Intentional Healthy Eating

Pregnant or not, it’s important to strive to get the highest nutrition we can in our daily food. Even

small changes can be beneficial. While there is no such thing as perfect, the following are some

guidelines to help give direction in your food choices. What foods you should eat depends on a

few things, including how healthy you are, how much you exercise and how much weight your

midwife recommends you gain during your pregnancy.

Generally, we recommend you consume 60-80g protein daily, and 90-150g carbs daily, from

a variety of sources.

Consider all of this as a guideline, not something written in stone, as everyone’s specific

nutritional needs vary. We recommend being carb-conscious, choosing the best sources to get

these nutrients, as carbohydrates are good for energy, and baby’s growth and brain

development.

Foods to Eat  Abundantly

You should base your diet on these real, unprocessed foods.

Meat: grass-fed is best

•beef

•lamb

•pork

•chicken

•turkey

•wild game

Fish: wild-caught is best

•salmon

•trout

•haddock

•anchovies

•herring

•sardines

•Atlantic mackerel

•oysters

Eggs: pastured/free-range eggs are best.

Green Leafy Vegetables:

•kale

•collards

•mustard

•swiss chard

•turnip greens

•spinach

Vegetables (the goal is 7 cups of vegetables a day, including greens):

•bell peppers

•broccoli

•asparagus

•mushrooms

•zucchini

•avocados

•cauliflower

•green beans

•garlic

•cucumbers

•brussels sprouts

•celery

•tomatoes

•radishes

•onions

•eggplant

•cabbage

•bok choy

•artichokes

•carrots

Nuts and Seeds:

•pecans

•almonds

•walnuts

•sunflower seeds

•peanut butter

•almond butter

•flaxseed

•pumpkin seeds

•sesame seeds

•cashews

•brazil nuts

•pine nut

Full-Fat Dairy: grass-fed is best

•medium and

•hard cheese

•butter

•heavy cream

•yogurt

•cottage cheese

•ricotta

•cream cheese

•sour cream

Fats and Oils:

•coconut oil

•butter

•lard

•olive oil

•cod liver oil

•ghee

Fruits:(1-3 per day)

• apples
• raspberries
• blackberries
• blueberries
• papaya
• pear
• strawberries
• melons
• pineapple
• bananas
• oranges
• grapefruit
• grapes
• kiwi
• mangos

Sweeteners:

• Honey
• Maple Syrup
• Truvia
• Swerve
• Stevia
• Pyure

Drink

• Tea
• Water
• Coffee (1-2 cups a day)

• Sugar-free carbonated beverages,
like sparkling water.

Foods to Avoid

You should avoid these 7 foods, in order of importance.

Sugar:

• soft drinks
• fruit juices
• agave
• candy
• ice cream

Highly processed grains:

• white bread
• white pasta
• white flour crackers

Trans Fats: “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” oils.

High Omega-6 Seed- and Vegetable Oils:
• cottonseed
• soybean
• sunflower
• grape seed
• corn

• safflower
• canola

Artificial Sweeteners:
• Aspartame
• Saccharin
• Sucralose

A Sample Carb-Conscious Menu For One Week

Monday
Breakfast: Omelet with various vegetables, fried in butter or coconut oil.
Lunch: Hearty salad. Greek yogurt with blueberries and a handful of almonds.
Dinner: Cheeseburger (with or without whole grain bread) served with vegetables.

Snack: Apple with cheese or almond/peanut butter.

Tuesday
Breakfast: Bacon and eggs, blackberries.
Lunch: Leftover burgers and veggies from the night before.
Dinner: Salmon (skin on is ideal) with butter, baked sweet potato, side salad.
Snack: Peanut butter and whole wheat crackers

Wednesday
Breakfast: Eggs and vegetables, fried in butter or coconut oil.
Lunch: Large taco salad with ground beef, corn chips, chopped veggies, grated cheese.
Dinner: Grilled chicken with vegetables, served over quinoa.

Snack: Blueberries with heavy whipping cream, sweetened with a tiny amount of maple
syrup.

Thursday
Breakfast: Omelet with various vegetables, fried in butter or coconut oil.
Lunch: Smoothie with coconut milk, berries, almonds and protein powder.
Dinner: Steak and veggies, with a baked sweet potato.

Snack: Celery or cucumbers and hummus

Friday
Breakfast: Old-fashioned oats, berries, a boiled egg.
Lunch: Chicken salad with olive oil or your favorite dressing, and apple slices.
Dinner: Pork chops with vegetables and cheesy brown rice.

Snack: Veggies and Guacamole

Saturday
Breakfast: Almond flour pancakes with fresh whipped cream and berries
Lunch: Salad, stir-fried vegetables and grilled chicken
Dinner: Meatballs or meat sauce with quinoa noodles and vegetables.

Snack: Hard boiled eggs

Sunday
Breakfast: Bacon and eggs.
Lunch: Pot roast cooked with potatoes, carrots, and onions, and green beans
Dinner: Grilled chicken wings with a spinach salad and Mexican brown rice

Snack: black bean salsa with whole grain chips and an avocado

Healthy Snack Options

• A piece of fruit, berries are best
• Full-fat yogurt
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Baby carrots w/avocado dressing
• Leftovers from the night before
• A handful of nuts
• Cheese cubes and meat
• Cottage cheese (option: mix in a tablespoon of all-fruit preserves)
• Slice of turkey wrapped in lettuce, with a pickle or cherry tomatoes
• Avocado with sea salt
•Graham crackers with peanut butter
• Salsa with whole-grain chips (portioned out to prevent eating the whole bag)
• Apple slices w/ peanut or almond butter
• Celery, peppers, or carrots w/hummus
• Celery sticks w/ cream cheese and olives
• Small tuna w/ whole wheat crackers
• Apple w/ cheese stick
• Frozen grapes w/ string cheese
• Couple cups of popcorn sprinkled with brewer’s yeast
• Homemade trail mix
• Greek yogurt parfait with low-sugar granola
• Waffle with almond butter
• Cheese toast
• Small berry smoothie
• Edamame
• Pickle and a slice of cheese
• Roasted chickpeas
• Chilled coconut cream blended with cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and sweetener

Eating at Restaurants

At most restaurants, it is fairly easy to make your meals low carb-friendly.

Order a grilled meat- or fish-based main dish.
Ask them to fry your food in real butter.
Get extra vegetables instead of bread, potatoes or rice.

We recommend clearing your pantry of all unhealthy temptations if you can: chips,
candy, ice cream, sodas, juices, breads, cereals and baking ingredients like white flour
and sugar.

from
http://laborsoflovebirthcenter.com/intentional-healthy-eating/