Pregnancy is one of the most existing periods of life. Together with the excitement it is usually filled with lots of worries, stress and anxiety. There are various reasons for stress during pregnancy. The diet changes and the doubts about healthy nutrition can cause part of the nervousness during this amazing life period.
Pregnancy Diet Plan
Once you are pregnant, you get lists of restrictions of what you can and cannot eat. The main difficulty is that those restrictions and recommendations are often in conflict with each other. Everyone knows that you need to eat lots of fruits and vegetables to get enough vitamins, but apparently there are some vegetable that you really should avoid during pregnancy. Celery is only one example to those contradictions.
Building an organized healthy diet plan is also very difficult, as the tastes and desires of pregnant women are constantly changing. Supplements for pregnancy are something most pregnant women take at some part of their pregnancy. Fresh self-made juices can be a great addition to the daily vitamin intake as they can easily fulfill most of the vitamin requirements during pregnancy.
The Stages of Pregnancy
Pregnancy is divided into three trimesters. By dividing the pregnancy into trimesters we can categorize the changes and the requirements of the pregnant body and the ones of the embryo.
First Trimester
Constant nausea and vomiting are the most common and the most unpleasant conditions of the first pregnancy period. Lack of energy, fatigue and sleepiness are also very common during the first trimester.
Consuming enough folic acid during this time is very important to prevent birth defects. Pregnant women should consume at least 400 mcg of folic acid a day.
Vitamin A, C and E and calcium are also important at the first trimester. Although vitamin A is very important, consuming too much of it can lead to birth defects. It is best to get the Vitamin A from carotenoids.
Second Trimester
The second trimester is considered to be the easiest trimester since it has the minimum amount of unpleasant conditions. Women may experience heartburn during this trimester.
It is a good time to start consuming iron rich foods and juices. Calcium consumption is important for bones development of the embryo.
During the second trimester some women develop gestational diabetes. If that is the case, the woman with this condition must limit her carbohydrates and sugar consumption. Drinking fruit juices is not recommended for pregnant women who develop diabetes due to high amounts of fructose.
Third Trimester
It is very important to consume large amounts of crucial vitamins: Iron, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin D and Calcium. The baby needs calcium for his bones to grow. As the blood volume increases during this trimester many women experience iron deficiency. Not consuming enough iron can cause anemia. Vitamin D consumption reduces the risks of developing pregnancy related complications. Women may experience back pains, leg cramps, swelling, sleeping disorders, bladder infections and more.
Healthy Juice Recipes for Pregnant Women
Beetroot Juice
Beetroot juice is one of the most nutritious juices. It has tons of health benefits and some of them were proven to be very helpful during pregnancy.
- Helps with Constipation
Pregnant women often experience constipation during their pregnancy. It is a common side effect to many iron supplements.
- Helps with Anemia and Iron Deficiency
The fetus requires lots of iron to develop. Many women have low hemoglobin and do not have enough iron stored in their system. Iron supplements are something most pregnant women are asked to take. Moderate amounts of beetroot juice can help in overcoming this deficiency.
- Lowers Blood Pressure
High blood pressure can be a cause to various dangers during pregnancy. It can decrease the blood flow to the placenta, cause premature delivery and more.
The right way to drink beetroot juice during pregnancy
Although beetroot juice has lots of health benefits it is important to not over drink it. For majority of people the recommended dosage is to drink fresh juice from 1/4 to 2 beetroots a day.
Pregnant women should be more careful and limit the daily dose to about 1/4 or 1/2 max beetroots a day. It is also recommended to mix beetroot juice with other vegetables. Carrots would be ideal in this case, as they are also great for pregnant women.
- Don't forget to add water to lessen the effect a little bit.
- It is also recommended to leave the fresh beetroot juice to rest for about 1 or 2 hours.
Carrot Juice
Carrot juice is rich in beta carotene, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, B vitamins and more.
- Makes the skin more beautiful
Skin changes are part of the numerous changes the body goes through during pregnancy. Carrot juice is known to have a terrific effect on the skin. It evens the skin tones, hydrates the skin, reduces scarring signs and more.
- Reduces High Blood Pressure
- Good for Hair, Teeth and Nails
- Aids with Digestion
Some of the digestion problems during pregnancy are causes by hormones, others by various pregnancy supplements. The digestion problems can get worse during the later stages of pregnancy due to the pressure the growing uterus applying on the stomach.
The right way to drink carrot juice during pregnancy:
Pregnant women should not drink more than 1 glass of carrot juice a day.
Cucumber Juice
Cucumbers are made mostly of water. They are great source of vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, potassium, manganese and more.
- Regulates blood pressure
Minerals and sodium contained in cucumbers help regulate blood pressure.
- Helps tighten the skin
Since the belly is constantly growing, skin tightening effect of the cucumber juice will be exactly what any pregnant woman needs.
- Serves as diuretic and helps prevent swelling
Very useful during the third trimester as swelling start to become a real problem during this pregnancy period.
- Helps with teeth and gum problems
Gum and teeth problems are very common during pregnancy. Cucumber juice helps to neutralize acids.
The right way to drink cucumber juice during pregnancy:
To get good cucumbers for your juice , select the ones that are firm and have a darker color.
Pumpkin Juice
Pumpkin juice is rich in Vitamin A , Vitamin C, beta-carotene, magnesium , potassium and more.
- Helps with constipation
- Helps with swellings due to its diuretic powers
- Helps with nausea during the first pregnancy trimester
- Helps in reducing blood sugar levels
- Helps pregnant women with insomnia
Orange Juice
Orange juice is one of the most popular juices on the market. However it is important to prepare your own fresh juice from organic vegetables and not to settle for commercial products which contain unwanted chemicals.
- A great source of vitamin C
Vitamin C is an important vitamin to take during pregnancy. It protects our immune system .
Drinking orange juice together with iron rich foods or vitamins will help iron absorption.
- Good source of folic acid
Folic acid consumption is very important during the first stages of pregnancy. It can prevent various birth defects.
The right way to drink orange juice during pregnancy:
Large amounts of orange juice are not recommended since besides the positive effects it may also cause heartburn.
Apple Juice
- Helps with sleeping disorders
- Lowers cholesterol levels
- Strengthens the immune system
- Has a positive effect on the skin
The right way to drink orange juice during pregnancy:
Be careful when drinking fruit juice. Since fruits contain fructose, large amount of fruit juice may raise blood sugar levels. That may be an unwanted side effect, especially for women who develop diabetics during their pregnancy.
Half glass of apple juice mixed with water can be considered safe for most pregnant women.​
Juicing Tips for Pregnant Women
It is important to notice that drinking undiluted fresh fruit and vegetable juices is not recommended during pregnancy. Undiluted fresh juices have a very powerful effect and might be too much to handle for some of the organs. However adding water to a fresh juice keeps lots of the benefits and makes it easier for the body to handle.
It is best to drink your fruit juices on an empty stomach ( at least 2 hours after a meal and 1 hour before a meal). Vegetable juices can be consumed anytime, but it is advised to drink those about 20 minutes before a meal.
It is important to prepare fresh juices from thoroughly washed organic fruits and vegetables. Organic fruits and vegetables are less likely to contain harmful toxins.
Pregnant women should not go on juice fasts or any other kind of fasts during their pregnancy.
4 Juice Recipes for Pregnancy
Pregnancy Juice with Beet, Carrot and Apple
Ingredients
- 1/2 Beetroot
- 2 Carrots
- 1 Apple
Fresh Cucumber and Apple Juice
Ingredients
- 1 Large Cucumber
- 1/2 Apple
Folate Rich Juice
Ingredients
- 3 Oranges
- 1/2 Apple
Juice to Reduce Blood Pressure
Ingredients
- 2 Carrots
- 1/4 Beetroot
Juicing Related Pregnancy Questions and Answers
- How to lower blood pressure during pregnancy?
High blood pressure during pregnancy can be dangerous and therefore pregnant women must make sure they do their best to reduce it. Not eating fried and oily food while participating in daily exercises is a good start. Drinking beet juice can also help lower blood pressure during pregnancy. Studies show that beet juice has an immediate effect on the blood pressure.
- What vitamins should I take while pregnant?
Most women take prenatal vitamin complex at some stage of their pregnancy. However with the right diet, many of the vitamins may be consumed naturally. As it was described in the start of the post different vitamins are required at different pregnancy stages. Folic acid is the most important at the first trimester and even before that. Iron is important at the second and third trimester. Calcium is important through all pregnancy stages. Vitamin A, C and D are also very important. Although vitamin A is a must, pregnant women should not consume more than 3,000 mcg of vitamin A.
- What to avoid during pregnancy?
Besides the common "Do not eat while pregnant" list which includes raw fish, raw meat, raw eggs, alcohol, coffee, unpasteurized milk products and so on, there are also some vegetables and herbs that are less recommended during pregnancy.
Celery is one of the most nutritious vegetables, however it might be best to avoid it during pregnancy. Although it is not absolutely clear, many believe that some parts of celery can cause uterus contractions and bleeding.
Many of the herbs are not recommended during pregnancy. High dosages of parsley can stimulate contractions and preterm labor. Rosemary in high does might cause miscarriages. High doses of basil may irritate the uterus.
There are lots of other herbs that might be harmful in large amounts. Most of them however are safe to use in culinary in moderate amounts. Juices which include large amount of herbs as some of the ingredients are not recommended.
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Very important article.. Thanks a lot.
Hi Dilu,
Thank you for the great feedback.
How about pomegrante juice?
Lily Hi,
Thank you for bringing this up. Pomegranates are really powerful superfoods. I actually feel that I need to write a post just about them to not diminish their real value.
Pomegranates are rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folate, Potassium, Manganese and more. Pomegranate juice is actually considered to be the most antioxidant containing juice. Pomegranates offer enormous amount of health benefits, here are some of them:
– Reduce blood pressure
– Improve blood flow
– Have anti-cancer properties
– Lower cholesterol
– Strengthen the bones
– Good for the skin
How pomegranates affect pregnancy? The vitamin K in pomegranate juice helps the carrying mother and her fetus have stronger bones. It is a good source of Iron and that is one more reason to consume it during pregnancy. The high amount of vitamin C in pomegranates makes sure that the iron is actually absorbed in the body. The folate in pomegranates will also contribute to the required daily intake during pregnancy.
Recent studies suggest that pomegranate juice reduces oxidative stress in the placenta and may prevent birth complications. It may also lower the risk of baby brain damage during birth.
It is, however, important to notice that drinking pomegranate juice during pregnancy has some risks as well.
Pomegranate extract (which is a more concentrated version of pomegranate juice) is not recommended during pregnancy as it promotes contractions and can induce early labor. If you are taking iron supplements and are suffering from constipations, pomegranate juice may worsen this condition. Pomegranate juice may also interfere with some medications so it is best to consult with your doctor before starting drinking it.
Thanks a lot to give this advice very useful for me.
Hello, Anuradha!
I’m very glad it was helpful to you! Thank you.
I really liked this information. I beleive it will really be helpful towards all pregnant women.
Hello, Jas!
Thank you! I also hope it will help to pregnant women as you said.
do we need to drink the juice along with the pulp please clarify my doubt
Hello Doly,
Thanks for asking this important question. There is a dispute between different advocates whether the pulp is necessary or not. Several websites and juicers will tell you the pulp is only fiber.
However, I’m a Nutritionist, someone who has studied food and what it does to the body for a very long time. And I’m here to tell you the pulp is absolutely necessary.
Most of the vitamins and nearly all the minerals are bound to the fibers of the fruit and vegetable. It’s what give the food its structure. Only about 20% of the nutrients are in the juice. Yet, nearly all the sugars and flavor are in the juice.
So, when you throw away the pulp like nearly all commercial juices do, you throw away about 80% of the healthy parts of the food and keep all the unhealthy sugars. You can’t find a single study that shows juicing and removing the pulp makes anyone healthy. Plus, you need to be careful with any kind of juicing. There are enzymes in our mouths and stomachs that are required for digestion. When you drink lots of juice, you do not allow your body to use the enzymes to digest the juice.
Despite everything, you don’t actually get more nutrients from juicing. The act of breaking apart the fibers and removing the juice only liberates about 20% of the nutrients. So, you get less by juicing.
And it doesn’t actually allow easier digestion. Since you are missing many of the enzymes, you can’t absorb the nutrients properly. Since the juice passes nearly unchanged into the absorption area of the intestine, the nutrients are competing against themselves for absorption.
Juicing should be like a supplement, a way to add vegetables to your diet without replacing whole, chewed foods. Also, there are many fruits and vegetables that you have a difficulty in consuming them, but they are very healthy for you. So you can consume them by juicing, mixing them with other fruits and vegetables to improve the taste.
You can refer to this study to learn more:
http://www.eufic.org/article/en/artid/Nutrient-bioavailability-food/
What a great article…i luv it …thanks a lot..godbless
Thank you too, Eve! You’re always welcome!
Instead of making and drinking orange, Apple and carrot juice can we eat directly? Which one has best effect??drinking juices or eating ??
Hi Mounika!
I’m glad you asked this! It’s a really important question. Eating your fruits and vegetables fresh is always the best way to eat them.
Here’s why:
It all begins in your mouth, or rather your salivary glands. We produce certain enzymes that start digestion there. Enzymes like amylase start to break down sugars and starches. Protease starts breaking down proteins. When we combine these enzymes with the act of chewing, we release many nutrients.
Then, in the stomach, more enzymes are produced and the acids are combined with the food. This allows more nutrients to be released and the hard fibers and starches to be broken down. Since many of the nutrients are bound in the fibers, this is a very important step.
When you drink the juice, you bypass the initial digestive enzymes and the stomach doesn’t register food. It passes the liquid into the intestine without the stomach enzymes.
If you are seeking out the delicate phytonutrients, then juicing is a good way to get them. But, juicing is not a good replacement for meals.
Nice recipes.
Most important
Thank you, Kunal shah! Enjoy!
Is cucumber good for pregnant women?
Hi Estee!
This is an odd question, since so many women enjoy pickles when pregnant.
Cucumbers are exceptionally healthy for women when pregnant. They contain mostly water, with lots of vitamins and minerals. They are filling, tasty, and will help you stay hydrated. Eating them is a very good way to get good nutrition.
On your skin, the cucumber can help relieve dry skin and a cream with cucumber may help you avoid stretch marks.
Just be careful. Too many cucumbers can cause you to urinate more often than you already do. They can also cause diarrhea.
Be sure to enjoy fresh. Pickles are often salty and too much salt can raise your blood pressure and cause other problems.
If you do want pickles, avoid added colorings, flavors, and sugars – or all commercial pickles. Stick to fermented pickles that will add healthy probiotics to your gut. Many local delis and butcher shops have fermented pickles. They taste far better than the store stuff, anyways.
Thanks for your information shared on this page and very useful for us
Hi, Karthic!
Thank you for visiting our website. I hope this information will benefit you.
i am very confused of hvng carrot juice during pregnency… My mother-in-law warned me that carrot is not good for health…
Thank u for ur advice
Hi JS.
Thank you for your question.
Unless you are allergic to carrots, carrot juice is perfectly healthy during pregnancy.
In fact, carrot juice is healthy any time.
We just want to make sure you’re not overdoing the dosage. Stick to what we recommend, no more than one serving per day that way, you have plenty of room for all the other fruits and vegetables to make sure you get in all the nutrients you need to grow a healthy baby.
Are carrot juice helps unborn baby skin colour during pregnancy
Hey Meena!
This is an interesting question.
I do not believe there is any research to show the effects of any food or drink on the skin of a baby.
We do know that drinking carrot juice will not affect the color of any person’s skin, except when you drink too much and your skin turns orange.
The nutrients in carrot juice will help increase overall health.
Just don’t focus on any one particular juice. This can overwhelm your system with certain nutrients and deprive you of others.
Try and mix up as many fruits and vegetables as possible so you get the widest range of nutrients.
This will help your unborn baby to be as healthy as possible and start off with as many advantages as you can give him or her.
Sir my Question is that, how many glasses of pomegranate juice per week are safe during pregnancy??
and is it safe during last trimester???
Hey Zeeshan!
Pomegranate juice is safe to drink during any portion of your pregnancy.
We do not recommend doing more than 8 ounces of juice per day.
It is a high sugar juice and could affect gestational diabetes.
Also, focusing on one particular food could Rob your body of nutrients.
We suggest adding pomegranate juice as an occasional treat and keep as many healthy fruits and vegetables in your diet as possible.
Wow, thanks so much for this article. I just bought celery and parsley. Thought its great for pregnacy .Am not going to use it . Thanks so much
Hey Renee!
Thanks for the compliment.
We do not recommend using celery or parsley as part of juices, because there are several components that can cause miscarriages.
However, you can use celery and parsley moderately in food and you don’t have to worry about any of the negative side effects.
Stick to a tablespoon or less and you’ll get all the health benefits without any of the negatives.
Thank you for sharing, great article very helpful.
This article is so loaded . Thanks for a great job done here
For the 4 recipes for pregnant women… such as juice to reduce blood pressure: ingredients are 2 carrots and 1/2 beetroot… is there anything else to add such as water? Could you please clarify for each recipe?
Thank you.
Hey Yannie,
Thanks for asking.
Ideally, you will just be able to juice the carrots and beetroot.
Better juicers will do this for you. The juice recipes we provided you can be made with a good juicer exactly as they are.
But, if you aren’t using a juicer, it’s ideal to add water or other juice. That way, you create a smoother drink in a shorter amount of time. You can also add yogurt, kefir, and other probiotic liquids to increase the nutritional benefits.
Just be careful adding too many juices. You don’t want to risk adding too many sugars to the diet, which could result in diabetes for both of mother and the child.
Hi, I am Linda Peters.
Orange juice is one of the most popular juices on the market. However it is important to prepare your own fresh juice from organic vegetables and not to settle for commercial products which contain unwanted chemicals. I think the juice of this fruit is really very important to freeze the sulal. Besides, vegetables should be given more emphasis on weight loss……
Hey, Linda!
Thanks for your comment.
We completely agree with you. We try to add as much information to our articles to cover as many different levels of preparedness when it comes to juices and juicing.
Unfortunately, for many people, organic oranges are prohibitively expensive if they are available at all (they aren’t from me, except expensive online stores and forget to get any oranges at less than $1 each and I’ve never seen an organic one where I live).
For some people, purchasing orange juice the only way they can get it.
We like to explore different juices because we do believe vegetables are the most important part of weight loss. And for many people, eating enough vegetables is difficult. That’s why we have these articles on juicing. Organic or conventional, more veggies is always good.
Is mixture of beetroot,carrot and apple juice has no side effect during pregnancy 1st trimester?
Hey Kasish!
Thanks for asking this question.
Beetroot, carrots, and apple are extremely healthy for pregnant women.
We just want you to make sure you’re not having too much. Eat or juice no more than one serving of each per day. That way you can avoid some of the negative side effects: like discoloration of the skin or being nutrient deficient in the vitamins and minerals that are not contained in these three fruits.
Be sure to keep rotating your fruits and vegetables, that way you do get all of your vitamins and minerals. And, as long as you’re not having any nausea or diarrhea associated with drinking these juices, keep doing so; they are very healthy.
thenx the info was much educative to me
Hi, Viv!
Thank you for visiting our website. I’m happy you’ve found something useful for you here.
hi! I have cough and colds. I learned that carrot juice with garlic and onion juice add with honey to taste is good for cough. Is it okay to take it when pregnant?
Hey Tesie!
This is a complicated question. When it comes to pregnancy, we recommend having a doctor that will work with you at all times. For most women, carrots, garlic, onion, and honey are generally considered safe. That would mean the juices of them are also safe. We recommend consulting with a local nutritionist and doctor to make sure that you are not going to experience any adverse side effects, as pregnancy introduces many changes within your body.
Beautiful article and very informative.
Hi everyone! I just found out I’m expecting but I am obese. I’m 5’4 and weigh about 205 pounds. I want to know is it safe to be on a juicing diet while pregnant? Where can I find a good juicing diet plan for a pregnant woman? I saw the juicing recipes listed on this site and I love these juices but I see that I also have to consume food. Aren’t these juices filling?
Hey Gigi!
Congratulations on your new child. Here’s a recommendation, consume the juices in small quantities as an addition to your regular diet. Juices, in general, tend not to be very filling except in large amounts. However, in these more significant amounts, they also contain substantial amounts of sugar, which can harm both you and your baby. It can also lead to gestational diabetes. Small quantities of 4-8 oz of various types of juices spread throughout the day will give you the boost of nutrition you’re looking for and a healthy baby without overwhelming your body or take the place of healthy food. As you eat a healthy diet filled with fruits, vegetables, and healthy juices, you should find your body shunting excess weight. Of course, as your baby grows, you might not see weight loss rather an improvement in your overall body shape and health.
Hope it helps!