3 Healthy Smoothie Recipes for Pregnancy

Let's be real…nutrition during pregnancy doesn't always align with the expectations we may have for our prenatal nutrition. During the first trimester (and beyond!), you may no longer find some foods as appetizing as before, and that can make it difficult to enjoy a nutritious, well-balanced meal.

But mamas-to-be might be able to drink their way to the nutrient-rich meal plan they need with pregnancy smoothies.

Pregnancy smoothies are the perfect addition to a prenatal diet: They are easy to make, they have a variety of healthy fats and nutrients, and they are nutrient-dense and protein-rich, so you feel full longer. Plus, there's something about a nice, cold smoothie or green smoothie that serves as a pick-me-up when you aren't feeling 100 percent during pregnancy.

Are smoothies safe for pregnancy?

Yes. These pregnancy smoothie recipes are safe and healthy for most mamas-to-be, and they can be easily modified to fit your dietary restrictions. You should not include foods you avoided before pregnancy, and stay away from ingredients your doctor has specifically advised you against eating.

What nutrients are in pregnancy smoothies?

These pregnancy smoothie recipes include nutrient-packed ingredients:

• Leafy green vegetables such as calcium-rich kale and iron-rich spinach, both of which are loaded with potassium; spinach (a superfood perfect for green smoothies) is also high in folate, a nutrient key to a baby's neural tube development
• Fruits such as oranges, mangoes and bananas, which provide vitamin C
• Grains for iron and folic acid
• Dairy for calcium and vitamin D
• Plant-based milks such as almond milk and soymilk

Additional ingredients can be added to increase the benefits of pregnancy smoothies:

• Protein powder (either a whey protein powder or a plant-based protein powder) can be added to increase your protein intake.
• Peanut butter is a good source of healthy fats. (Almond butter is a good substitute for those who avoid peanut butter.)
• Coconut milk and coconut water can replace almond milk and plain water to boost the electrolyte content.

5 benefits of smoothies during pregnancy

Pregnancy smoothies are very versatile and are a great way to support your nutrient needs in many different flavors.
They are the perfect go-to for moms-to-be for the following reasons:

1. Supports healthy birth weight

   . Fruit and vegetable consumption before and during pregnancy has been shown to be positively associated with birth weight of newborns, and smoothies are great way to add fruits and veggies to your diet.

2. Supports healthy microbiome

   . A study showed a maternal diet rich in fruits and vegetables (which a green smoothie helps provide) during pregnancy may support the infant gut microbiome.

3. Helps relieve gastric discomfort

   . Research shows vitamins, particularly vitamin B6, may help reduce the occurrence of occasional gastric discomfort, which generally occurs during the first trimester of pregnancy. B6-rich foods include dark leafy greens, bananas, papayas, oranges and cantaloupe—all excellent choices for a cold and nutritious smoothie.

4. Supports healthy birth outcomes

   . A recent study shows nutrient-dense diets with omega-3 fatty acids and whole foods in place of processed foods may support healthy pregnancy and birth and promote long-term child health. Pregnancy smoothies can easily be customized to contain these elements of a healthy eating plan and help optimize your pregnancy outcome.

5. Makes being healthy easy

   . Whether you're low on energy during your pregnancy, short on time, or you simply need a quick, protein-rich snack, smoothies are fast and convenient. You simply need to blend all your ingredients together and enjoy.

3 healthy smoothies for pregnancy recipes

These pregnancy smoothies are great on their own, and even better with healthy snacks, such as protein-packed cookies or roasted chickpeas. These gluten-free smoothie recipes can be modified with your favorite ingredients to make them dairy-free (if they aren't non-dairy already) and even more yummy! So get creative with ingredients that not only help you feel good, but also provide benefits to support your overall prenatal health.

Orange Creamsicle Smoothie

Ingredients

• 1 banana or frozen banana
• 1 large orange
• 2/3 cup frozen mango
• 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 cup water

Preparation

1. Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth.
2. Use more or less liquid depending on desired thickness.
3. Note: The Greek yogurt can be replaced with a coconut-based yogurt to make this smoothie recipe non-dairy.

Nutritional Values
Calories: 345 cal
Protein: 21 g
Carbohydrates: 63 g
Fat: 1 g

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes.

Mixed Berries with Greens Smoothie

Ingredients

• 2 cups frozen berries
• ½ avocado
• ¼ cup fresh kale
• ¼ cup fresh spinach
• 1½ cups almond milk

Preparation

1. Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth.
2. Use more or less liquid depending on desired thickness.

Nutritional Values
Calories: 332 cal
Protein: 7 g
Carbohydrates: 40 g
Fat: 16 g

Cinnamon Roll Smoothie

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup rolled oats
• 2 tsp honey
• 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup soy milk
• 1 cup ice cubes

Preparation

1. Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth.
2. Use more or less liquid depending on desired thickness.

Nutritional Values
Calories: 437 cal
Protein: 16 g
Carbohydrates: 64 g
Fat: 13 g

Tips for the perfect smoothie

There are two key factors to making the perfect smoothie: flavor and consistency. The best thing about smoothies is that both of these factors are easy to adjust to your liking, especially because some prefer smoothies that are more sweet (vs. less sweet) and some prefer a thicker smoothie you can eat with a spoon (instead of a thinner smoothie that can be sucked through a straw).

• To achieve the perfect sweetness in a smoothie, you can use natural sweeteners such as honey, agave or pure maple syrup and adjust to your taste. If a smoothie contains fruit, you may prefer the natural sweetness of the fruit and choose not to add sweeteners. If you do add a sweetener such as honey, start with one teaspoon per serving and increase from there, as desired.
• To get the smoothie consistency spot-on, add ice if you desire a thicker smoothie or add a liquid if you prefer a thinner smoothie (such as almond milk, soy milk or even water). Adding chia seeds, hemp seeds or flax seeds for their beneficial omega-3s also affects texture. Some prefer to soak chia seeds in almond milk or water for 20 minutes before adding them to smoothies, which gives the chia seeds a texture like tapioca pudding.

Once you dial both the sweetness and the consistency to the levels you prefer, you will have the formula for a pregnancy smoothie that is perfect for you.

Do smoothies give you the prenatal vitamins you need?

At this precious time in your life, it's more important than ever to ensure you're supporting your body and your baby's development with the nutrients you both need—before you conceive, during pregnancy and after birth. While smoothie recipes for pregnancy are convenient, refreshing and packed with nutrients, experts usually recommend that pregnant women supplement their diets during pregnancy with a prenatal formula designed to optimize the health of a mother and her developing infant.

Premium prenatal formulas contain a wealth of nutrients to promote healthy brain, eye and nervous system development, such as bioactive folate, DHA from marine algae, lutein and zeaxanthin, choline and iodine. They also deliver 100% or more of the recommended daily value of vitamins A, B, C, D3 and K.

References

• Committee on Practice Bulletins-Obstetrics. "ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 189: Nausea And Vomiting Of Pregnancy." Obstet Gynecol. January 2018. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29266076/
• Fan, HY, et al. "Maternal Vegetable and Fruit Consumption during Pregnancy and Its Effects on Infant Gut Microbiome." Nutrients. May 2021. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/5/1559
• Marshall, NE, et al. "The importance of nutrition in pregnancy and lactation: lifelong consequences." Am J Obstet Gynecol. May 2022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9182711/
• Smith, J, et al. "Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy: Treatment and outcome." UpToDate. October 2021. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/nausea-and-vomiting-of-pregnancy-treatment-and-outcome
• Yonezawa, Y, et al. "Fruit and vegetable consumption before and during pregnancy and birth weight of new-borns in Japan: the Tohoku medical megabank project birth and three-generation cohort study." Nutr J. August 2020. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7401206/
• "Nutrition During Pregnancy." Johns Hopkins Medicine. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/nutrition-during-pregnancy