So you’ve just discovered that you’re pregnant? Congratulations! The road ahead of you might be a tiring one but it is also one that is hugely rewarding and enjoyable. Whether you have never been pregnant before or this is your third or fourth pregnancy, you will want to care for yourself and the baby inside you as best you can. A big part of staying healthy during fertility and pregnancy is what food you eat – quality, quantity, and type.
Vegetables are, obviously, a healthy food choice at any stage of your life and there are several vegetables that really great for the pregnant woman. In this blog post, we’ll look at several of the best pregnancy vegetables. Take a look and a bite!
1. Beans
Beans are among the most useful and healthy pregnancy vegetables in the world. These pregnancy vegetables are an important part of many healthy diets. Unless you’re vegetarian or vegan, you may not have eaten too many beans in your lifetime. What you need to know now is that beans are a great vegetable to eat while you’re pregnant – for a variety of reasons. For one thing, beans are chock-full of helpful fibers that can keep your digestive system moving smoothly (an important concern during pregnancy).
In addition, beans are a great source of protein that can help you stay strong as your body goes through many taxing changes. Beans can also provide your body with extra iron and magnesium – this can only improve your health as you embrace the challenges, trials, and triumphs of the pregnant life.
2. Greens
Even if you’re someone who has never been a fan of spinach or kale, getting pregnant is something that may cause you to change your mind. While perhaps not as tasty as some of the other vegetables on this list, darker greens provide many health benefits for the pregnant woman – and for her unborn child. Kale and spinach are an amazing source of several important vitamins as well as folic acid (important to have during pregnancy).
And don’t worry about the taste! While you can certainly make yourself a hearty salad using spinach, kale, Swiss chard, or other greens, you don’t have to eat them straight. Why not cut up some spinach and throw it into the next smoothie or protein shake you make for yourself? The flavors will be masked beautifully and you’ll your delicious dose of superfood in for the day – hassle free!
3. Broccoli
Broccoli is among the best pregnancy vegetables for you. Its benefits are many – it’s a great source of Vitamin C, it’s packed with fiber, and it’s full of antioxidants that combat disease and sickness throughout your pregnancy.
There are plenty of ways to eat broccoli so it’s more appetizing. You can cover it with a creamy cheese sauce, dip it in the salad dressing of your choice, or even saute it for extra flavor. But however you decide to prepare it, make sure you get at least some broccoli into your diet before your baby arrives!
4. Chives
Chives are a tiny vegetable that is often viewed more as a great-tasting garnish than an amazing pregnancy vegetable. But we aren’t kidding when we say that chives are something you should eat a lot of once you discover that you’re pregnant. Chives are rich in folic acid (something we’ve already mentioned is great for pregnancies). The more folic acid you can take in, especially during the first trimester of your pregnancy, the better. It’s an important building block in your baby’s development. And chives are a good source of it!
Additionally, chives are full of Vitamin C – a great nutritive quality, especially since Vitamin C helps your body soak in more iron (something you desperately need during your pregnancy). So when you’re shopping in the grocery store for good pregnancy foods, don’t pass over the chives.
5. Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes might be a vegetable that you only pull out during holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. But regardless of the time of year you get pregnant, you should make a point of eating some sweet potatoes. These pregnancy vegetables are – once again – a good way to get more folic acid and fiber into your diet. Definitely worth checking out!
6. Asparagus
Asparagus is a great pregnancy vegetable because of its high vitamin content. This vegetable is full of Vitamin K, B, E, and A so you’ll certainly want to eat more than a few spears of it. Asparagus can be nasty to eat on its own, so trying frying it in butter, roasting it in the oven, or breading it. Experiment and see what delicious flavors you can come up with.
7. Green peas
More vitamin-rich vegetables! As well as being full of great vitamins, green peas are also a good source of fiber. You definitely don’t want to be constipated while you’re pregnant, so give green peas a shot.
