Pregnancy Super Foods

As the Harvest season winds down and we take stock of the goodness the Earth has given us this year, I thought it befitting to write an article dedicated to food.

Food is one of my biggest love languages: to cook food, serve food, eat food, talk about food. All of it. Food is not only nourishment for our bodies, but also our relationship to the seasons, our ecosystem, and our home culture. In pregnancy, choosing nourishing food is especially important.

But of course, I can’t talk about food in pregnancy without first providing some context. I come from a culture where food is medicine, family, and love. Unfortunately, much of that was lost when my family immigrated here in the 80’s, giving way to American diet fads and diet culture. Now, I am coming home to a strongly anti-diet, pro intuitive eating perspective; I am coming home to nosheh-jan, meaning “may it be sweet to your soul” in my maternal language. My pregnancies helped me along the path greatly.

Being that food is more than just a nutrition label, I recognize the healing quality of comfort foods, following cravings, and counting moments of deep nourishment rather than calories. The intention of this article is to share some food love from my own heart. To honor foods that I found so helpful, nurturing, and delicious during both of my pregnancies.

Pastured eggs

Full of omegas, healthy fats, and vitamins, pastured eggs are a great food to enjoy in pregnancy. While eggs in general are a great source of protein, the pasture raised difference is key. Some research shows that pasture raised eggs are up to 7 times higher in vitamins A and E, and beta carotene. They are also anti-inflammatory from being higher in omega-3’s than omega-6’s. Aside from that standpoint, pastured eggs come from chickens who are significantly healthier and happier, having access to fresh air, grass, and bugs. In pregnancy, I became so aware of where my food came from, not because I wanted to be snobby or picky, but because I knew even the energetics of my food could play a role in how my babies developed.

I understand pasture raised eggs are not accessible to everyone. Often, in rural areas, there are small chicken farms just begging to get rid of eggs during heavy laying seasons. Farmer’s markets are also a great way of finding pastured eggs. In WA state, we even have this program that makes finding healthy, local food easy and affordable.

Nettles (or any dark leafy greens)

Nettle, or known as گزنه (gazaneh) in Farsi, is one of my most favorite treasured herbs and foods for pregnancy. It is an all-star of iron and other minerals, so it is a great resource for people suffering from low iron or anemia. It is also delicious, tasting like a spicy, nutty spinach. It can be brewed as a tea, or cooked into any foods that use cooked greens, such as stews, frittatas, or omelettes. They typically are harvested in WA state between February and April.

If you’re not in an area that has a healthy patch of nettles, dark leafy greens such as kale, chard, mustard, dandelion, collards, spinach, or amaranth are just as good. Your body and your baby will thank you!

Sardines

Before you make a face and stick your tongue out, hear me on this! I, too, was a non-believer of sardines until I was pregnant with my first.

There are many foods that are discouraged for pregnant people, and fish is generally one of them. Fish in a non corrupted form is honestly a perfect food for growing a baby; high in healthy fats, protein, and calcium. But the state of our oceans has us taking a second look at fish. Many species that we consume a lot of (tuna and tilapia) are high in mercury. Fortunately, sardines are one of the lowest in mercury, with some of the best benefits.

If you find wild, sustainably caught sardines in olive oil, with the bones in, you are getting your day’s worth of calcium in one meal! I would often make sardine salad to put on crackers or toast, and it would hide the strong fishy flavor. I actually began to crave them!

Liver

Again, before the yuck factor comes in, I have a story to tell.

During my second pregnancy, I was overrun with sugar cravings. All I wanted was fruit, sweet tea, and pastries. When I told this to my midwife, she immediately asked me about my protein intake. I had to admit, it was pretty low. She recommended I try and get more healthy protein in, plus more iron, because I was on the edge of anemia. The only thing was, the thought of meat made my stomach turn.

A friend and acupuncturist told me about “meat medicine”; treating to eat meat like taking a supplement. She recommended I try pasture raised beef liver. Even hearing that made my stomach do backflips, but I followed her advice and bought some liver from the co-op. My partner helped me cook it in butter with shallots, rosemary, mustard seed and garlic. Treating it like medicine, I took only a small amount for dinner. But lo and behold, my sugar cravings were gone the next day. So once a week, I made a practice of eating a little bit of liver, in new and delicious ways, and I even started to enjoy it!

Dates

Did you know dates can help you have a shorter and smoother labor and help your body go into labor in it’s own? According to this study (as well as the ancient knowledge and science of Iran), dates are proven to be beneficial when eaten in pregnancy, especially in the later weeks.

Dates, or خرما (hurma) in Farsi, are sweet, nourishing, and healthful. They are full of minerals, vitamins, and magnesium, which are very beneficial in pregnancy! In ancient Iran and surrounding areas, dates were thought to specifically nourish the reproductive tissue for men and women. It’s no wonder they’ve become so popular for modern pregnancy.

If you have a sweet tooth, go ahead and eat them straight. Or add them to smoothies, oatmeal, or in place of jam on your PBJ. If you’re more of a savory person, try wrapping them in bacon and baking them, or stuffing them with goat cheese, walnut, and drizzling with pomegranate molasses.

Oats

Pregnancy is one of the most special times, and it also comes with many unexpected or unwanted symptoms. Constipation was something that I experienced much of in both of my pregnancies. Adding in more healthy fiber daily encouraged things to keep moving.

There are a number of reasons why constipations happens in pregnancy: the added weight of your uterus on your large intestine, decreased movement, and progesterone causing muscles to stay lax and therefore not keep the flow of digestion happening. Luckily, the “3 F’s” (fiber, fluids, fitness) are all things that are beneficial in pregnancy.

Aside from fiber, oats are also mucilaginous, which is soothing to mucous membranes and anti-inflammatory. Oats are higher in protein and fat than most other grains, and are also high in minerals such as manganese, molybdenum, phosphorus, copper, biotin, vitamin B1 (thiamine). Try this recipe for overnight oats, which makes a fabulous breakfast. It was my go-to in early pregnancy when the nausea and vomiting hit hardest.

Whatever the hell your heart desires

Just as food is not only a nutrition label, we are not only bodies needing nutrients. We are complex creatures with heart and soul, and we need food that nourishes those parts of us, too. Pregnancy is one of those times in our lives where we are bombarded with messages, filled with fear and shame. Don’t drink coffee but stay active, don’t eat undercooked eggs but eat protein, don’t eat processed food but make sure you’re always snacking. The advice never ends. Pregnancy and becoming a parent itself can be such an emotional rollercoaster, so having to make a constant risk assessment of food that is so heavily soaked in “bad mom” guilt and shame only adds to the stress.

My advice, follow your cravings. Want that 8oz latte and croissant? Go for it, if you know it would nurture your spirit. Craving meat? A burger is wonderful for that. While there are certain factors in pregnancy like gestational diabetes or high blood pressure that need more careful attention with diet, I have found it’s much more beneficial to intuitively eat…even if that means eating comfort food! Stress increases cortisol which is also not healthy for a growing baby. So if eating those fries means reducing stress, why not?

Follow your heart, listen to your gut, and enjoy. Your baby will thank you for all the nutrition, and the healthy relationship with body and food.

Nosheh-jan!