by Ruth
Add Superfoods to Daily Green Smoothies During Pregnancy
Like most things, moderation is the key and what I am sharing with you is just my own personal experience, not absolute truth. Like all things it comes down to gathering information and making the best decision for yourself and your baby.
Maca
Last pregnancy I was totally craving Maca, my body felt drawn to it, but I felt a responsibility to my baby to do some research. Turns out Maca is used by Peruvian woman to help them carry to term and also to ensure a healthy birth weight (higher altitude babies can be smaller than average at birth). This superfood might be the reason you find yourself pregnant in the first place *wink*
Bee Pollen
Bee pollen is a complete food in itself and packed full of amino acids, great for growing babies with.
Spirulina
Spirulina is another high protein source for mama’s to be. It can be a little hard on your liver and might exacerbate morning sickness during the first trimester, so hold off until later in the pregnancy if that’s the case.
Chia seeds
For centuries the Indians of the southwest and Mexico used this tiny little seed as a staple food. Known as the running food, its use as a high-energy endurance food has been recorded as far back as the ancient Aztecs. Chia seed puddings are a great snack item to have on hand during labor, when your body will be working the hardest it ever has…
Hemp seeds
Chinese herbal medicine (a tradition that has been around for at least 2000 years, so its probably figured out a thing or two) uses ground hemp seeds (known as Hou ma ren) to treat the specific form of constipation experienced by the majority of pregnant women. Remember to use the whole seed (hull included) and unrefined hemp powder. It also supplies the mama-to-be with much needed protein.
Cacao
But the superfood you are probably most curious about is Cacao. While keeping in mind the risks associated with caffeine intake during pregnancy, cacao does supply the body with magnesium and other feel good chemicals. Just go easy on it and limit the amount of concentrated sweeteners mixed in. There was mention, in Naked Chocolate, of a few clinical studies where babies born to mothers who ate chocolate during gestation, show less signs of distress when the mother became stressed herself. I personally still enjoy raw chocolate while growing a baby inside my womb, I just eat less of it then I normally would, substituting carob where I can.
Iodine
Another supplement that deserves honorable mention is Iodine. This is so important for pregnant and lactating women. It is super important in fetal brain development, iodine makes smart babies. Seaweed is the best and safest form of this mineral, only under the advice of a health care practitioner should you take it in liquid form. Too much soy in the diet depletes the body of Iodine stores (my years of tofu eating veganism definitely made my iodine levels drop!)
Ruth Hofer is our beautiful Australian Raw Mom. In January we are lucky to have her write monthly family menu planner for the Raw Mom Club! The club also provides a place where you can chat and ask her questions.