, M.S., R.D., is a Boston-based nutritionist and the author of Pregnancy Nutrition: Good Health for You and Your Baby (John Wiley & Sons Inc., 1998).