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I can tell you that breastfeeding is a lot of work. I’m breastfeeding my third baby now, and its another job in itself. Finding the right foods to eat is so difficult when you are exhausted and craving all the cake. I seriously can eat and eat chocolate candy when I am breastfeeding. When I am pregnant, all I want are nachos. Breastfeeding is pure sugar. Interesting how that happens.
Related: The 5 Best Foods To Lose The Baby Weight and Pump Up Your Milk Supply
Here, I’m going over the ultimate foods for your breastfeeding diet. These foods are full of nutrients for you and your baby. You want to pack them in to ensure you both have a lot of vitamins.
Trailmix: Now, this doesn’t mean just any candy-filled trail mix. The one I like is called, Raw Superfoods Trailmix. Its full of super healthy nuts, which are a great source of fiber, protein, vitamin E and calcium. This blend also has dried goji berries, which are an antioxident superfood. Dr. Axe calls them the healthiest dried fruit. In his article, he talks about how they are known to boost energy. I need that, and I’m sure you do too. Something that tastes sweet, yet is full of good things is at the top of this list.
Brown Rice and Beans: I love Mexican food. For some reason, I prefer rice, beans and cheese over meat any day. Its just my taste, so this is an easy one for me to add to my diet. Sprouted brown rice is where you are really going to get the most nutrients. AND, get this, I found this study over at Whole Grains Council:
Forty-one breast-feeding Japanese mothers were randomly divided into two groups, one eating white rice and the other sprouted brown rice, for two weeks. When psychological and immune tests were administered to both groups, the sprouted brown rice group was found to have decreased scores of depression, anger-hostility, and fatigue, and a significant increase in s-igA levels, indicating better immune system function.
European Journal of Nutrition, October 2007; 46(7):391-6. Epub 2007 Sep 20.
Interesting that the more complex carb also helped with the delicate emotional balance for new moms! I have a couple ways I like to eat rice and beans. I like them mixed together with some melted cheese, or I like them sprinkled on a salad. Brown rice has more complex carbs and fiber, like oatmeal, which is another great food I talk more about in my post about losing the baby weight. Rice is a carb, which helps boost your energy, but because it is more complex, its not going to spike your blood sugar as much as white. When you combine it with the protein and fiber of the beans, you are getting a pretty solid combo.
Kale: I mention spinach in another post, and Kale is just as important! Did you know there are super delicious raw kale chips out there now? I really like them, and so easy, but super expensive. I actually don’t mind blending my kale in a smoothie, especially if I don’t have time to bake it into chips (Or, I’m just too lazy). Smoothies are another great way to satisfy your sweet tooth, and if you blend it with a good protein powder, some almond milk, maybe Stevia and frozen berries, its the healthiest dessert ever!
Related: Delicious Protein Powders Perfect For Breastfeeding Moms
Bananas and Ice Cream: I’m talking about bananas next because they are wonderful to add to your smoothie for consistency. They are also quick and easy (notice a theme here with that? I am always with my hands full, so if I have something I can grab and eat, I am more likely to eat healthy). Bananas are fabulous for Vitamin B6, they are also sweet for those sweet cravings and potassium of course. I actually like a banana for dessert. You can make a healthy banana split with some of the new ice creams that are out. I was recently sent some Arctic Zero, and their peanut butter flavor was my favorite because of the taste and consistency. Peanut butter ice cream and banana go really well together! Put some of that on the banana with some chopped up nuts, maybe a squirt of whipped cream and you are eating a dessert that will benefit your breast milk.
There’s four ultimate foods for breast feeding! Its such a blessing to be able to breast feed your baby, and its important to consider what you are feeding yourself too.
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