The BEST Pregnancy Smoothie | for constipation, energy, bloating, brain health, and wellness!

Today I'm sharing my go-to pregnancy smoothie that I've been drinking several times a week and it has made a world of difference with my pregnancy constipation, low energy levels, and really just my overall sense of well-being during pregnancy. And it's such an easy way to get in a variety of nutrients, antioxidants, healthy fats, and fiber all in one drink. So I'm currently almost six months pregnant, which is insane. I feel like I just announced my pregnancy to y'all a few weeks ago. It's crazy how fast the time goes by once you hit that second trimester and really come out of that first trimester fog. It's gone by so fast. But I'm definitely at that stage where I'm really just trying to simplify as much in my life as possible because I have found that the further along you get with pregnancy, even the most mundane day-to-day task becomes so difficult and takes so much out of you. So to be able to pack so much nutrition into one drink makes me feel good knowing that I'm nourishing myself, I'm nourishing the baby, and best of all, it's quick and easy. And by the way, even if you're not pregnant, you can totally still drink this smoothie. It's still gonna be super beneficial to your overall health and wellness. Of course, this video is not medical advice. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary changes. This is just what's been working for me. Don't forget, you can print off the full recipe and calculate the macros for this smoothie over on the dedicated blog post, which I will have linked for y'all in the description box below. All right, to get started, into a blender, I'm adding one frozen banana as the base of the smoothie, and this is gonna give it that creamy texture. It's also a great way to get in some extra potassium, which is an electrolyte that helps to promote hydration and prevent muscle cramping. Now, if you have gestational diabetes or you just want a lower sugar option, sometimes I'll substitute the banana with half of an avocado, and this is still gonna give you that creamy texture. It just won't be as sweet. But avocados are also high in potassium as well as magnesium, folate, healthy fats, and fiber. Next up, I'm adding in one cup of frozen berries, and I like to rotate between strawberries, blueberries, or even a berry blend. Today, I'm using frozen strawberries, but I love berries because they're packed with vitamin C, antioxidants, and fiber, and they're also lower in sugar than most fruits. So fun fact, during pregnancy, your immune system changes. It actually represses itself so that your body doesn't look at the fetus as a foreign object and attack it, but this in turn can actually make the mother's immune system weaker. So I've been trying to include lots of vitamin C-rich foods into my daily diet just to support my immune system, and berries are one of the best. Okay, now it's time to focus on all the healthy fats I include in this smoothie because fats are super important, especially during pregnancy, starting with two tablespoons of hemp seeds. Hemp seeds are incredibly nutritious. They're rich in vitamin E, magnesium, zinc, potassium, and even B vitamins. They're also a great plant-based protein source. They actually contain all nine essential amino acids, so they're considered a complete protein, and they have a good balance of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids, which are super important for brain health and brain development. I do like to rotate the hemp seeds with pumpkin seeds sometimes just to get in a variety of nutrients because pumpkin seeds in particular are high in zinc, which is a very important mineral during pregnancy, and really it's important just for your overall health in general. But in terms of the baby's health, zinc is great for brain development and cell growth, and for the mother, the zinc can help to boost your immune system. Next, I'm adding in one tablespoon of ground chia seeds, and sometimes I'll rotate this with ground flax seeds, but both of these are high in fiber, which can really help with the pregnancy constipation. As soon as I started incorporating this smoothie into my weekly routine, all of my pregnancy constipation went away in like a day or two. In fact, this smoothie actually contains 14 grams of fiber because pretty much every ingredient in this smoothie contains some sort of fiber. Now, of course, it's all from natural food sources, so it's very gentle on the stomach, but very effective, trust me. They're also a good source of healthy fats, and chia seeds actually contain a good amount of calcium, which of course is essential for bone health. And I always use ground chia or ground flax in my smoothies instead of whole because number one, it's easier to digest, and number two, it's gonna ensure that your body extracts all the health benefits that they have to offer. Let's add one tablespoon of almond butter. Now, make sure you get the almond butter that contains no added sugars, oils, preservatives, or anything like that. But almonds are a great source of vitamin E, magnesium, manganese, and even have a decent amount of copper, vitamin B2, and phosphorus. Of course, they're a good source of healthy fats, and they also contain a decent amount of protein per serving. And feel free to substitute this with any other nut or seed butter just to get in a variety of nutrients. You can use peanut butter, pumpkin seed butter, or my personal favorite, sunflower butter. I'm also gonna add in a little bit of romaine lettuce just to bump up that fiber and nutritional content even more. You can also use spinach or kale, but really any sort of green is gonna help with that pregnancy constipation because greens contain insoluble fiber, which add more bulk to the stool and help to get things moving a lot faster in the digestive tract. They're also gonna give you an extra boost of vitamins and minerals, including folate, which, of course, is super important during pregnancy, especially for the baby's brain and spinal health. Just make sure, especially if you're pregnant, that you wash your produce very well, especially your greens. I like to rinse the individual leaves first, and then I soak them in a water vinegar solution for about 15 to 20 minutes. And then I give them one more good rinse, store them in an airtight container in the fridge, and they're ready to grab and go whenever you're ready to make your smoothie. And lastly, I'm adding a pinch of sea salt for the electrolytes, add water or almond milk to taste, and blend it until it's extra smooth. Now, this is optional, but I also like to add in collagen peptides to bump up the protein content and to get in all those extra amino acids, such as glycine, but any type of healthy protein powder works. And even if you don't add the protein powder, you're still gonna get 14 grams of protein per smoothie. Now, if you do add the collagen peptides, it's gonna give you about 34 grams of protein. Of course, the full macro count is listed over on the blog post. Another optional add-in, if you need a slight boost of energy without consuming too much caffeine or getting those jitters, is matcha powder. You can add in half to one teaspoon's worth, and that's gonna give you about 35 to 70 milligrams of caffeine, plus you get all the added health benefits of the matcha powder. Once it's all blended up, you can enjoy it right away. Now, if you wanna prep this smoothie in advance, be sure to head over to the blog post because I've shared some tips and tricks on how to prep it in advance without it losing much of the nutritional value. Well, all right, y'all, that is it for today's video, my ultimate go-to pregnancy smoothie. And like I said earlier, it's helped so much with my pregnancy constipation, low energy levels, and just my overall sense of well-being. So I will definitely continue to drink this smoothie throughout my entire pregnancy and probably even into postpartum. Don't forget, you can print off the full recipe and calculate the macros for this smoothie over on the dedicated blog post, which I'm gonna have linked for y'all in the description box below. I've also listed substitution ideas over on the blog post as well in case you ever wanna switch it up. But that's it for today, and I will see y'all in the next video. Bye.