The challenge

Nutrition guidance should reflect the lives mothers actually live.

Maternal nutrition is shaped by more than nutrient requirements. Culture, food access, family traditions, and the healthcare system all influence what mothers eat and the guidance they receive.

Yet nutrition tools do not always reflect the diversity of foods and lived experiences of the communities they aim to serve.

Amara is being built to help close that gap.

A mother in an orange headwrap cheek to cheek with her smiling toddler
A young woman and an older woman in headscarves smiling as they shape flatbread together
Women from different backgrounds laughing together over a table of shared dishes
A baby sleeping against a mother’s chest, wrapped in a soft floral blanket

Cultural food is not a workaround. It is part of the solution.

Collard greens
Folate, calcium, vitamin K
Black-eyed peas
Plant protein, iron, fiber
Dal
Protein, iron, folate
Ugali
Steady energy, paired with greens and beans
Callaloo
Vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium
Taro
Fiber, potassium

General nutrient highlights for illustration. Amounts vary with recipe, portion, and preparation.

Bowls and bunches of leafy greens: spinach, kale, collards, chard, bok choy, and herbs
Leafy greens
Bowls of beans, grains, greens, and sweet potatoes on a wooden table
Pantry staples
A table of pantry staples: bowls of lentils, beans, rice, and grains with jars, spices, plantains, and fresh vegetables
Spices and legumes

Every kitchen tells a story.

A smiling woman in a headscarf sprinkling herbs over a large bowl of tabbouleh, surrounded by tomatoes, lemons, olives, and olive oil
Middle Eastern kitchen Tabbouleh, herbs, and olive oil
A smiling woman chopping callaloo beside plantains, peppers, limes, and a bowl of rice and peas
Caribbean kitchen Callaloo, rice and peas, and plantains
A smiling woman stirring vegetables in a wok, surrounded by bok choy, ginger, garlic, mushrooms, and rice
East & Southeast Asian kitchen A home-cooked stir-fry
A mother chopping collard greens while her young daughter helps, with black-eyed peas and peppers on the table
Black American kitchen Greens for Sunday dinner
A woman in a patterned headwrap and dress stirring a pot of stew beside plantains, yams, okra, and beans
West African kitchen A slow-simmered stew
A smiling woman in a headwrap and embroidered dress tearing fresh greens into a wooden bowl, with woven baskets and a simmering pot nearby
East African kitchen Fresh greens and a simmering pot
A woman in an embroidered blouse chopping cilantro beside tomatoes, limes, avocados, salsa, and warm tortillas
Hispanic kitchen Fresh salsa and tortillas

Illustrative images. They do not depict Amara users or participants.

The science

1,000 days.

The first 1,000 days shape a lifetime.

From pregnancy to a child’s second birthday, bodies and brains grow faster than at almost any other time in life. Nutrition during this window, for mother and child, is one of the strongest foundations a family can build on.

A pregnant woman in a headwrap smiling down at her belly in a sunlit kitchen full of fresh produce
PregnancyAbout nine months
A smiling mother spoon-feeding her baby in a high chair
Year oneBreast milk or formula, then first foods
A toddler smiling as she eats broccoli from a divided plate of vegetables, grains, and beans
Year twoFamily foods at the family table
  1. 01

    Maternal nutrition

    What a mother eats before and during pregnancy supports her own health and her baby’s growth. WHO antenatal care recommendations include nutrition interventions as a core part of routine care.

  2. 02

    Infant growth and development

    The brain and body develop rapidly from pregnancy through age two. Nutrients such as protein, iron, zinc, iodine, choline, folate, and long-chain fatty acids are especially important for early brain development.

  3. 03

    Culturally responsive care

    U.S. dietary guidance encourages people to choose nutrient-dense foods that reflect personal preferences, cultural traditions, and budgets, and for the first time includes guidance for pregnancy, lactation, and birth to 24 months.

  4. 04

    The potential role of digital health

    WHO guidance on digital interventions finds they can strengthen health systems in specific ways, while stressing that they are not a substitute for functioning health services. Amara is designed to complement care, not replace it.