When you are pregnant, it is important to eat plenty of nutritious foods. Of course, you may have some powerful hormone – driven food cravings, but the foods that you eat to satisfy those cravings are not likely to make up the majority of what you eat. There are many foods out there are nutritious, but if you are wondering whether there are any which pack a particularly big nutritional punch, here are a few suggestions.
Sometimes your pregnancy cravings can be very specific as in you don’t just crave pizza, you crave black olive and ham pizza from a specific pizza shop on the other side of town. Fortunately, cravings can be general sometimes too. If you want something sweet and you are not feeling too particular, reach for some sweet potatoes. I love to chop them up and add a little olive oil, salt, and pepper before roasting them until they are somewhat crisp on the outside and soft inside. They are also great mashed and, of course, fried. Sweet potatoes contain nutritional bonuses of beta carotene, iron, and fiber for you and your growing baby.
Nuts are an easy and delicious snack to keep on hand. Stash bags or containers of them in your purse, desk, car, or anywhere else you may need to have a snack handy. Since nuts contain protein, a handful of them can help you to avoid feeling famished in between meals. Nuts also contain fiber, healthy fats, and vitamins and minerals.
Versatile and nutrient dense, eggs are a super source of protein, folate, iron, and choline. They can be prepared in so many ways that you won’t get tired of them, and they are also inexpensive. Another bonus is that if they are just scrambled plain, you may be able to eat them even if you have morning sickness.
Salmon is another great source of protein and it is full of healthy fats. Salmon is also quick and easy to prepare, just bake or roast it and use your imagination to top it with whatever appeals to you, from maple mustard to garlicky pesto or anything in between. Leftover salmon can make an appearance as part of a filling and nutritious salad for tomorrow’s lunch, too.
Photo by kevinrosseel on morguefile.com.