Four Pregnancy Soup Recipes for Fall and Winter
September 4, 2023
As the leaves start changing color and you begin to feel a chill in the air, it’s time to incorporate a few warming soups into your pregnancy meal plan.
Is Soup Good For Pregnancy?
Soups in pregnancy are a fantastic way to get the vitamins and minerals you need into your diet as they’re often full of vegetables. They’re also easy to digest, so they’re especially good for the first trimester of pregnancy when morning sickness seems to be kicking your butt and you are having difficulty keeping food down.Plus, soups are liquid-based (water, broth, coconut milk) making them extremely hydrating! According to The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, “During pregnancy you should drink 8 to 12 cups (64 to 96 ounces) of water every day…It aids digestion and helps form the amniotic fluid around the fetus. Water also helps nutrients circulate in the body and helps waste leave the body.”
Download our free guide on how to stay hydrated during pregnancy!
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
Which Soup Is Best For Nausea During Pregnancy?
Soups with ginger in them can help with morning sickness. This root vegetable has been found to be a natural way to reduce nausea and vomiting, “Four trials of ginger versus placebo demonstrated a greater reduction of nausea with ginger use, and three studies showed reduced vomiting with ginger use,” explains the American Academy of Family Physicians. Vitamin B6 has been shown to be a great ingredient to add to your pregnancy diet for nausea, “…while researchers do not yet understand how this miracle vitamin works, they have observed for decades that B6 can reduce morning sickness,” says Parents.Foods that are rich in vitamin B6 include chickpeas, pork, turkey, fish, potatoes, and chicken.
For an in-depth guide to what you should include in your diet for nausea, download the free guide to alleviating morning sickness.
From how many meals to eat to which foods to skip, this guide’s got proven tips, helpful recommendations, and mama-approved suggestions to help ease your nausea when “morning sickness” strikes.
A peek inside:
- The best way to start your day off to avoid nausea
- Recommendations for ways to split up your meals
- Tricks for staying hydrated
- Foods to skip and ingredients to indulge in to fight off nausea
- Mama-approved suggestions that help with morning sickness and make life easier
Is Chicken Soup Good For Pregnancy?
Yes! Chicken is a fantastic source of lean protein for pregnant women. Not only is it a good source of vitamin B6, but it’s also rich in magnesium. This is an essential vitamin for a healthy pregnancy, as a lack of magnesium has been linked to certain conditions such as gestational diabetes, preterm labor, and preeclampsia.
When incorporating chicken into your diet, don’t skip out on skin-on, bone-in chicken recipes as this type of chicken is high in glycine. This amino acid helps with tissue and hormone maintenance and may improve sleep quality.
Here are four soup recipes that will help support a healthy pregnancy and keep you cozy during the Fall and Winter:
Anti-Inflammatory Spiced Chicken Broth
This is one of the best pregnancy soups you can include in your meal rotation as it calls for both ginger and chicken drumsticks, both of which will help relieve morning sickness.
You’ll also get your veggie intake from leeks and carrots. These two ingredients are high in fiber, an essential vitamin for maintaining healthy digestive habits and preventing constipation.
Get the full recipe here.
Tip: Portion the soup out into freezer-friendly containers for an easy lunch or dinner.
Over-The-Top Umbrian Lentil Barley Soup
If you’re having a vegetarian or vegan pregnancy and don’t want to include chicken in your diet, another way to get vitamin B6 is through lentils. Not only is this vegetarian protein source rich in vitamin B6, but it’s also a good source of iron. During pregnancy, the body has to increase blood volume to support the new growth, and iron plays a vital role in this process.
This filling soup recipe also includes barley, a rich source of thiamin. Also known as vitamin B1, it is essential for converting food into energy! So, when you’re feeling fatigued, give this energy-boosting meal a try.
Get the full recipe here.
Nourishing Thai-Inspired Coconut Carrot Soup
Here’s another vegetarian-friendly and vegan-friendly recipe! It’s also the perfect soup to satisfy your sweet craving in a healthy way.
The coconut cream and coconut milk in this soup is a great addition to your diet, as it’s high in phosphorus. This mineral encourages proper skeletal development, brain development, and digestive system functioning.
Get the full recipe here.
Souper Tasty Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup
Another good vegetarian source of vitamin B6 is sweet potato. This hearty veggie is a must-add to your diet as it’s also rich in potassium, an essential vitamin for a healthy pregnancy. Low levels of potassium are linked to muscle weakness, fatigue, and irregular heartbeat.
To finish off this soup, add a generous dollop of Greek yogurt. Incorporating calcium-rich foods into your meals has a host of benefits, as Healthline explains, “Dairy products contain two types of high-quality protein: casein and whey. Dairy is the best dietary source of calcium. It also provides phosphorus, B vitamins, magnesium, and zinc.”
Get the full recipe here.
Adding delicious, vegetable-packed soups to your diet is one of the best ways to increase your hydration levels as well as keep you nourished and warm during the colder months. Give these recipes a try!
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