HOW TO USE THIS EBOOK

Select one of the chapters from the main contents list and you will be taken to a list of all the recipes covered in that chapter.

Alternatively, jump to the index to browse recipes by ingredient.

Look out for linked text (which is underlined and/or in a different colour) throughout the ebook that you can select to help you navigate between related recipes.

FOREWORD

Pregnancy is a time of great change and upheaval – physically, emotionally and spiritually. It is a time when the nourishment of the new life inside you is critical so you will find yourself looking more carefully at what you eat and having to take care with certain foods. Yet for some pregnant women, eating itself can be difficult for several reasons. At a time when your hormones may be making you feel nauseous anyway, the smell of cooking can be hard to take. Familiar foods may suddenly lead to heartburn, and constipation may make you reluctant to eat at all.

The importance of good nutrition in utero is without question; it has been clear for some time that what happens in those nine months is a major determinant of your baby’s long-term health and what you eat and what you don’t will have enormous consequences throughout his or her life. But what happens if eating proper meals is or becomes difficult? What if you can’t face being in the kitchen for more than a few minutes or you just don’t fancy foods or can’t keep much down? Nutritious drinks may be one simple answer.

I wrote Super Drinks for Pregnancy to help healthy women get great nutrition throughout pregnancy. My aim was to provide a host of different recipes and ideas so that even when you can’t eat as you’d like, you can still maintain a good pregnancy diet by having nutrient-packed food in liquid form, such as smoothies, juices and soups. Nor should you have to feel left out when everyone else is partying or you’re in the mood for a special treat; the book contains some luscious party drinks and mocktails as well as great alternatives to your daily cups of tea or coffee.

While not intended to replace your regular diet, the drinks will boost your nutritional intake when your needs are great and your healthy intentions are thwarted by feeling nauseous, or you are just short of time or energy. They should also take the place of caffeinated and alcoholic beverages, which are not recommended at this special time. There are even some that may help you overcome, or at least cope with, some common pregnancy complaints.

Each of the recipes has been nutritionally analysed so you can see at a glance what it contains, how many calories it will contribute to your daily diet and how its ingredients may help you – and your baby – in pregnancy and beyond. Many of the drinks are high in valuable nutrients while all of them are simple – and fairly quick – to prepare. I hope you enjoy them!

Fiona Wilcock

WHY FOCUS ON DRINKS?

The topic of drinks in pregnancy is often focused on the negative – what you shouldn’t have, rather than what you can and should be drinking. So many women get stuck at the ‘I must replace my high octane coffee with herb tea’ and ‘I’ll have an orange juice and drive home as I’m not drinking’, neither of which reflects the many positive reasons for thinking about the liquid part of our diets.

Whether you are pregnant or breastfeeding, your nutritional and hydration needs increase, and by choosing your drinks carefully you can meet both needs. This section provides you with a comprehensive background on how drinks can boost your pregnancy nutrition, and alleviate some common pregnancy complaints as well as keeping you hydrated. Prepare to focus on the positive!

The importance of hydration

Being adequately hydrated is necessary at every stage of life but during pregnancy and when you are breastfeeding, it becomes even more vital because of the many physiological changes that are taking place.

ARE YOU DRINKING ENOUGH?

An easy way of knowing whether you are taking in sufficient fluids is to look at your urine. If it is a dark colour, you are not drinking enough; pale urine indicates that you are well hydrated.

Before looking in more detail at the effect of pregnancy on the amount of fluid you need, it is important to understand the role of water in the body. The average woman is estimated to be composed of around 50% water; for a 60 kg (9st 6lb) woman, this means she contains about 33 litres (58 pints) of water. Blood contains around 83% water by weight, muscle 76% and skin 72% and even bone contains 22% water by weight. Water is not only present in the body in fluids, but it also plays an essential role in carrying compounds, gases and nutrients around the body in blood, lymph and other fluids. It is also critical to many different metabolic reactions as well as helping to keep the body at the correct temperature.

Amazingly, our bodies are able to keep the large amount of water they contain in tight control. We produce a hormone (vasopressin), which regulates our water balance; it acts on the kidneys so they produce more or less urine as required. However, water is constantly being lost – through respiration, perspiration, urination, defaecation and other bodily processes. As the body relies on maintaining a pretty constant amount of water, it is vital for good health that we take in water from foods and drinks every day to be adequately hydrated. Water loss increases if you have a fever, are exercising or are in a hot place, so hydration at these times is even more important.

HOW MUCH WATER DO YOU NEED?

Until recently there have been no internationally agreed recommendations for how much fluid is needed: the rule-of-thumb figure has generally been given as 6–8 glasses or 1.5–2 litres of water daily. In 2010, the European Food Standards Agency provided a Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for Water, which recommended that non-pregnant women need 2 litres (3½ pints) per day, while pregnant women require an additional 300 ml (in total 2.3 litres or 4 pints) and breastfeeding women an additional 600–700 ml (in total 2.6–2.7 litres or 4¾ pints). Around 70–80% of water intake should be provided by drinks and the remaining 20–30% by foods containing water (soups, fruit, vegetables, and so on).

WATER IN FOODS

Foods contain different amounts of water, all of which count toward your daily intake of 2–2.7 litres of fluids. The table shows the water content of some common foods. The higher the water content in raw foods, the fewer the calories, so these foods also make ideal snacks as they won’t add many calories.

HYDRATION NEEDS IN PREGNANCY AND WHEN BREASTFEEDING

It is estimated that two thirds of the weight gain of pregnancy can be attributed to water. This is accounted for by increases in blood volume; the growth of the uterus, placenta and breasts; and the development of amniotic and other fluids. On top of this is, of course, the developing baby who is composed of around 94% water by the end of the first trimester and 75% water at birth.

Blood is an important transporter of nutrients around your body, so it is not surprising that it starts to increase in volume from about the sixth week of pregnancy. By the time you have reached your 34th week, an average of an additional litre and a half of blood has been made.

The amount of amniotic fluid also increases – from almost nothing to around a litre at 38 weeks. Being properly hydrated ensures that you have adequate amniotic fluid, which protects your baby from being squashed, aids the maturation of your baby’s organs and also provides a barrier against infection.

Not only do you need additional fluid to provide for the increases in your blood and amniotic fluid, but adequate hydration is necessary to ensure you don’t become constipated as a result of the many circulating pregnancy hormones. Some of the hormones, which relax your muscles and ligaments, also influence those of your intestines, so food and waste is pushed less efficiently through your body. Constipation is even more of a problem in late pregnancy when your internal organs have to accommodate your increasingly large baby. Around 30% of women suffer from constipation at some stage of pregnancy, so it is important to ensure you have plenty of water and fibre and continue to be active as all of these help keep things moving along. (There are plenty of recipes in the book which contain good amounts of fibre.)

Nausea and sickness, particularly in the early months, are thought to be caused by the hormone human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG). Although many women feel sick, not all actually vomit. Should you be one of those who can’t keep food down, it is really important to replenish the lost water and salts through sipping drinks. If you are being sick several times a day and can’t keep any food or drink down, it is really important to go to the doctor as you can become dehydrated.

TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING?

When considering phytonutrients, vitamins or minerals, it is important to recognise that if something found in a food has been proven to be beneficial, it does not necessarily follow that larger amounts of it, taken as supplements, are better. In fact, they sometimes can be harmful or have unexpected effects. Many of the recipes in this book use ingredients rich in phytonutrients so you and your baby can enjoy a good supply by selecting these healthy drinks.

When you are breastfeeding, being adequately hydrated is important to ensure you have enough milk for your growing baby. Settling yourself down with a drink while you are feeding your baby is a good way of doing this. So have a look through the recipes for smoothies, juices and soups, which will provide additional nutrients as well as fluids.

DRINKS AS A SOURCE OF NUTRIENTS

Apart from your obvious need to remain well hydrated, drinks can provide useful amounts of key nutrients, at a time when you may not be able to manage whole meals. Often we think of drinks – a cup of tea or glass of water – in terms only of providing refreshment but by choosing carefully, it is possible to boost your nutritional intake of iron, calcium, vitamins B and C and even fibre.

Fruits and vegetables not only provide water (see table) and a range of different nutrients from beta-carotene to zinc, they also supply an enormous number of plant chemicals (phytonutrients), which scientists are only just beginning to understand. You may have heard about flavonoids found in tea and red wine, or lycopene in tomatoes. Most of these plant chemicals act as antioxidants, helping to inhibit harmful molecular reactions that can cause damage at cell level. It is thought this damage can lead to the development of chronic and ageing diseases such as cancers, heart disease, high blood pressure, rheumatoid arthritis and Alzheimer’s disease.

For scientists it is a bit like discovering vitamins all over again, and it takes time to work out exactly what phytonutrients do in the body, how much of them we may need and how they react with one another and with vitamins and minerals. There is, as yet, no research into their specific role in pregnancy, but as their role in reducing the risk of disease is becoming clear, it is reasonable to assume that they are helpful, not harmful, in pregnancy when taken in normal foods and drinks (see box, Too Much Of a Good thing).

If you have wisely chosen to reduce or cut out caffeine, tea, coffee, energy and cola drinks and chocolate will be off limits (see also Alternatives to caffeinated drinks). By not drinking (or eating) them you’ll be doing you and your baby a favour but you’ll be doing yourselves a greater favour in improving your diet by replacing them with one of the drinks from the book. Your regular morning cappuccino or latte supplied essential calcium, protein and B vitamins from milk so you could swap to a dairy-based smoothie for breakfast, or drink it later in the day if you really can’t face anything first thing.

You may also be thinking about cutting down on fizzy drinks; many of these simply supply calories from sugar and you’d be much better off with fresh home-made juices. These will supply more vitamins and phytonutrients than even fortified drinks can.

DRINKS TO HELP WITH PREGNANCY COMPLAINTS

Some women sail through pregnancy with a smile and not a whiff of nausea and others spend weeks feeling sick; some are anaemic, so take iron tablets; others become constipated and need laxatives; while still others suffer from heartburn and insomnia and wouldn’t describe their pregnancy as enjoyable at all! Eating well, which includes what you drink, can help alleviate and even prevent some of these pregnancy ailments.

Several of the recipes in this book contain ingredients which are known for their positive impact on particular pregnancy symptoms (whether through scientifically conducted trials or long-term traditional use).

Nausea: It is thought that 50–75% of women experience some sickness and vomiting in pregnancy especially in the first trimester. Several factors can trigger this including the smell of food, cigarette smoke or perfume. For many women, drinks containing ginger help alleviate the symptoms and there are several in the book – Ginger and lemongrass cordial, which you could sip before getting out of bed, Fresh ginger and pineapple juice for breakfast or Banana, pineapple and ginger smoothie to keep nausea at bay during other times of the day. If your pregnancy includes the winter months, you could try Hot ginger and apple punch, too.

Food aversions and cravings: Many women find they suddenly have an aversion to foods they previously loved or crave different foods or, rarely, non foods (a condition known as pica). This is perfectly normal and a result of hormonal changes. One of the most common cravings is for dairy foods so the many dairy-based smoothies and milky drinks in the book will help and provide you with essential nutrients such as calcium and riboflavin. Some women go off tea, coffee and alcohol very early in pregnancy and some speculate that this is nature’s way of telling us to avoid these things. Replacing these drinks with healthy alternatives is important to ensure adequate hydration.

Constipation: Hormonal changes may trigger constipation, but the most common time for this preventable complaint is at the end of pregnancy when the rapidly increasing size of your baby can squash your intestines and slow everything down. Some women also find that iron tablets prescribed for anaemia predispose them to constipation. Preventing the condition is the best route, and this means ensuring that you are drinking at least the recommended 2.3 litres of fluids a day. Enjoy having drinks such as home-made smoothies and juices, or make a few simple soups which are nutrient rich and slip down easily when your stomach seems to have disappeared under the weight of the baby. High-fibre foods such as dates and prunes, beans and lentils also help, and these are found in several of the recipes, including Billion beans and garlic soup, Lentil and vegetable soup, Date and almond smoothie and Spicy prune and apple smoothie. Avoid the need for iron tablets by having iron-rich soups such as Pea and spinach and Lamb and pomegranate, which can also provide fibre and essential fluids. And try to stay active – moving around really does help to reduce the risk of constipation.

IF YOU HAVE GESTATIONAL DIABETES...

You should avoid the cordials in the book and limit the amount of fruit juice you drink to one 200 ml glass a day.

Anaemia: Anaemia occurs when you don’t have sufficient iron in the diet and your body’s stores are low. You are at risk if your pre-pregnancy diet was low in iron-rich foods, especially red meat. Common symptoms of anaemia are feeling breathless, faint and tired, and it is important to know that both mothers and babies can suffer. A baby gets less oxygen than he or she needs and this may slow down growth. You can find iron-rich recipes in the nutritional analysis charts.

Insomnia: Around three quarters of women experience sleep disturbance in pregnancy, especially in the last trimester when it can be difficult to get comfortable in bed. A milky drink such as Spiced milk or home-made Chilli chocolate can often help get you off to sleep. Some women find chamomile tea helpful and a flask of this by the bedside may be all you need to drift off to sleep.

Gestational diabetes: Around 2% of women suffer from gestational diabetes (that is, diabetes that comes on in pregnancy), mostly in the last trimester. If you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes, you will have additional tests and appointments to monitor your blood glucose levels and assess the growth of your baby. The condition can lead to a greater risk of complications for you and your baby so it is important to ensure you eat healthily and keep active. Your doctor or midwife is likely to suggest that you eat regular meals and snacks which contain high levels of slowly digested carbohydrate (that is, they have a low glycaemic index, or GI) and avoid excessive weight gain. Although they have not been specifically tested for GI values, the soups and dairy smoothies in this book are likely to be low GI, and make healthy snacks.

Heartburn: This uncomfortable burning sensation after eating is caused by the acid from the stomach coming back up your oesophagus. It is often worse in later pregnancy when the space for your organs becomes restricted due to the increasing size of your baby. It can be exacerbated by eating spicy or fatty foods, and by lying down soon after eating. Herbalists recommend drinking fennel tea, and you can also try mint teas, which are also good for the digestion (see Home-made herbal teas). To aid digestion, you could also drink the Spiced mint lassi or add a few puréed mint leaves to the Watercress soup or Pea and spinach soup. In late pregnancy, smaller meals such as soups may be preferable.