It is every mother’s wish to have a healthy and smart baby, but for a fetal baby to be born beautiful and smart, nutrition during pregnancy is naturally indispensable, and what we need for brain development is what we need to focus on supplementing. What are the most important nutrients needed for the brain of a fetal baby? The following 5, pregnant mothers should not be missing. A. Folic acid Folic acid is a B vitamin widely found in green vegetables, which helps cell division and growth, and can also assist in the synthesis of DHA, which promotes fetal brain development. Adequate folic acid can help effectively prevent abnormal fetal neural tube development and reduce the chance of fetal neural tube malformation, making the baby healthier and smarter. 1.When to start folic acid supplementation? Suggestion: It is best to start supplementing folic acid from 3 months before pregnancy; in early pregnancy, it is best to take 400μg daily; after mid-pregnancy, you can stop taking folic acid tablets and just take more from food. 2.How to eat the most effective? Representative food: green vegetables (such as lettuce, spinach, etc.), fruits (such as kiwi, pomegranate, avocado, grapefruit, etc.), and sunflower seeds, chicken liver, soy products, walnut oil, cashew nuts, etc. ① When taking folic acid, you can take some vitamin C-rich foods together, such as oranges. Vitamin C helps the body to absorb folic acid. ②Folic acid easily loses its activity when it encounters light and heat. For example, after vegetables are stored for 2-3 days, folic acid will be lost by 50%-70%; making soup will make the food lose 50%-95% of folic acid; vegetables soaked in salt water will also lose a lot of folic acid content. Therefore, the choice of fresh vegetables, cooked in a cold, rapid fire, will retain more folic acid. Second, DHA DHA is an important member of the Omega-3 unsaturated fatty acid family, it is a major element in the growth and maintenance of cells in the nervous system, is an important component of the brain and retina, and is essential for fetal intelligence and vision development. 1.When to start DHA supplementation? Suggestion: Start DHA supplementation from the third week of pregnancy. Because at this time, the nervous system in the fetal brain has begun to develop, and by the fourth week, vision development also begins, until the third month of pregnancy, the number of fetal brain cells and neurosynaptic development reaches a peak, therefore, DHA supplementation during this time is more beneficial to both the mother-to-be and the fetus Therefore, DHA supplementation during this period is more beneficial to both the mother and the fetus. 2.How to eat the most effective? Representative foods: deep sea fish oil, salmon, tuna, snapper, carp, eel, egg yolk, milk, walnuts, etc. If you need to take fish oil-based DHA products, it is recommended to take them 15-20 minutes before meals, after consuming small amount of eggs, fish, tofu and other foods, the absorption will be more adequate. Zinc is an essential nutrient for nucleic acids and proteins, and is the most abundant metal ion in the human brain. It lies in the limbic part of the cerebral cortex related to memory, emotion and language, and has a high concentration in the hippocampus, which protects the enzyme system in the brain. 1.When to start zinc supplementation? Recommendation: From the middle of pregnancy, the fetus’ need for zinc increases rapidly, with the placenta and fetus requiring 0.75-1 p.p. of zinc daily. In addition, after pregnancy, the blood volume of the mother-to-be increases, and the zinc content in the blood will be relatively reduced. 2.How to eat most effectively? Representative foods: lean meat, seafood, mushrooms, eggs, dairy products, nuts, sunflower seeds, apples, bananas, etc. Generally speaking, high-protein foods are relatively high in zinc, such as lean meats which are high in zinc. In addition, seafood and nuts are also the best source of zinc, absorption and utilization are high. Fourth, lecithin The main component of lecithin is choline. Adequate lecithin improves the speed and accuracy of information transmission in the brain, which is of special value to the fetal brain. 1. When to supplement lecithin? Recommendation: Lecithin can be supplemented in moderation throughout pregnancy. The fetal brain nervous system starts to develop from 5-6 weeks of pregnancy, especially in the first 3 months, which is an important stage for the development of brain cells, but the development of the whole nervous system will continue until the end of pregnancy, even up to 3 years after the baby is born. 2.How to eat the most effective? Representative foods: soy products, egg yolk, fish brain, wood ear, corn oil, cereals, etc. Lecithin has a characteristic: it is not heat resistant. If the temperature is too high, it will affect the survival of lecithin in food. Therefore, when cooking food containing lecithin, it is best not to steam it for a long time. The lack of iron can cause the fetal brain to develop poorly. When pregnant, the mother-to-be needs to absorb double the amount of iron to provide enough oxygen for the fetus. If there is a lack of iron, the fetus will not absorb enough oxygen in the womb, resulting in stunted development and even low IQ of the fetus. 1.When to start iron supplementation? Generally speaking, mothers-to-be need iron supplementation in the middle and late stages of pregnancy to ensure the development of the fetus on the one hand, and to make reserves for delivery and postpartum on the other. Suggestions: The mother-to-be can check the iron level in her body when she enters the middle of pregnancy. If necessary, you can take small doses of iron orally according to the doctor’s prescription. 2.How to eat the most effective? Representative foods: red meat, soybeans, whole grains, sesame paste, seaweed, nori, etc. ①Eating foods rich in vitamin C while taking iron supplements can improve the absorption rate of iron. ②If the iron you take will make your stomach and intestines uncomfortable, you can divide the amount you take at one time into several times to reduce the irritation to your stomach and intestines. ③Coffee and tea can hinder the absorption of iron, so try to avoid these two types of drinks. ④Calcium can affect your body’s absorption of iron, so don’t eat iron-rich foods or iron supplements without also using calcium supplement products.