Important Nutrients and Foods for a Healthy Pregnancy

If you're reading this I'm guessing your pregnant, so CONGRATS are in order! I loved being pregnant and everyone kept giving me advice like "sleep while you can"... this is good advice he he he :) Now I'm going to share some advice with you, on how to nourish your beautiful growing baby and your body.

When I was pregnant with Vienna. I had a few food aversions right from the get-go. Fish was a big one for me... we ate a lot in our home prior to pregnancy and then even the thought of it made me gag! This was really disappointing because fish is such a great source of iron, protein and omega-3 fatty acids.

Surprisingly, it is just as common to have food aversions as it is to have cravings. It can be easy to fall into a trap of eating the same foods day after day when you have aversions or cravings or both.

The key to good nutrition during pregnancy is to eat a variety of nourishing foods.

Enjoy this list of pregnancy power nutrients, foods and more than 20 recipes!

When you're pregnant, you need about twice the amount of iron as you did before you were expecting because your body uses iron to make extra blood for your baby. In fact, your blood volume doubles! Iron also helps move oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body -- and to your baby’s. Too little iron results in iron deficiency anemia, which is a common cause of fatigue during pregnancy. Here are some food sources of iron and recipe ideas:

• lentils and beans: Lentil Quinoa Loaf
• spinach: Easy Peasy Spinach Pesto Pizza
• sesame seeds (tahini): Chewy Chocolate Chip Tahini Cookies
• chick peas: Chickpea Bread with Sunflower Seed Pesto
• asparagus: Roasted Lemon Asparagus with Pecans

You probably know that calcium is essential to build strong bones and teeth in your baby but did you also know that it is essential to grow a healthy heart, nerves, and muscles; and to develop a normal heart rhythm and blood-clotting abilities? Calcium deficiency during pregnancy will cause your baby to draw the calcium it needs from development from your bones, which can lead to health problems such as osteoporosis later in life. Here are some food sources of calcium and recipe ideas:

• leafy greens such as spinach and kale: Kale Crunch Salad
• broccoli: Broccoli and Goji Berry Antioxidant Salad
• sheep or goat’s milk yogurt: Chickpea Savoury Pancakes
• sesame seeds:Sesame Banana Cookie Bites
• beet greens:The BBB: Beet Bean Burgers

Folate is essential for development of baby’s neural tube (which develops into brain and spinal cord). It also helps prevent birth defects of your baby's brain and spinal cord that can occur at 3-4 weeks of pregnancy. It plays an important role in the production of red blood cells and may reduce the risk of pregnancy complications. Here are some food sources of folate and recipe ideas:

• beans and lentils: Black Bean Chia Brownies
• chick peas
• spinach: Spinach Pesto Pizza
• asparagus
• cauliflower: Curry Cauliflower Quinoa Stew

Note: Many prenatal supplements contain folic acid which is the synthetic form of folate and should be avoided during pregnancy.

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Potassium's main role is maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance in your body's cells. Since your blood volume expands by up to 50% during pregnancy, you'll need slightly more electrolytes (sodium, potassium, and chloride, working together) to keep the extra fluid in the right chemical balance. If you suffer from leg cramps during pregnancy, potassium-rich foods can help, as can magnesium. Here are some food sources of potassium and recipe ideas:

• avocado: Apple Avocado Collard Wraps
• spinach
• sweet potato: Sweet Potato Wedges
• tomatoes: Uncomplicated Tomato Salad
• fennel

Protein when broken down into it's smallest parts become amino acids. These are the building blocks of your body's cells and of your baby's body as well. Pregnant women need about 70g of protein. This means eating protein at every single meal and snack as much as you might want to only eat carbs! ;) Protein is essential for growth of tissues including muscles in your baby. Here are some food sources of protein and recipe ideas:

• eggs: Zucchini Frittata Cups
• quinoa, lentils, beans: How to make the Perfect Quinoa (video)
• organic chicken: Chicken with Best-Ever BBQ Sauce
• organic, grass-fed beef
• fish: Salmon Cakes

During pregnancy your digestive system slows to a snail's pace to ensure you absorb the nutrients you need from food. This can mean {{reflink type=blog id=21945 title=constipation }} and bloating are what you're dealing with on a daily basis. Increasing your fibre intake can really help keep things moving and prevent a sluggish digestive system. Also, a higher intake of fibre can help prevent the glucose intolerance that can lead to gestational diabetes. Here are some food sources of fiber and recipe ideas:

• chia
• winter squash: Kale Squash Salad
• pears: Apple Pear Ginger Crisp
• cranberries: Cranberry Ginger Granola
• lentils and beans

Vitamin D, just like calcium helps build healthy, strong bones. It prevents a condition called pre-eclampsia which can cause a lot of serious problems during pregnancy. At this time, 40-60% of the entire U.S. population is vitamin D deficient, including pregnant women! Here are some food sources of vitamin D and recipe ideas:

• sardines, salmon: Orange Mint Baked Salmon
• goat and sheep’s milk: Best Ever Gluten-free Pizza Crust
• eggs: Guacamole Devilled Eggs
• shiitake mushrooms

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Vitamin D is not abundant in foods which makes it necessary to supplement. Be sure to speak with your natural healthcare practitioner regarding supplementation of any nutrient mentioned above. I wish you a joyous pregnancy, labour and delivery! 

What nutrients or foods did you find had the most positive impact on your pregnancy?