Making a pregnancy smoothie for nausea can be a great way to fight morning sickness. Nausea during pregnancy can make it difficult to eat. You may not be able to stomach many foods when you are feeling nauseous, but if you don’t eat anything it unfortunately can make the nausea worse. Here are variations of 3 pregnancy smoothies for nausea to help you meet your nutrition needs for a healthy pregnancy.
Why does nausea occur during pregnancy?
Nausea happens in part due to the increased hormones especially early in pregnancy. It is estimated that at least 7 out of 10 women experience morning sickness in the first trimester (1)
5 strategies for managing nausea during pregnancy include:
1) Don’t get too hungry
I know, it is easier said than done when you don’t feel like eating anything. But, an empty stomach will only make nausea worse. Have smaller meals, and more frequent snacks. Make it easier by prepping things when you feel your best or asking for help cooking.
2) Try something bland first
When you really can’t stomach anything, start with something bland like a few crackers or pretzels. Wait 15 minutes until your stomach settles, and then try eating your meal. You can even keep these crackers or pretzels by your bedside to eat before getting out of bed if your morning sickness is bad.
3) Don’t skip the protein
It is common to crave the carbohydrates like breads, pastas, potato or cereals; however, protein is what helps to keep you full longer. Remember tip 1, we don’t want your stomach to get too empty. Add protein to your meals and snacks. Experiencing food aversions to meat? That is okay, there are plenty of other protein options to choose from.
4) Use ginger & citrus
Ginger and citrus have been found to help with nausea. Try grating ginger into your foods or into a hot water tea with lemon. Ginger chews or lozenges can be helpful. Even the smell of a lemon can help settle the stomach.
5) Vitamin B6 rich foods
Vitamin B6 is needed for the development of the brain and nervous system, and has been shown to reduce pregnancy induced nausea. The recommended dietary allowance for vitamin B6 during pregnancy is 1.9 mg per day (2). Foods like whole grains, nuts, seeds, and bananas can provide vitamin B6. You can speak to your doctor if additional supplementation may be helpful for you and to provide the correct recommended dose.
Here are the 3 pregnancy smoothies for nausea which have implemented some of these strategies for managing nausea.
Simply add all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Feel free to mix and match ingredients to find the right combination for you- smoothies are very versatile.
Citrus Spinach Smoothie
½ cup greek yogurt plain
1 cup milk of choice
1 cup frozen pineapple
½ cup spinach
½ tbsp ground flaxseed
Juice from ½ an orange
Berry Ginger Smoothie
1 cup milk of choice
1 cup frozen berries
¼ avocado chunks
¼ tsp fresh ginger grated
1 tbsp chia seeds
Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter
1 cup milk of choice
¼ cup greek yogurt
1 ripe frozen banana (*if it isn’t frozen add 3-4 ice cubes)
2 tsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp peanut butter
¼ cup oats
Check out the Fibre Rich Foods for Pregnancy to further help manage your hunger throughout the day https://dietitianjillian.com/fibre-rich-foods-for-pregnancy/
Did you experience nausea during your pregnancy? Let us know what helped you below.
Sources
1 https://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/morning-sickness.aspx
2 https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB6-HealthProfessional/