Are you getting your daily five?! During pregnancy, it’s important to maintain a healthy and balanced diet to ensure the proper growth and development of the baby. But that’s often easier said than done! When I was pregnant, I had a massive aversion to greens so I had to work out a sneaky way of getting them into my diet!
Also, like most expecting mums I cut down on caffeine and that meant giving up my afternoon coffee 😭
So I needed an afternoon ‘pick-me-up’ that was healthy and nutritious and something that I could look forward to each day.
Enter the green smoothie!
I still love green smoothies for their easy-to-digest nutrients and general all-round yumminess! I have one most days. It gives me a hit of energy without the low that comes with sugar or caffeine.
If you haven’t heard of, or tried them before, green smoothies basically involve blending leafy green vegetables with fruits and other ingredients to create a nutrient-rich drink.
Benefits of green smoothies while you’re pregnant
- Nutrient-dense: Green smoothies are packed with iron, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, as well as healthy fats from the nuts and seeds.
- Improved digestion: The high fibre content in green smoothies can help promote healthy digestion, reduce bloating and constipation, and increase satiety.
- Weight loss: Green smoothies are low in calories and high in nutrients, making them ideal for expecting mums who are concerned about healthy weight gain
- Increased energy: You find me a pregnant Mumma who’s not tired and I’ll find you a unicorn! The vitamins and minerals in green smoothies can help boost energy levels (yay!) and improve overall vitality.
- Hydration: Green smoothies can help you stay hydrated, especially if you use water or coconut water as a base.
- Improved skin health: The antioxidants in green smoothies can help protect your skin from damage and promote a healthy, glowing complexion.
- Detoxification: Green smoothies can help support the body’s natural detoxification processes, promoting healthy liver function and overall well-being.
5 minute Pregnancy Green Smoothie Recipe
Here’s my simple recipe, which you can adapt to suit your own tastes or the ingredients you have on hand.
I chose these ingredients because they contain lots of iron (which most women are low on during pregnancy), protein, magnesium (to help with calf cramps), vitamin C to help with absorbing the iron, B vitamins and fibre for helping your bowels stay regular.
- Almonds – approx. 10
- Sunflower seeds – small handful
- Chia seeds
- Frozen pineapple – approx 5 chunks
- Orange – cut and seeds removed
- Banana – the riper the better!
- Spinach and/or kale – 1-2 tightly-packed cups (can sub frozen spinach)
- Green powder (optional) – I use Synergy Natural Premium Super Greens which contains a mix of spirulina, chlorella, barley grass and wheat grass – but any blend is fine, or leave it out
- Water or coconut water – approx. 1 glass but adjust according to how thick or runny you like it
- Optional: Ginger or Mint can be great if you’re feeling nauseous
Put everything into a blender (I use a Nutribullet) and blitz for around 1 minute. Voila!
This recipe will make enough for two large glasses so you can either share it with your loved-one or keep it in the fridge for the next day!
