Your nutrition during pregnancy and postpartum matters. I also know that eating and cooking can seem a little daunting, especially in the beginning if you are not feeling well. There are a couple of things that you should keep in mind. The nutrient needs vary during each trimester, however; how we get this nutrition doesn’t need to be complicated. Let’s take a look at some of the macro and micronutrients that we need during pregnancy. Some of the nutritional requirements are below. Please note that these vary based on trimester and individuals with a specialized diet.
Carbs: 90-150 grams
Protein: 80-100 grams
Fiber: 28 grams
Iron: 27mg
Zinc: 11mg
Magnesium 100-300 (Partner with Provider)
Potassium: 4000mg
Choline: 450mg (although there is research supporting up to 930 mg)
Folate: 6000mcg
Prenatals will be another post, but I like to remind people. Your prenatal should fill in the GAPS, not as something that is relied upon for our nutritional intake. The more nutrients that we can get from our food the better. The absorption rate is higher, and food is the best place to get things like folate. Remember, folic acid is the man-made synthetic version of folate.
Son, now that we know that eating a nutrient-dense diet is important, below are some easy nutrient meals that can be made with not a lot of time and effort. Time is the biggest reason that people say that they don’t eat well, so let’s get to preparing some items that won’t take you all day to make.
Quinoa Bowl: Add chicken for extra protein)
Ingredients:
1 small beet peeled
1 cup hummus
2 handfuls of spinach
2 cups cooked quinoa
2 cups shelled edamame
1/2 bell pepper sliced
1 carrot ( use a peeler to make ribbons)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wrap the beet in aluminum foil. Roast for about 45 minutes, or until beet is tender all the way through.
Once the beet is cool, in a blender or food processor, blend the beet, hummus, and a pinch of salt on high for about 1 minute, until smooth and creamy,
Assemble each bowl with 1/2 of the spinach, quinoa, edamame, bell pepper, and carrot. Top with a dollop of beet hummus and serve with dressing. The recipe below or use one of your favorite pre-made dressings.
Almond Ginger Dressing:
1/4 cup almond butter
1/4 cup water
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
pinch of sea salt
In a blender combine the almond butter, water, lemon juice, maple syrup, ginger, and salt. Blend on high for about one minute, until smooth.
Bowls are an easy way to eat a nutrient-dense meal without having to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.
*Recipe from Plant Power Bowls by Sapana Chandra
Eat well!
XOXO-Holly
Chandra, S. (2022, August 9). Plant Power Bowls: 70 Seasonal Vegan Recipes to Boost Energy and Promote Wellness. Sasquatch Books.