The Best Plant Based Food for Pregnancy by Jacquie Smith

The Best Plant based Food for Pregnancy by Jacquie Smith

First off, congratulations on your pregnancy! While it is an amazing journey, it can also be really overwhelming at the same time, especially when it comes to your nutrition. Trust me, I get it - even as a health coach and trainer I felt unsure during my first pregnancy on what I should be eating.  This is why I’ve put together my healthy prenatal meal formula (including the most nutrient dense foods for pregnancy), my favorite prenatal vitamins, and what to order the next time you stop by E+ROSE!

Healthy Prenatal Meal Formula:

Healthy Fat + Fiber + Protein + Greens (when possible!)  = The perfect snack/meal combo!

This formula uses the combination of macronutrients + micronutrients to stabilize your blood sugar levels, keep you satisfied longer, and provide your body with the energy and essential vitamins + minerals it needs to support a healthy pregnancy. Now that we understand the formula, let’s learn which foods are high in those vital pregnancy nutrients so you can start incorporating them into your diet on a regular basis.

Healthy Fat

The primary source of energy for the body and essential for developing your baby’s brain and eyes.

  • Examples: avocados, dark chocolate, nuts, chia seeds, extra virgin olive oil, coconuts + coconut oil

Protein

Stabilizes your blood sugar levels and supports your growing baby.

  • Examples: nut butter/nuts (peanut), edamame, sunflower seeds, black beans, lentils, oats, amaranth, pumpkin seeds, organic tofu, nutritional yeast

Fiber

It is a non-digestible carb, which passes through the body and helps lower glucose levels and aids in digestion. 

  • Examples: fruits (strawberries, bananas, figs, dates), veggies (acorn squash, broccoli, carrots, beets, cauliflower), beans (pinto, edamame, peas), quinoa, oats, nuts/seeds (pumpkin, chia, almonds, cashews, hemp hearts), sweet potatoes, mushrooms

Greens

Filled with antioxidants + vitamins that expectant mothers and their babies need.

  • Examples: kale, collard greens, spinach, cabbage, romaine lettuce, swiss chard, arugula, bok choy, broccoli, asparagus, seaweed, nori, spirulina, chlorella

*Note: The above foods also include the daily nutrients you need for pregnancy, such as folate/folic acid, iron, vitamin D, calcium, choline, vitamin B-12, DHA, and zinc.


Prenatal Vitamin Recommendations:

To ensure you have all the vitamins you need to support your pregnancy, especially if you're not absorbing them directly from your food, you should also take a daily prenatal vitamin. Here are my recommendations:

E+ROSE Wellness Pregnancy Picks:

**Remember: Your body is smart and knows what you need so make sure to listen to it! If your body is craving something it probably means that you're lacking a nutrient, so eat it and this can include animal products.

MOVEMENT FOR MAMAS CELEBRATION

Are you looking for more support on your pregnancy journey? Sign up for our Movement for Mamas Celebration with me on Saturday, May 13th at 10 am CST. The best part? It’s FREE and you’ll receive an exclusive E+ROSE discount and an incredible swag bag filled with wellness goodies from Hatch, Cure + Daily Crunch. Space is limited so make sure to reserve your spot here ASAP!

You got this, mama!

About Jacquie Smith

Jacquie Smith is a certified integrative nutrition health coach from IIN and a fitness instructor specializing in barre, yoga, and pre/postnatal workouts. She is also an avid athlete having completed 9 half marathons, 2 marathons and a triathlon. Her philosophy of “little adapts” allows my clients to gradually instill small, positive changes to create a sustainable lifestyle through a mostly plant-based diet, daily movement and mental wellness. She currently hosts nutrition + fitness classes around Nashville and is a wellness writer for Eat This, Not That. Her clients include PWC, NBA, Women’s Health, Core Club, Soho House and the 1 Hotel and she has been featured in Vacayou, Authority Magazine, and Babe. She moved from NYC to Nashville, TN last year with her baby (now 19 months old) and husband and they are expecting their second in June 2023! 

You can learn more about her “little adapts” on her app, Little Adapts By Jax.