201 Organic Smoothies and Juices for a Healthy Pregnancy: Nutrient-Rich Recipes for Your Pregnancy Diet (14 page)

Good for your baby’s bones and development

The sweetness of this smoothie just can’t be beat! This recipe provides abundant vitamins, such as vitamins A, C, K, and B complex, and minerals such as calcium with the added benefit of an amazingly refreshing taste. These vitamins and minerals not only help your baby develop properly, they also will help your skin and energy levels throughout your pregnancy.

YIELDS: 3–4 CUPS

1 cup watercress

2 cups red grapes

2 pears, cored

1 banana, peeled

1 cup purified water

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

This vitamin C–packed recipe is a delicious blend of grapefruit, pineapple, and orange, intensified by the addition of ginger and iron and vitamin K-rich spinach. These ingredients will help during pregnancy by supporting the growth and development of your baby. Though vitamin K is often thought of for its role in the normal clotting of your blood, it is one of the most important vitamins for a healthy pregnancy. The presence of vitamin C also assists in growth and development, because it is necessary for the body to make collagen, which helps make your baby’s cartilage, tendons, bones, and skin.

YIELDS: 3–4 CUPS

1 cup spinach

1 grapefruit, peeled

1 cup pineapple, peeled and cored

1 orange, peeled

¹
⁄
₂
" ginger, peeled

1 cup purified water

1. Combine spinach, grapefruit, pineapple, orange, 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.
   

Helps boost energy levels

Maintaining eating patterns that optimize sugar levels to balance your energy is easy with this delicious blend. The combination of ingredients makes a refreshing treat that will keep you going when you need a boost.

YIELDS: 3–4 CUPS

1 cup watercress

1 stalk celery

1 cucumber, peeled

2 pears, cored

2 tablespoons mint

1 cup Greek-style yogurt

1. Combine watercress, celery, cucumber, pears, mint, 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.
   

Move over, ice cream! This delicious smoothie will have you wondering, “Is this really good for me?” Although the delicious flavors of cherry and vanilla take center stage, the vitamin and mineral content of all the ingredients (including the spinach) will do your baby a world of good. This smoothie is full of vitamins C, A, and K and calcium, which will help your baby’s heart, lungs, kidneys, eyes, and bones develop—and it’s delicious to boot!

YIELDS: 3–4 CUPS

1 cup spinach

2 cups cherries, pitted

1 apple, peeled and cored

Pulp of 1 vanilla bean

¹
⁄
₂
" ginger, peeled

2 cups purified water

1. Combine spinach, cherries, apple, vanilla, ginger, and 1 cup water in a blender and blend until thoroughly combined.
   
2. Add remaining 1 cup of water as needed while blending until desired consistency is achieved.
   

If your diet and lifestyle leave you feeling in need of refreshment and vitality, this smoothie is for you. Hydrating melon and citrus combine with rich greens to provide a revitalizing lift in energy levels throughout your pregnancy. The water content found in watermelon will hydrate and supply your body with vitamins A, C, and B
₆
that will boost your energy for the day. Dehydration can lead to exhaustion and fatigue, so drink up!

YIELDS: 3–4 CUPS

1 cup watercress

2 cups watermelon

1 cup pineapple, peeled and cored

1 cup kefir

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

THE BODY’S NEED FOR WATER

Cravings, fatigue, lack of focus, and derailed bodily functions can all result from not getting adequate water. The minimum recommended water intake is eight 8-ounce glasses of water daily, but those who exercise require even more. In addition to the water added while blending, the fruits and vegetable in this smoothie deliver one tasty way to increase your hydration.

Helps boost energy levels

The fruits and greens in this smoothie provide natural sugars and carbohydrates that will supply your body with efficient fuel to keep you feeling great. In addition, the celery in this recipe regulates fluid levels in your body to support hydration, which will keep you feeling energized, and the apples provide an adequate amount of fiber that will help slow your digestion, balance blood sugars, and sustain energy levels.

YIELDS: 3–4 CUPS

1 cup romaine lettuce

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored

2 stalks celery

¹
⁄
₄
" ginger, peeled

2 cups purified water

1. Combine romaine, apples, celery, ginger, and 1 cup of water in a blender and blend until thoroughly combined.
   
2. Add remaining 1 cup of water as needed while blending until desired consistency is achieved.
   

Watermelon, cranberries, carrots, cucumbers, and more—there are plenty of tasty fruit and vegetable juices to choose from in this section. With ingredient combinations to help curb pregnancy cravings and others to help deal with morning sickness, there’s a benefit to each of these delicious drinks. Now it’s just a matter of choosing which one to whip up!

Good for your baby’s nervous system

Kale, a member of the cabbage family, is packed with folate, which is vital to forming your baby’s brain and nervous system. Kale, a less commonly consumed cruciferous vegetable, is a good source of vitamins A and C, folic acid, iron, and calcium. In other words, it’s perfect for building your baby’s bones.

YIELDS:
³
⁄
₄
CUP

2 Granny Smith apples, cored

1 kale leaf

Juice apples and kale. Stir.

This juice is highly nutritious and provides potassium, vitamin A, and vitamin C for both you and your baby-to-be. Carrots also provide vitamin A, making this juice so important for the development of your baby’s eyes, teeth, and bones. In addition, the fiber content of the carrots in this recipe will help keep your digestive system balanced during your pregnancy!

YIELDS: 1 CUP

3 carrots

1 banana

Juice carrots. Add carrot juice and banana to blender and blend well.

AVOID DISCOLORED BANANAS

Once bananas are peeled and exposed to the air they begin to turn brown. If you want to peel your banana ahead of time, soak it in acidulated water (water with a few drops of lemon juice) to keep it from turning brown.

This juice is high in magnesium, a natural muscle relaxant, which will keep you feeling relaxed. In addition, spinach is very rich in iron and folic acid. It is a great source of vitamins A, C, and B
₆
, which not only support your baby’s tissue and brain growth, but may also help with your morning sickness.

YIELDS: 1 CUP

1 cup spinach leaves

1 cucumber, peeled

2 carrots, peeled

Juice spinach, cucumber, and carrots. Stir.