carlinlp, libby and other healthy eaters
august8080
member
So, I'm definitely struggling with getting the rec'd protein and iron intake these girls and I need on a daily basis. I definitely want to be getting my iron from food sources, instead of a supplement, if possible, since it's my understanding that it's more effectively absorbed that way.
I'm also hitting the point where babies are starting to compete with the space in my stomach and I can't eat as much at one sitting.
Recs for getting the most bang for my buck with protein and iron? I'm eating red meat, spinach and kale, greek yogurt. I'm feeling like I might need to add in a protein shake, like Muscle Milk, but am hesitant about whether it's good for me/them. Anything drinkable is great though because I fill up slower and can add it in between meals.
Thanks!
Re: carlinlp, libby and other healthy eaters
I'd add lentils for sure. I'm eating a cup a day cooked in nutrient rich bone broth. I'm not on a parental though so be sure to add up how much you are getting total. A lot of people recommend soy/tofu but I'm not one of them due to endocrine/thyroid risks, especially susceptible during pregnancy. Here is a list of iron rich foods: https://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=70
I'm getting my protein needs and then some met by food intake. I'm following the WAPF guidelines for pg. are you adding up plant sources for protein as well? They really do add up especially in green smoothies or juicing veggies. I'd have to look at the ingredients of the protein shake, many times they are filled with junk though. I may consider spirulina later in pg but I haven't needed it yet. Snacking on raw nuts really helps too! I'm eating no less than 2 eggs a day and a variety of raw nuts and raw nut butters plus healthy meat intake.
Sorry this is jumbled up, I'm chasing kids. Hope it helps!
52 Choices For Better Health
52 Choices For Better Health
That's a tough one! I agree that you should be getting your nutrients from food as much as possible, but if you're not able to meet the requirements, supplementing with vitamins is better than not. I'd try eating small protein/fat/veggie snacks every 1 1/2-2 hours. Just a few ounces of meat, a healthy fat, and veggie. I've been enjoying organic deli meat wrapped around avocado and bell pepper slices this week. I think eating more often as opposed to trying to eat a lot every few hours would work better for you.
I don't love the ingredients in muscle milk - there's a lot of things in it I'm not crazy about, but it's definitely not the worst protein shake out there by any means. I just started drinking Optimum Nutrition 100% Oats and Whey protein - you can buy it at the Vitamin Shoppe. It's not as good as other shakes I've had, but the ingredients list is short and all things I'd have in my pantry.
What about making some fruit & nut bars? I've been making these: https://www.happyhealthylonglife.com/happy_healthy_long_life/2010/10/chia-bars.html with the addition of 1/2 c. shredded coconut and some water to make the dates thinner. They're ridiculously good and I could probably eat the entire batch in one sitting, lol! But they've got healthy fats and protein in them. You could probably add chocolate protein powder to them to up the protein content.
If you're not all ready, switch any grains you're eating to whole grains. Quinoa especially has a high protein content and is a great substitute for rice. For iron, I'd keep up the red meat, spinach/kale/leafy greens, but also try to add egg yolks and dried fruits. Both of those have pretty high iron contents. I don't eat much cereal, but I know there are a lot of iron fortified cereals you can buy.
Eggs are great, my nutritionist recommends one egg and one egg white, instead of two whole eggs. I also make a smoothie every day with greek yogurt (I usually add strawberries, banana, almond milk and a little ice) or you could make a green smoothie with spinach to kick up the iron.
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https://www.foodrenegade.com/gelatin-healthy-protein-powder/
I haven't tried it but she says she just added it into soups, tea and smoothies and that's it's flavorless. And it's a real food!
Oh cool!
We use this for gut healing purposes and I honestly never even noticed the protein content lol. Gotta love that food renegade
I would definitely recommend the great lakes brand, they are not all created equal. Bad gelatin has negative health effects on things like asthma, etc. Think jello. High grade gelatin is a whole other ball game though, lots of benefits. Apparently protein is one of them lol!
eta: it is flavorless, it just makes whatever you have a little "thicker". I dump it directly in to our bone broths while they simmer.
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I was leaning toward the GL brand anyway because it's available on Amazon. 6 grams/tablespoon doesn't seem like a lot to me though.....I guess I could add it to different things throughout the day.
I need over 120 grams a day.......sigh.
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Thank you! Whenever you talk about bone broths I always think about how yummy they sound. I do try and eat quinoa over any other grain, like rice, and I usually cook it in broth anyway, so that would be pretty easy to do.
It IS good! And so healing and nourishing. This is my favorite recipe bc it includes nettles (great for adrenals, b vitamins and contains a huge amount of nutrients for pg): https://www.nourishingmeals.com/2011/04/healing-nettle-chicken-stock.html?m=1
I also drink nettle infusions each day.
52 Choices For Better Health