Pregnancy

Building blood

Iron-deficiency anaemia is the commonest thing that goes wrong in a pregnancy. Dishes that also carry vitamin C come first, because vitamin C multiplies how much plant iron the body takes up.

Iron-rich Folate-rich Calcium-rich DHA, low mercury Choline & iodine

Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off. Cooking does not remove alcohol. The USDA retention table: about 40% of it is still there after 15 minutes of simmering, 25% after an hour, 5% after two and a half hours, and 75% in a dish that was flamed. The NHS says no level of alcohol is known to be safe in pregnancy. Everything below is simmered rather than splashed in at the end, but the figure is not zero. The call is yours.

Contains an ingredient tradition avoids in pregnancy. A few ingredients — green papaya, pineapple, mugwort, Vietnamese coriander, bitter melon — are traditionally avoided in Vietnamese pregnancies. Only green papaya has a reasonably clear pharmacological basis (the papain in its latex); the rest is custom rather than trial evidence. They are labelled here so you can see them, not removed.

Dishes for this stage

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Photograph of Hariyali paneer tikka Hariyali paneer tikka India · 45 min Photograph of Beef tacos Beef tacos Mexico · 35 min Photograph of Hawawshi Hawawshi Middle East · 50 min Photograph of Yam neua yang Yam neua yang Thailand · 40 min Photograph of Lahmacun Lahmacun Middle East · 30 min Photograph of Cabrito al horno Cabrito al horno Mexico · 3 hr Photograph of Discada norteña Discada norteña Mexico · 1 hr 15 min Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Yam pla duk foo Yam pla duk foo Thailand · 1 hr Photograph of Mahshi Mahshi Middle East · 2 hr 20 min Photograph of Yam nua Yam nua Thailand · 35 min Photograph of Fahsa Fahsa Middle East · 2 hr 40 min Contains an ingredient tradition avoids in pregnancy Photograph of Poc chuc yucateco Poc chuc yucateco Mexico · 35 min Photograph of Litti chokha Litti chokha India · 2 hr Photograph of Armenian lahmajoun Armenian lahmajoun Middle East · 2 hr Photograph of Frijol con puerco Frijol con puerco Mexico · 3 hr Photograph of Tasajo oaxaqueño Tasajo oaxaqueño Mexico · 35 min Photograph of Margat bamia Margat bamia Middle East · 2 hr Photograph of Fahsa Yemeni Fahsa Yemeni Middle East · 3 hr Contains an ingredient tradition avoids in pregnancy Photograph of Caldo de res mexicano Caldo de res mexicano Mexico · 3 hr Photograph of Foul mdammas Levantine Foul mdammas Levantine Middle East · 40 min Photograph of Rogan josh Rogan josh India · 1 hr 15 min Photograph of Osso buco alla milanese Osso buco alla milanese Italy · 2 hr 30 min Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Chiles en nogada Chiles en nogada Mexico · 1 hr 15 min Photograph of Banh Xeo Sizzling Rice Crepe Banh Xeo Sizzling Rice Crepe Vietnam · 50 min Photograph of Birria de res Birria de res Mexico · 3 hr 30 min Photograph of Kaeng phet ped yang Kaeng phet ped yang Thailand · 50 min Photograph of Carne asada Carne asada Mexico · 20 min Photograph of Iskender kebab Iskender kebab Middle East · 1 hr Photograph of Karniyarik Karniyarik Middle East · 1 hr 15 min Photograph of Shaking beef Shaking beef Vietnam · 30 min Photograph of Daube provençale Daube provençale France · 3 hr Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Bistec a la mexicana Bistec a la mexicana Mexico · 35 min Photograph of Milanesa de res Milanesa de res Mexico · 40 min Photograph of Spaghetti allo scoglio Spaghetti allo scoglio Italy · 45 min Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Carne en su jugo Carne en su jugo Mexico · 1 hr Photograph of Samke harra Samke harra Middle East · 1 hr Photograph of Steamed clams with lemongrass Steamed clams with lemongrass Vietnam · 15 min Photograph of Kaki furai Kaki furai Japan · 35 min Photograph of Arroz a la tumbada Arroz a la tumbada Mexico · 1 hr Photograph of Grilled scallops with scallion oil Grilled scallops with scallion oil Vietnam · 30 min Photograph of Sarson ka saag Sarson ka saag India · 1 hr 15 min Photograph of Undhiyu Undhiyu India · 1 hr 30 min Photograph of Caldo de res Caldo de res Mexico · 2 hr 30 min Photograph of Shabu-shabu Shabu-shabu Japan · 40 min Brown seaweed — high in iodine if eaten often Photograph of Chanko nabe Chanko nabe Japan · 50 min Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Thai suki nam Thai suki nam Thailand · 50 min Photograph of Fatayer sabanekh Fatayer sabanekh Middle East · 40 min Photograph of Banh can Phan Rang clay pot pancakes Banh can Phan Rang clay pot pancakes Vietnam · 30 min Photograph of Laghman (Xinjiang hand-pulled noodles) Laghman (Xinjiang hand-pulled noodles) China · 30 min Photograph of Jingisukan Jingisukan Japan · 45 min Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Bamia Bamia Middle East · 1 hr 15 min Photograph of Saltah Saltah Middle East · 2 hr Contains an ingredient tradition avoids in pregnancy Photograph of Axoa de veau Axoa de veau France · 2 hr Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Sindhi sai bhaji Sindhi sai bhaji India · 40 min Photograph of Couscous with seven vegetables Couscous with seven vegetables Middle East · 2 hr Photograph of Dal palak Dal palak India · 45 min Photograph of Fatayer spinach Fatayer spinach Middle East · 1 hr Photograph of Phu Quoc Stirred Seafood Noodle Soup Phu Quoc Stirred Seafood Noodle Soup Vietnam · 40 min Photograph of Turkish pide Turkish pide Middle East · 1 hr Photograph of Parrillada mexicana Parrillada mexicana Mexico · 45 min Photograph of Shish kebab Shish kebab Middle East · 40 min Photograph of Taco de lengua Taco de lengua Mexico · 3 hr Photograph of Bamia stew Bamia stew Middle East · 1 hr 40 min Photograph of Tlayuda Tlayuda Mexico · 45 min Photograph of Caldo de camarón Caldo de camarón Mexico · 50 min Photograph of Birria Birria Mexico · 3 hr 40 min Photograph of Cabrito al pastor Cabrito al pastor Mexico · 3 hr Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Carne asada norteña Carne asada norteña Mexico · 35 min Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Chicken malai tikka Chicken malai tikka India · 35 min Photograph of Chapli kebab Chapli kebab India · 40 min Photograph of Daube de boeuf Daube de boeuf France · 4 hr Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Xinjiang stir-fried noodles Xinjiang stir-fried noodles China · 50 min Photograph of Sattu paratha Sattu paratha India · 1 hr Photograph of Discada Discada Mexico · 1 hr Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Mole manchamanteles Mole manchamanteles Mexico · 2 hr Contains an ingredient tradition avoids in pregnancy Photograph of Makki di roti Makki di roti India · 40 min Photograph of Caldo de siete mares Caldo de siete mares Mexico · 1 hr Photograph of Braised beef noodles Braised beef noodles China · 3 hr Photograph of Galayet bandora Galayet bandora Middle East · 1 hr Photograph of Nghêu hấp Thái Nghêu hấp Thái Vietnam · 30 min Photograph of Jaibas rellenas Jaibas rellenas Mexico · 1 hr Photograph of Kafta bil sanieh Kafta bil sanieh Middle East · 1 hr 40 min Photograph of Kashmiri pulao Kashmiri pulao India · 50 min Contains an ingredient tradition avoids in pregnancy Photograph of Moo pad khing Moo pad khing Thailand · 25 min Photograph of Anguille au vert Anguille au vert France · 45 min Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Mutabbal Mutabbal Middle East · 45 min Photograph of Hot and Sour Beef Rib Hotpot Hot and Sour Beef Rib Hotpot Vietnam · 2 hr Contains an ingredient tradition avoids in pregnancy Photograph of Khao moo krob Khao moo krob Thailand · 3 hr Photograph of Kabab halabi Kabab halabi Middle East · 50 min Photograph of Vegetarian Fermented Tofu Hotpot with Lotus Root and Taro Vegetarian Fermented Tofu Hotpot with Lotus Root and Taro Vietnam · 1 hr Photograph of Kabab khashkhash Kabab khashkhash Middle East · 50 min Photograph of Tacos de suadero Tacos de suadero Mexico · 3 hr Photograph of Tacos de lengua Tacos de lengua Mexico · 4 hr Photograph of Tacos de asada Tacos de asada Mexico · 50 min Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Tlayudas Tlayudas Mexico · 50 min Photograph of Navratan korma Navratan korma India · 50 min Contains an ingredient tradition avoids in pregnancy Photograph of Kalam polo Kalam polo Middle East · 2 hr Photograph of Tagliata di manzo Tagliata di manzo Italy · 35 min Photograph of Kebab barg Kebab barg Middle East · 45 min Photograph of Shishlik Iranian Shishlik Iranian Middle East · 50 min Photograph of Dandeh kebab Dandeh kebab Middle East · 50 min Photograph of Tomato hot pot Tomato hot pot China · 50 min Photograph of Chenjeh kebab Chenjeh kebab Middle East · 45 min Photograph of Vegetarian Noodle Soup with Lime Leaf Vegetarian Noodle Soup with Lime Leaf Vietnam · 45 min Photograph of Sarson da saag Sarson da saag India · 2 hr Photograph of Puffed Fried Pho with Sweet and Sour Sauce Puffed Fried Pho with Sweet and Sour Sauce Vietnam · 45 min Photograph of Yam nuea yang Yam nuea yang Thailand · 40 min Photograph of Nam tok nuea Nam tok nuea Thailand · 40 min Photograph of Pozole de mariscos Pozole de mariscos Mexico · 1 hr 40 min Photograph of Walnut shrimp Walnut shrimp China · 40 min Photograph of Alambre de res Alambre de res Mexico · 40 min Photograph of Dindigul biryani Dindigul biryani India · 2 hr Photograph of Salad Tonkatsu Salad Tonkatsu Vietnam · 45 min Photograph of Saltah Yemeni Saltah Yemeni Middle East · 3 hr Contains an ingredient tradition avoids in pregnancy Photograph of Aseed Yemeni Aseed Yemeni Middle East · 2 hr Contains an ingredient tradition avoids in pregnancy Photograph of Kafta kebab Kafta kebab Middle East · 40 min Photograph of Dolma Turkish Dolma Turkish Middle East · 1 hr 30 min Photograph of Testi kebabi Testi kebabi Middle East · 3 hr Photograph of Kuzu sis Kuzu sis Middle East · 40 min Photograph of Kalam polo Shirazi Kalam polo Shirazi Middle East · 1 hr 40 min

These suggestions follow published nutrition guidance from the WHO, the Vietnamese Ministry of Health, the NHS, the FDA/EPA and ACOG. They are not medical advice and do not replace a doctor or a dietitian. With an existing condition, a food allergy or a high-risk pregnancy, ask a doctor before changing how you eat.

Only the first 120 are shown. The list is generated from each dish's ingredients; nobody has read every one of them by eye.