Think you’re getting enough protein during pregnancy to grow a healthy baby? Probably NOT! What should you eat during pregnancy? You should eat a variety of foods but it’s important to make sure you eat 80-100 grams of protein during pregnancy daily. Every single cell of a growing baby is formed from protein. Not only the baby is formed from protein, but also, amniotic fluid, bones, blood, placenta, and uterus-all start from the protein you eat. 100 years of medical research proves you need 80-100 grams of protein daily during your pregnancy! You also need to eat 2100-2400 calories a day. How are you supposed to eat that much protein? Here are few simple and maybe eye-opening ideas for you to boost your protein intake in pregnancy.

Start your days off right during pregnancy 

In the morning, make a blender smoothie using Whey Protein Isolate Protein Powder.

Here’s how:

  • To the blender
  • Add 1-2 scoops of Protein powder (1 scoop=18 grams) to ½+ cups milk (4 grams)or coconut or almond milk
  • Add1/2 cup frozen blueberries
  • Add ½ ripe banana
  • Blend and drink.

Midmorning snack is even easier

Eat Greek Yogurt. It has 23 grams of protein. 

For Lunch

A great sandwich idea is to put half a sliced avocado (4 grams), one oz. of Gruyere cheese (8 grams) on whole wheat bread (3.6 grams per slice). Add a bit of mayo, a bit of salt and pepper to taste and some lettuce. Voila! “You have a sandwich with 15.6 grams of protein and add a glass of milk for calcium too, and you have 23.6 grams of protein-more if you eat two slices of bread.” Droz.com

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Try a mid-afternoon snack of fresh vegetables dipped in hummus

Hummus is made from chick peas and you not only get to fend off the afternoon slump but you’ve just added 7 grams of protein to your pregnant body. Need some carbs too? Buy Paleo-Almond Thin Crackers. Eat 10 small crackers dipped in your hummus and that’s another 6 grams of protein for a total of 13 grams.

Dinner is pretty simpleImage result for protein filled dinners

Unless you’re a vegetarian, dinner is pretty simple. Just be sure to eat 3-4 oz of beef (7 grams per ounce), chicken (30 grams), or fish(6 grams per ounce). Add vegetables, rice, potatoes, Quinoa (high in protein too).

See how easy this is? If you ate this meal plan you will have ingested approximately 100 grams of protein. You are on your way to creating a healthy pregnancy, mom, and baby!

What if you are really struggling to get enough proteinImage result for protein snacks

Set your phone alarm to go off once every hour to remind you to eat a small protein snack. This will help you to get enough calories, not be stuffed and deal with heartburn, and get enough protein during pregnancy:

peanut butter and celery

handful of nuts

1/2cup edamame

1 oz of meat.

cheese and cracker

glass of milk

                                                       hard boiled egg

Congratulations!

Sources:

  • Droz.com
  • Julianbakery.com
  • Marksdailyapple.com