10 Pregnancy Super Foods You Will Actually Want to Eat

Guest Author: Caroline Lewis

Being pregnant is hard enough with the nausea, hip pain and sleepless nights. Eating healthy is probably one of the things you may have lost sleep over—I know I did! You want to make the right choices when it comes to food, but it can be tough when some of the recommended foods send you running to the closest bathroom. Luckily, there is a short list of foods that you may actually WANT to eat that are also healthy for you and baby.

AVOCADO

Who doesn’t love a reason to eat more avocado? They are high in potassium and the good kind of fat to help you and baby grow during this time. The potassium will help with those leg cramps that may start keeping you up at night around the second trimester.

PINEAPPLE

This one is a double whammy. First off, its filled with vitamin C, which is a great way to keep mama feeling good during pregnancy. Pineapple also contains prostaglandins which has been known to soften the cervix and can help a woman prepare for labor. Some say it will even help induce labor.

BANANAS

Like avocado, bananas will really help with the nighttime leg cramps! If you haven’t had them yet, you will be searching for relief as soon as they start! Mine were so bad I was sore the next morning from my muscles working so hard.

KALE

Kale is good for you anytime, pregnant or not. But while baby is on board, it provides just about everything you could need! In just one cup of kale you get your daily needs of calcium, potassium, vitamin K and A.

SPINACH

This one is right up there with kale in terms of being a home run super food. I know it’s hard for me to eat it solo, but mix it in with some kale, grilled chicken and all your favorite salad fixing and you’ll get just about every needed nutrient for the day in one meal!

EGGS

The high amount of protein will help you stay nausea free. Plus, egg yolk is a super food for your baby’s brain.

YOGURT

Yogurt is rich in probiotics and protein. I love this food because there are so many possibilities to make it delicious. Sure, it’s great all by itself, but add a little granola with some strawberries and it’s a great sweet treat! I always go with a Greek yogurt because it has more protein and will keep the morning sickness away.

CHIA SEEDS

Where to start on all the benefits of this tiny food? Omega 3s, micronutrients, protein, fiber—the list goes on and on! A quick Pinterest search for chia seed recipes will give you endless possibilities on how to eat this super food. I preferred mine in a strawberry smoothie with almond milk while pregnant.

ALMONDS

At any given moment during my pregnancy, you could find a bag of almonds in my purse or desk drawer. They are a great pregnancy snack. They have a ton of protein, fiber, calcium and vitamin E. They are by far the best nuts you can eat while expecting.

BROCCOLI

It’s weird for me to say this now, but I CRAVED steamed broccoli when I was pregnant with Emmy. I would sprinkle a little garlic salt on it and just eat it all day. It is a great source of folic acid, which your baby needs to grow big and strong.

 

What foods do you enjoy eating the most while pregnant? We always love hearing about those weird cravings. Comment and share!

 

Caroline Lewis is a professional coffee-drinking, baby-wearing, breastfeeding mama to one spunky little girl named Emmy. She is also the creator of the mommy blog, Swaddles n’ Bottles.