<![CDATA[Adequate nutrition during pregnancy is crucial for supporting maternal health and fetal growth and development. A lack of knowledge regarding balanced nutrition often leads to preeclampsia and Chronic Energy Deficiency (CED) among pregnant women, negatively impacting the course of pregnancy and childbirth. This research aimed to improve pregnant women's knowledge and understanding of balanced nutrition through education based on local food sources. Additionally, respondents demonstrated an increased ability to identify nutritious local foods, such as corn and sweet potatoes. Indonesian communities cultivate various local crops—including cassava, root vegetables, corn, and sago—across diverse ecosystems ranging from fertile to degraded lands, reflecting the unique dietary patterns found across the country's regions. The study aimed to determine the impact of nutrition education based on local foods (corn and sweet potatoes) on preeclampsia prevention efforts among third-trimester pregnant women at the Tomohon Community Health Center (Puskesmas) in North Sulawesi. A pre-experimental research design was employed, utilizing univariate and bivariate data analysis, specifically the Wilcoxon test. The results indicated that nutrition education based on local foods (corn porridge and sweet potatoes) had a significant effect on preeclampsia prevention (p-value = 0.000). In conclusion, local food-based nutrition education is effective in enhancing the nutritional literacy of pregnant women and serves as a strategic measure for preventing preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-related disorder that significantly impacts global maternal morbidity and mortality due to the numerous risks it poses to both the mother and the fetus.]]>
