4 Pregnancy Chili Recipes
September 25, 2023
Pregnancy nutrition can look complicated—there is a seemingly endless amount of vitamins and minerals that soon-to-be mamas need to add to their diets to ensure the health of both them and their babies. It doesn’t have to be so daunting or complicated! Having a few nutritious, healthy recipes in your pregnancy meal plan that check a lot of nutrition boxes at the same time can be a huge benefit. One such meal to consider is chili!
Chili has evolved over the years. No longer is this title just reserved for a meat stew. Now, there are chili recipes that are vegetarian-friendly and include other protein sources (plus, a ton of super healthy vegetables for pregnancy).
Is Chili Good For A Pregnant Woman?
Yes! Chili will not harm your baby. In fact, chili can be a fantastic way for pregnant women to get protein into their diet as one of the main ingredients is either beef, beans, or chicken. Protein is essential in every stage of pregnancy as it supports skin and muscle health as well as wound healing. “Eating enough protein during pregnancy also supports your baby’s development, since amino acids are required for normal cell growth and function,” explains What To Expect.
You can also include a bunch of vitamin-packed vegetables in your pot of chili, such as bell peppers, carrots, corn, tomatoes, and potatoes.
Is Chili Safe to Consume During Pregnancy?
If you’re craving spicy food, don’t worry—this is perfectly natural. While the exact reason for cravings is unknown, it could be due to fluctuations in hormone levels.
Chili is completely safe for your baby. However, if you experience uncomfortable heartburn and indigestion after a spicy meal, you may need to tone down the chili content.
Noticing some burning in your chest after eating? We’ve got you, mama! With this guide, you’ll have a list of heartburn-free foods, trigger foods you should avoid, and tips for snacking and meal times. Eat it up!
A peek inside:
- Which foods are best for preventing pregnancy heartburn
- Which ingredients you should avoid at all costs
- Hot tips for when and how much to eat
Spicy food is known to induce labor in women who are past their due date. While there is no scientific concrete proof as to the efficacy of this, it is thought that spicy food can stimulate the digestive system—located right by the uterus. This irritation can then impact the uterus causing contractions. It is also thought that spicy meals can stimulate the production of prostaglandin, a hormone that plays a role in muscle contraction.
If you’re ready to pop your baby out, sink your teeth into this list of labor-inducing foods. Warning: side effects include giving birth!
A peek inside:
- Vinegar
- Herbs
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Tea
Here are four pregnancy chili recipes to make this Fall and Winter:
Triplet Chili with Black Beans, Pinto Beans, and Kidney Beans
Having a vegetarian pregnancy? This is the chili recipe for you!
You’ll get the protein that your body needs via three types of beans: Black, pinto, and kidney. These three beans are also fantastic additions to your pregnancy diet thanks to their magnesium content. Healthy levels of this vitamin help prevent constipation, a common pregnancy ailment.
How to Relieve Constipation During Pregnancy
Dietary Remedies for Pregnancy Constipation Relief
Get the GuideConstipation can be a real pain in the butt. But luckily for you, we’ve got a whole resource that can help provide constipation relief during pregnancy. Download this guide to find out which foods will help get things moving along!
A peek inside:
- Which foods are best to avoid if you’re experiencing constipation
- Recommendations for activities to try and ingredients to buy
- A list of foods rich in magnesium (a mineral that helps relieve constipation!)
- The importance of staying hydrated
Don’t skip the toppings of Greek yogurt and cheddar cheese. Both of these ingredients are good sources of calcium. As a pregnant woman, your calcium requirements increase to support the growing skeleton within you as well as your own bone health.
If you’re trying to have a vegan pregnancy and don’t want to consume dairy products, the NHS advises tofu and leafy green vegetables as good sources of calcium.
Get the full recipe here.
Hot and Chili
This vegan pregnancy chili features protein-filled beans as well as bell peppers and celery, two vegetables that are rich in vitamin C.
Adding vitamin C to the mix is a fantastic way to enhance your body’s absorption of the iron found in the beans. “During pregnancy, the volume of blood in your body increases, and so does the amount of iron you need. Your body uses iron to make more blood to supply oxygen to your baby,” explains Mayo Clinic.
This recipe also calls for corn and avocado, which will help you up your fiber intake. If pregnancy is leaving you fatigued, make sure you include more fiber-rich foods in your diet to help boost your energy.
Get the full recipe here.
The Best Energy-Boosting Foods to Eat During Pregnancy
A List of Nutrient-Rich Foods for Expecting Moms
Get the GuideIt’s not uncommon to feel exhausted or sleep-deprived during your pregnancy and postpartum period (also known as the fourth trimester). So, if you’re ready to add some energy-boosting ingredients to your daily meals, you’ll find this guide has exactly what you’ve been craving.
A peek inside:
- Energy-boosting fruits
- Vivacious vegetables
- Packed proteins: meat, seafood, dairy
- Supercharged seeds and nuts
- Life-giving leafy greens, legumes, and grains
- A few tips for other ways to naturally boost your energy that don’t include caffeine
Netflix And Chili
Another reason to include a chili recipe like this one in your pregnancy meal plan is that it’s hydrating due to the chicken broth.
Keeping well-hydrated is extremely important during pregnancy, as The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists explains, “During pregnancy you should drink 8 to 12 cups (64 to 96 ounces) of water every day. Water has many benefits. It aids digestion and helps form the amniotic fluid around the fetus.”
Staying hydrated isn’t just about drinking water, it’s about eating the right foods, too! This guide gives you a full list of all the hydrating foods and liquids you can add to your diet to fight constipation, increase maternal blood volume, and keep you hydrated!
A peek inside:
- The most hydrating fruits: citrus, melons, berries
- The best veggies and leafy greens for pregnancy hydration
- Pregnancy-safe herbal teas
- Plus a list of liquids to sip on all day long
The tomatoes in this recipe will also give you a healthy dose of potassium, a mineral essential for the proper functioning of nerve impulses, muscle contractility, communication between cells, and blood pressure.
Get the full recipe here.
Bean Chicka-Wow Soup
With only one type of bean in this recipe, you’ll get most of your protein content from shredded chicken. The vitamin B12 content in chicken is another reason to add this protein source to your diet.
“Vitamin B12 is important for maintaining the health of your nervous system, but it’s also believed that when combined with folic acid during pregnancy, B12 supplements can help to prevent spina bifida and other spinal and central nervous system birth defects in your baby, too,” says the American Pregnancy Association.
The potatoes that are included in this recipe will give you folic acid, as well as another B vitamin: Niacin. Also known as vitamin B3, niacin-rich foods are important to include in your meal plan daily as your body cannot store it. This vitamin plays a role in fetal brain development.
Other foods that are high in vitamin B3 include chia seeds, anchovies, beef, tofu, turkey, and lentils.
Get the full recipe here.
Pregnancy nutrition does not have to be difficult! Focusing on meals that include a variety of protein sources as well as vegetables will help you get the essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals you and your baby need.
For more healthy pregnancy foods you should know about, download our free guide.
Trying to figure out which foods are safe to eat during pregnancy? From fruits and vegetables to dairy and grains, this one-sheet guide lists out the most nutrient-rich foods to eat while pregnant. We suggest printing it for your fridge and saving it to your digital camera roll for easy reference. Dig in!
A peek inside:
- Fruits
- Veggies
- Nuts
- Legumes
- Dairy
- Meat
- Herbs
- Grains
- Seafood
- Seeds
