At some point during pregnancy, you may realize that eating everything you crave may not be the smartest idea if you are trying to keep weight gain under control.

There is a large difference between enjoying a treat every now and then, and consuming processed, unhealthy “foods" at every meal. Sometimes though, you think you are making good decisions, but after reading the label, you see that sugar is the second ingredient! “Low Fat,” “Low Sugar,” and all of these labels mean that chemicals have been added to the products.

What’s a pregnant mama to do?

If you want to stay healthy and keep weight gain at a reasonable pace, eat real foods.

Wonderful Foods to Include During Pregnancy

(non-gmo, local and/or organic whenever your budget allows )

• Grass-Fed Beef
• Free-Range Poultry
• Free-Range Eggs
• Wild-Caught, Sustainable Seafood
• Grass-Fed Organ Meats
• Green Leafy Vegetables
• Green Vegetables
• Orange/Yellow Vegetables
• Fruits
• Coconut (and Coconut Oil)
• High Quality Olive Oil
• Nuts (Peanuts are NOT nuts)
• Bone Broth
• Fermented Vegetables (like sauerkraut)
• Kefir
• Pasture-Fed Butter
• Sweet Potatoes
• Full-Fat, Grass-Fed Dairy: Whole Cow Milk, Yogurt, or Cheese
• Chia Seeds: Full of protein, healthy fats, dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants

A good pregnancy diet helps you feel better, gain less weight, grow a healthy baby, and increases your chances at a positive birth experience. Pregnancy is not a time to purposefully lose weight or go on diets, but it is a time to really look at what foods you are consuming. By removing processed foods full of sugars and focusing on increasing the intake of vegetables, healthy fats, and high-quality sources of protein, you will be benefiting your health and the health of your baby.

Think fresh, real foods that include these nutrients:

• Calcium: Supports strong bones and helps prevent preeclampsia
  • dairy, dark leafy greens, okra, and fish bones
• Choline: Vital for brain development, cell membrane formation and protects against neural tube defects.
  • chicken eggs, fish eggs and non-GMO sunflower lecithin
• DHA: Essential for baby’s brain formation as well as eye, skin and nervous system development
  • wild caught, oily fish
• Folate: Essential for healthy babies and helps to prevent brain and spinal cord defects.
  • dark leafy greens, asparagus and broccoli
• Iodine
  • sea vegetables, cod, shrimp and baked potato with skin
• Iron: Builds the placenta and supports oxygenating blood for a growing baby
  • red meat, liver, and blackstrap molasses
• Potassium: Helps keep Mom’s blood pressure in a healthy range.
  • coconut water, bananas, and avocados
• Magnesium: Helps with mom’s sleep quality and wards off restless leg syndrome, body pain and muscle cramping
  • leafy greens, avocados, and brown rice
• Vitamin A: Essential for baby’s brain formation as well as eye, skin and nervous system development
  • cod liver oil, liver, and orange vegetables in the form of beta carotene
• Vitamin C: keeps the bag of waters strong
  • green peppers, kiwis, and tomatoes
• High quality protein (75 grams or more a day)*
  • Local, unprocessed, organic, free-range, grass-fed meats
• High quality fat
  • coconut oil, organic butter, and nuts & seeds

These nutrients are important for the development of the baby and health of the mom.

*Protein: The Brewer's pregnancy diet recommends 75-120g of protein a day.

A Simple Rule to Follow:

EAT THE RAINBOW

(Eat smaller portions more frequently.)

• The Brewer Pregnancy Hotline by Gail Sforza Krebs and Dr. Tom Brewer
• Pregnancy, Children, and the Vegan Diet, by Michael Klaper, MD
• Diet for a Small Planet, by Frances Moore Lappé
• The Birth Book, by William Sears, MD, and Martha Sears, RN
• The Pregnancy Book, by William Sears, MD, Martha Sears, RN, and Linda Holt, MD

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