201 Organic Smoothies and Juices for a Healthy Pregnancy: Nutrient-Rich Recipes for Your Pregnancy Diet (13 page)

This simple recipe makes a deliciously sweet veggie smoothie you’re sure to enjoy. Here, the iron-rich spinach and peas combine with vitamin-rich carrots for a splendid creation that will satisfy your increasing iron needs.

YIELDS: 3–4 CUPS

1 cup spinach

1 cup sweet peas

3 carrots, peeled

2 cups caffeine-free red raspberry tea

1. Combine spinach, peas, carrots, and 1 cup of tea in a blender and blend until thoroughly combined.
   
2. Add remaining 1 cup of tea as needed while blending until desired consistency is achieved.
   

The sweet blend of fruits and vibrant vegetables in this recipe make for one splendid smoothie that’s packed with vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins C, A, K, E, and B complex; folate; iron; calcium; and potassium. This power-packed smoothie will help ensure that you feel your best through all three trimesters—and it’s delicious too!

YIELDS: 3–4 CUPS

1 cup spinach

2 carrots, peeled

2 red Gala apples, peeled and cored

1 banana, peeled

2 cups caffeine-free red raspberry tea

1. Combine spinach, carrots, apples, banana, and 1 cup of tea in a blender and blend until thoroughly combined.
   
2. Add remaining 1 cup of tea as needed while blending until desired consistency is achieved.
   

IMPORTANCE OF FOLATE IN PREGNANCY

Among the important vitamins and minerals found to prevent birth defects, one of the most well known is folate. Studies have shown that ideal levels of folate in pregnancy reduce or remedy the chance of neural and spinal-tube defects. You can take a prenatal vitamin that includes folate, but what about natural sources? Eating a diet rich in deep leafy greens and vibrant green vegetables can provide a great amount of folate naturally.

This delicious savory blend of spicy arugula, tomato, cucumber, celery, onion, and garlic combines with natural tea to give your body an amazing amount of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins A, C, and K; iron; and calcium. These are particularly important for your baby-to-be’s bones and the development of his heart, muscles, and eyes.

YIELDS: 3–4 CUPS

1 cup arugula

1 tomato

1 cucumber, peeled

1 stalk celery

1 green onion

1 clove garlic

2 cups caffeine-free red raspberry tea

1. Combine arugula, tomato, cucumber, celery, onion, garlic, and 1 cup of tea in a blender and blend until thoroughly combined.
   
2. Add remaining 1 cup of tea as needed while blending until desired consistency is achieved.
   

Helps boost energy levels

Raspberries offer a tangy sweet taste that is heightened by the sweet pineapple and sour lemon in this recipe. Simple, quick, and delicious, this smoothie will be a favorite go-to when you’re in need of a delicious snack in little time. The fiber from watercress, raspberries, and pineapple paired with protein from kefir will boost your energy levels throughout your pregnancy and keep you feeling your best!

YIELDS: 3–4 CUPS

1 cup watercress

1 cup raspberries

¹
⁄
₂
pineapple, peeled and cored

¹
⁄
₂
lemon, peeled

1
¹
⁄
₂
cups kefir

1. Combine watercress, raspberries, pineapple, lemon, and
   ³
   ⁄
   ₄
   cup of kefir in a blender and blend until thoroughly combined.
   
2. Add remaining
   ³
   ⁄
   ₄
   cup of kefir as needed while blending until desired consistency is achieved.
   

Since these delicious fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamins C, K, and B complex; potassium; and magnesium that all promote health and fight illness, this recipe is a tasty way to feel great throughout your pregnancy. And if getting into a pomegranate seems like too much work, know that the seeds you’ll find inside are well worth the effort due to their high amounts of antioxidant that will fight off any free radicals attempting to cause damage to your cells and lower your immune system.

YIELDS: 3–4 CUPS

1 cup iceberg lettuce

2 cups pomegranate pips (seeds)

1 orange, peeled

1 banana, peeled

1 cup purified water

1. Combine iceberg, pomegranate, orange, banana, and
   ¹
   ⁄
   ₂
   cup water in a blender and blend until thoroughly combined.
   
2. Add remaining
   ¹
   ⁄
   ₂
   cup water as needed while blending until desired consistency is achieved.
   

The vibrant orange color of cantaloupe is from the abundant levels of beta-carotene, which is known for providing health benefits that are necessary for developing your baby’s heart, lungs, kidneys, eyes, and bones. More than just a sweet treat, this smoothie provides a wide variety of vitamins and minerals—such as vitamin C, magnesium, and potassium—that work hard to prevent illness and disease by repairing your tissues and cells and keeping your body hydrated.

YIELDS: 3–4 CUPS

1 cup watercress

¹
⁄
₂
cantaloupe, rind and seeds removed

1 apple, peeled and cored

1 banana, peeled

¹
⁄
₄
" ginger, peeled

1 cup purified water

1. Combine watercress, cantaloupe, apple, banana, ginger, and
   ¹
   ⁄
   ₂
   cup water in a blender and blend until thoroughly combined.
   
2. Add remaining
   ¹
   ⁄
   ₂
   cup water as needed while blending until desired consistency is achieved.
   

Good for strengthening your immune system

Delicious blackberries are made even more tasty with the addition of lemon and ginger in this recipe. But, in addition to great taste, this smoothie packs a healthy dose of muchneeded vitamins and minerals—such as vitamins A, C, and K; potassium; and magnesium, that help strengthen your and your baby’s immune systems—and is rich and satisfying with the addition of protein-packed yogurt.

YIELDS: 3–4 CUPS

1 cup watercress

2 pints blackberries

1 banana, peeled

¹
⁄
₂
lemon, peeled

¹
⁄
₂
" ginger, peeled

1 cup Greek-style yogurt

1. Combine watercress, blackberries, banana, lemon, ginger, and
   ¹
   ⁄
   ₂
   cup of yogurt in a blender and blend until thoroughly combined.
   
2. Add remaining
   ¹
   ⁄
   ₂
   cup yogurt as needed while blending until desired consistency is achieved.
   

Vitamins K and C, beta-carotene, potassium, folate, and protein are rich in this delicious smoothie. A one-stop shop for many of your fruit and vegetable servings, this delicious recipe satisfies your sweet tooth and your pregnancy dietary needs.

YIELDS: 3–4 CUPS

1 cup romaine lettuce

1 cup pineapple, peeled and cored

1 pint strawberries

1 banana, peeled

1 cup Greek-style yogurt

1. Combine romaine, pineapple, strawberries, banana, and
   ¹
   ⁄
   ₂
   cup yogurt in a blender and blend until thoroughly combined.
   
2. Add remaining
   ¹
   ⁄
   ₂
   cup yogurt as needed while blending until desired consistency is achieved.
   

The crisp taste of iceberg lettuce is beautifully balanced with the addition of blackberries, citrus, bananas, and yogurt for a flavor combination that will make you enjoy eating better for your health. The calcium and vitamins A and C found in this smoothie are perfect for building your baby’s bones and developing her organs, such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, and eyes.

YIELDS: 3–4 CUPS

1 cup iceberg lettuce

1 pint blackberries

1 cup pineapple, peeled and cored

2 bananas, peeled

1 cup Greek-style yogurt

1. Combine iceberg, blackberries, pineapple, bananas, and
   ¹
   ⁄
   ₂
   cup yogurt in a blender and blend until thoroughly combined.
   
2. Add remaining
   ¹
   ⁄
   ₂
   cup yogurt as needed while blending until desired consistency is achieved.
   

MAGNESIUM FOR BONE HEALTH

The magnesium in blackberries can do amazing things for respiratory relief, but that’s not all it’s good for! Magnesium plays an important role in the absorption of calcium, and a diet rich in this powerful mineral ensures strong bones for you and your baby.