201 Organic Smoothies and Juices for a Healthy Pregnancy: Nutrient-Rich Recipes for Your Pregnancy Diet (22 page)

Good for your baby’s bones and development

One cup of honeydew melon provides 32mcg of folic acid, which decreases the risk of birth defects in your unborn baby. There are 2 cups of melon used in this recipe, which will give you about 62mcg of folic acid. You need about 400mcg per day, so get juicing!

YIELDS: 1 CUP

1 cucumber, washed and peeled

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⁄
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melon (honeydew or cantaloupe), rind removed

1 pear

Juice cucumber, melon, and pear. Stir.

Good for your baby’s bones and development

Broccoli is rich in calcium and vitamins A and C, which will help your baby’s bones grow strong. It is also high in bioflavonoids and iron. Bioflavonoids and iron can enhance your immune system and ensure that the oxygen from food is delivered to other parts of your body that need it, like your fetus.

YIELDS: 1
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CUPS

6 spears broccoli

3 Granny Smith apples

¹
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cup Italian parsley

1. Juice broccoli, then apples.
   
2. Add Italian parsley to juicer.
   
3. Stir and garnish with extra sprig of Italian parsley.
   

BROCCOLI

Broccoli is a relative of the cabbage family. It is available year round but peaks from October through April. Keep it refrigerated for up to four days.

Good for your baby’s bones and development

Peaches are full of folic acid, and vitamins A and C. Folic acid will support your baby’s DNA and prevent neurological birth defects and vitamins A and C will build strong bones for your baby. All that
and
it tastes like peaches and pineapples? Enjoy!

YIELDS: 1
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CUPS

1 cup pineapple

1 peach, washed

Juice pineapple and peach. Stir.

PEACHES

Peaches are available from May to October in the United States. The color of the peach’s skin ranges from light pinkish white to a yellow gold. Peaches bruise very easily, so try to select ones that do not have soft spots.

Grapefruit is a good source of vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, which is essential for tissue repair, bone growth, fighting infection, and protecting cells from damage to promote the growth of a healthy baby. However, grapefruit has been shown to slightly increase estrogen levels, so talk to your doctor before consuming this juice during pregnancy.

YIELDS: 1 CUP

2 red apples

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pink grapefruit, rind removed

Juice apples and grapefruit. Stir.

GRAPEFRUIT

Grapefruit is available year round. Choose grapefruit with thin skin, which has a fine texture. Do not store grapefruit at room temperature for more than one day. However, you may keep them for up to two weeks in your refrigerator. They are best stored in a plastic bag in the vegetable drawer.

Bell (sweet) peppers are an excellent source of vitamins A and C, that promote bone growth and infection resistance. You have to provide your baby with these vitamins in order to support the growth of his heart, lungs, kidneys, eyes, and bones. In addition, this recipe uses cucumber, which is beneficial in more ways than one. In fact, recent studies have also found that cucumbers might lower the risk for infants to get type 1 diabetes if cucumbers are consumed while the mother was pregnant.

YIELDS: 1 CUP

1 cucumber, washed and peeled

1 stalk celery, washed

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green bell pepper, washed

Juice cucumbers, celery, and pepper. Stir.

Helps boost energy levels

Squash is high in niacin and vitamins A and C, which will support your baby’s bones and immune system, and asparagus restores normal blood sugar levels and energy levels. The high water content in both of these veggies will promote hydration important for the optimal health of you and your baby, making them perfect for juicing during your pregnancy.

YIELDS: 1 CUP

4 spears asparagus

1 cup yellow crookneck squash

Juice asparagus and squash. Stir.

Good for your baby’s bones and development

This juice is an excellent source of vitamin A and folate, which comes from many sources including the romaine, cucumber, and carrot! One serving and you’ll be very close to reaching your daily needs.

YIELDS: 1
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⁄
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CUPS

1 red apple

4 leaves romaine lettuce, washed

1 cucumber, washed and peeled

1 stalk celery, leaves intact, washed

1 carrot, washed and peeled

1 clove garlic

Juice ingredients in the order listed in the recipe. Stir.

ROMAINE LETTUCE

Romaine originated on the Aegean Island of Kos. Sometimes you will see romaine lettuce referred to as Kos lettuce. It has dark green leaves on the outside and pale green in the center and is commonly used in Caesar salad.

Good for your digestive system

This juice contains actinidin, a digestive enzyme found in kiwifruit that will support your digestion throughout your pregnancy by breaking food down in your stomach. Kiwifruit is also a good source of vitamin C that supports tissue repair and bone growth and fights infections during pregnancy.

YIELDS: 1 CUP

2 red apples, washed, cored, and sliced

3 kiwifruit

Juice apples and kiwifruit. Stir.

KIWI

Another name for kiwifruit is Chinese gooseberry.

Good for your baby’s bones and development

Beyond helping your body fight infection, vitamin C is essential for tissue repair, bone growth and repair, and healthy skin. The vitamin C in this recipe comes from carrots and oranges and is beneficial for both you and your baby-to-be.

YIELDS: 1 CUP

3 carrots, washed and peeled

1 orange, washed and cut into wedges

Juice carrots and orange. Stir.

CAROTENE

Carrots contain more beta-carotene than any other vegetable. Beta-carotene is converted, only when needed, into vitamin A, which is used directly by the body. Vitamin A is one of the crucial vitamins during pregnancy for developing the heart, lungs, kidneys, eyes, and bones of your baby.

Good for your baby’s bones and development

Strawberries are an excellent source of folic acid, or folate, which helps the body make healthy new cells. It also reduces the chance of some birth defects, such as spina bifida. Not to mention, strawberries are fresh, delicious, and a perfect accompaniment to the cantaloupe in this recipe.

YIELDS: 1
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CUPS

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cantaloupe, washed and rind removed

1 cup strawberries

Juice cantaloupe and strawberries. Stir.

WHAT IS THE WATER CONTENT OF YOUR FRUIT JUICE?

The water in your fruit isn’t your ordinary water. It is full of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and electrolytes. Fruit juices will refresh and restore your body, helping it reach its optimal level of health to develop a healthy baby.

Helps boost energy levels

This hydrating juice will leave you feeling refreshed and energized. Why? Well, the cucumber’s high water content makes it excellent for replacing fluids lost through sweating and will help prevent dehydration or exhaustion. Sweating can be more common during pregnancy due to hormonal changes and carrying around a larger body mass, so do whatever you can to stay dry.

YIELDS: 1 CUP

2 cucumbers, washed and peeled

1 lemon, washed, rind removed

Juice cucumbers and lemon. Stir.

LEMONS

Lemon juice is a natural diuretic that helps eliminate excess fluids that may lead to edema during pregnancy.