I chose to follow Lily Nichols for all of my food recommendations. She is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist and values traditional and research based evidence. In her book Real Food for Pregnancy she doesn’t focus on what you shouldn’t be eating. Instead, she discusses how you can be nourishing your body with real foods. Here’s a list of the main foods I focused on eating during pregnancy based on Lily’s recommendations.
Eggs
Eggs are high in choline which is an extremely important nutrient for “normal brain development and preventing neural tube defects,” according to page 30 of Real Food For Pregnancy. They are definitely a controversial food during pregnancy (for fear of food poisoning). However, you’re “8x more likely to get food poisoning from fresh produce than from eggs!” (Nichols, p. 32) Getting your eggs from organic, pasture-raised chickens will definitely help lower any risk. Eggs were not very appealing to me in my first trimester. But, as soon as I could eat them, I made them a priority food to eat during pregnancy.
Beef Liver
This nutrient dense food is a must have food to eat during pregnancy. Beef liver is a rich source of iron (low iron has so many risks for you and your baby according to Lily – anemia, preeclampsia, hypothyroidism, preterm birth, impaired growth). It is also rich in folate and B12 which are “key to maintaining healthy red blood cells and fostering healthy brain development in your baby.” (Nichols, p.33) I found that grinding liver with a cheese grater and adding it to my ground beef recipes was an amazing way to sneak it in to my diet. As long as there is some sort of sauce on it, it’s very disguisable (my husband had no idea until I told him)! I also consumed it in supplement form to make sure I got enough.
Salmon
(Lily recommends herring and sardines as well, salmon is just my fav). Fish in pregnancy is often looked down upon because of mercury levels. However, the benefits of these particular fish outweigh the fear of their (very low) mercury levels. They provide high amounts of DHA, Vitamin D, and Iodine – all very important for the baby’s development. I would just put salmon on the grill when I was sensitive to smells so that it didn’t stink up the whole house – truly an amazing food to eat during pregnancy!
Raw Milk
Raw milk is another controversial food choice. However, it is full of nutrients that get destroyed during pasteurization of most store bought milk! I’m not saying you should or shouldn’t drink raw milk. I’m just saying I did, and mixed with my chocolate protein powder from Just Ingredients, YUM. Here’s a link to Lily Nichols talking about raw milk during pregnancy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AfDILTWh14
Grass fed/Pasture raised meat
Lily talks specific meats in her book, but in general, meat contains “complete protein, minerals, B-vitamins, fat-soluble vitamins, and several other nutrients that can be difficult to match in other foods” according to page 35 of Real Food For Pregnancy. If you don’t regularly eat meat, I would encourage you to look into the benefits of adding some in to your diet while you’re pregnant!
Healthy Fats (avocado, butter, beef tallow)
I used to be afraid of fat – I’m sure many of you can relate. But 60% of our brain is made of fat, according to Lily, so it is a crucial part of the brain’s structure and function. (Nichols, p. 17) It is needed for development and hormone synthesis in our babies. Our bodies “need for fat-soluble vitamins and other nutrients found in high fat food goes up during pregnancy,” so don’t be afraid of it! (Nichols, p.16) Fat is even helpful in aiding in absorption of the nutrients and antioxidants found in vegetables. So, I say coat them in butter! Yum.
Complex Carbs
Many of the government funded food recommendations emphasize simple carbohydrates (bread, pasta, cereal, crackers, etc). In fact, on page 11 of Real Food For Pregnancy, Lily says conventional guidelines recommend that carbs make up 45-65% of your calorie intake every day. That’s a lot! Carbohydrates aren’t necessarily bad. Lily doesn’t say you need to eliminate them. Instead, choose ones that are more nutrient dense and have a lower glycemic index (i.e. berries, nuts, veggies) and avoid processed, refined carbs as much as possible.
Sometimes, you just need bread, and if that’s you, sour dough bread is an amazing option! It contains lower amount of gluten and doesn’t raise your blood sugar as much as regular bread. It’s also a fun, motherly, homemaking hobby to start during pregnancy.
A NOTE: First trimester is an exception. When you’re sick and all you can eat is cereal, by all means eat the cereal. This advice is more for when you’re feeling better and can stomach a variety of foods.
Dark Chocolate + Peanut Butter
This is my own addition to the list. Peanut Butter is technically a healthy fat. Dark chocolate, if you want it (it was more of a need for me), is a lower sugar option! I would make a batch of something dark chocolate Peanut Butter every week and just store it in the freezer for me to easily pull out when I NEEDED chocolate. I’ll link a couple of my favorite recipes here:
Healthy Butterfingers – my FAV
Energy Bites – I didn’t add in the brewers yeast until after I had Miles
Healthy Twix – Make sure the oat flour is completely ground otherwise it makes the crust the wrong texture
Peanut Butter Frozen Yogurt – honestly comparable to peanut butter ice cream
Many of the “foods to avoid” during pregnancy are on the list because of the chance they could cause foodborne illness. However, the risk is much lower than people make it seem (if the food is from a reputable source). Most often the benefit of the food outweighs the risk (i.e. eggs, fish, sushi, raw cheese), according to Lily. (Nichols, Pg.56-61) I’m not trying to convince you to eat these foods. I just want to encourage you to do your own research rather than relying on what Google says about everything. Obviously, you need to do what’s right for you! If you don’t feel good about eating lunch meat or sushi, don’t eat it! You know your body and your baby best. Jesus chose you to be the mama to your baby, so seek wise counsel, but ultimately trust your gut!
Let me know in the comments ALL your thoughts on the “foods to avoid” list, and what your favorite foods to eat/cravings during pregnancy are! Click here for some of my favorite resources I used to prepare for birth both mentally and physically. Talk soon 😚
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