Do you think that what you (the mother) eats will affect your baby? Could food really have that great an impact on your baby’s development? Or have you ever thought that what you choose to put into your body may have a direct effect on the child in your womb?
I think a lot of times our society overlooks or undervalues the effect that food can have on our bodies. When problems or symptoms come…
- Could your body (your cells) be deficient in what it needs?
- Or maybe there are some toxins or imbalances going on?
- Do you ever wonder if it could be coming from what you eat and how you treat your body?
Are you someone who may not take the food you eat into account and then wonder why you are not healthy or have problems during or after pregnancy?
You see it takes the proper amount and right kind of nutrients for the body to function properly and for a baby to develop.
Your baby needs and feeds on what you give it.
The nutrients your body needs to function comes from food. What you choose to eat is very important to your health and the health of your baby. What you put into your body can have a great affect. And science also knows this, if we even need it beyond common sense.
One study done in the UK shows that the diet of the mother can affect the baby’s brain and also have long term consequences to health. Another done in Baltimore says: “Micronutrient status in fetal and early life may alter metabolism, vasculature, and organ growth and function, leading to increased risk of cardiometabolic disorders, adiposity, altered kidney function, and, ultimately, to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases”.
The University of North Carolina medical journal says that proper nutrient intake during pregnancy and lactation is very important. You also may think that the baby is very safe in the womb, which is correct, but it is not protected from an inadequate diet of mom.
But don’t worry! People have been having babies since the beginning of time. It is normal and a natural process. And you know that you need to eat nutritious food and treat your body right…
I think we just get lost and off track with the standard American diet and we sometimes just need a reminder and some guidance to get back on the right track.
So how can you increase the chances of having a healthy baby and a healthy pregnancy?
In this Article
- I will talk about the TOP, most beneficial foods that you must eat while your pregnant!
- What essential nutrients that these foods have that you need while pregnant…
- Why Gut health is a crucial part and what you can do about it!
- Lastly, some tips – tricks – and supplements we have found helpful after 3 babies!
The TOP most beneficial foods you must eat while pregnant.
Legumes. Specifically Lentils, beans and chickpeas!
These foods can be simple and full of nutrition! They are full of:
- Iron
- Folate
- Fiber
- Protein
- Calcium
- Vit B12 and Choline.
All these vitamins and minerals are needed for the development of a baby. Folate for healthy organ and cell development, iron for healthy blood and oxygen carried to the baby, protein and calcium for growth and strength…
Lentils and black beans can have up to 90% of the recommended daily value of Folate! Kidney beans and fava-beans have other minerals like zinc, copper and vit K… Fava-beans are also known to decrease inflammation which will help make things more comfortable.
I think one thing to highlight with these foods is obviously the well rounded source of nutrients that it has but also that these legumes are a great source of FIBER.
I find almost everyone who is pregnant gets constipated or has bowel issues. There is a lot going on in your body so it makes sense but it doesn’t have to be this way.
Have a diet full of legumes with fiber and relax a bit better.
2. Vegetables. Specifically greens.
Kale, barley grass, spinach, arugula, collards. And others like cauliflower, cabbage and bell peppers. These don’t have to require a lot of work.
Choose a few each week to have stalked in the fridge. Cut and wash in bulk at the beginning of the week so that they are ready at hand to snack through whenever. And add some humus to dip them in which is a great healthy option made out of chickpeas as mentioned above!
Kale, spinach and barley grass alone have:
- Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
- Vitamin K, A, C, E
- Folate (Vit B9)
- Other B vitamins like B6, B3
- Magnesium
- Manganese
- Potassium
- Iron
- Calcium
- Phosphorus
- Zinc
- Selenium
Other great ones with lots of vitamin A are – carrots and sweet potatoes! In this study it talks about the importance of vitamin A in your diet especially for pregnancy….
Have a diet full of vegetables, especially dark leafy greens for a well rounded boost of all you need! Make it a priority and make them the first thing you see when you open the fridge or look in the cupboards!
3. Have lots of Fruit! Specifically Avocados and berries.
The first thing that may come to mind is that fruit has sugar?! And when pregnant you’re not supposed to eat a lot of sugar?
Let the word get out that sugar in its natural state from fruits is safe! It has a low glycemic index and plus fruit has lots of fiber to slow down its digestion making it not a threat unless (maybe) if you are a severe diabetic.
Berries are full of:
- Water
- Vitamin C, K, A, E
- Fiber
- Antioxidants
Avocados especially are very beneficial and a perfect food in itself. Rich in monounsaturated fats (good fats…) More potassium than bananas. Provides many vitamins, minerals and aminos…
Eat tasty avocados and berries like blueberries, blackberries and raspberries to easily increase your nutrient, fiber and water intake.
4. Meat.
The baby needs to grow and healthy protein is important! Plant foods have protein as well but meat is an easy and excellent essential source that man has been eating since the beginning of time.
But please be careful. Today our meat is not the same. Animals are grown in horrible conditions, given steroids, antibiotics and fed food that is full of harmful chemicals. These will be transferred right into your body and possibly the baby as well.
Choose organic meat. Or meat that has been raised well, naturally… By that I mean from animals that are raised out in nature and eating from nature. Not with man made stalls and man made “food”.
So with that said, obviously it is good to get meat from salmon, beef, pork and chicken… Meat is very healthy for you and has:
- Iron
- Choline
- Selenium
- B vitamins
- Omegas
- Aminos…
What I want to highlight when it comes to meat is… EGGS. Cooked eggs…
Eggs are a perfect food! Eat lots! Just like avocados in a way… Eggs have lots of healthy fats, protein, vitamins and minerals!
So have some meat along with your generous serving of vegetables for supper and especially eggs!
5. Nuts and Seeds! Also such a convenient way to receive great nutrients!
Almonds, walnuts, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds and chia seeds!
Highlight chia seeds.
Chia definitely stands out with its amount of nutrition for how small it is. These seeds can be conveniently added to any dish of salad, granola, yogurt, or smoothies. Chia seeds have:
- 20% recommended daily amount (RDA) of omega 3
- 20% RDA of protein
- 37% of Fiber
- 18% Calcium
- Potassium, magnesium
- Antioxidants and vitamins like vitamin E.
Throughout history chia seeds have been called “warrior food” because soldiers would take a bag with them and eat a handful of chia seeds to keep them going. They also help regulate blood glucose levels among many other things.
What do all these have in common?
You may have noticed a theme of nutrients in all the foods that I talked about. As always, you do need a wide variety of all foods. Eat the rainbow they say!
A good balance is very important and all micro and macro nutrients are needed. But there are specific nutrients important for babies that my highlighted foods have covered… (See the highlighted links for more info)
I intentionally highlighted 5 most beneficial foods that are the most beneficial to have consistently in your daily diet. They are:
- Lentils and beans
- Green vegetables
- Avocados
- Eggs
- Chia seeds
An extra bonus would be that all these foods are full of FIBER! Fiber along with probiotics (good bacteria) are absolutely essential for your bowels to work great!
As the research on fiber above says that fiber is very important to keep your bowels in shape and it does a great job preventing and relieving constipation. Berries, nuts, seeds, avocados, beans, are all great sources of fiber.
Also having a proper balance of good to bad bacteria in your gut is crucial to great health. It will strengthen your immune system and keep your bowels along with all your organ systems running strong.
Try eating lots of natural yogurt, kefir, fermented foods and even kombucha!
Supplements to take before, during and after pregnancy.
Always talk to your DR before trying anything new.
Herbal fiber blend
A mix of herbs that clean, nourish and keep things moving great in your gut!
Probiotics
Essential fatty acids
Follow link here
Fruit & Veggie mix
Barley grass with 18 fruits and vegetables mixed together. Juiced and dried into a powder form preserving its nutrients.
A great boost of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, enzymes, aminos… More here
I hope this post was helpful?! If you have any questions please reach out in the comments below!
What to start living a more healthy lifestyle but don’t know how to start?
Re-think-health 
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