My appetite is intense! I’m the kind of girl that always clears my plate and gets into trouble with a full batch of chocolate chip cookies in the house. Breastfeeding has made my appetite even more ravenous. If I don’t plan properly I’m quickly reaching for foods that are loaded with simple carbohydrates and sugar for a quick fill. Planning is tough when there is a new baby in the house, but it can be done during those short and cherished clear headed moments.
What foods are optimal for providing energy to a breastfeeding Mama that still wants to shed the extra pregnancy pounds?
Protein and Good Fats
#1 Wild Salmon
Nina Planck’s book Real Food for mother and baby is a great read full of hard data that supports the benefits of specific foods during conception, pregnancy, breastfeeding and even baby’s first bites. Nina is a huge advocate for brain food, otherwise known as the omega-3 fatty acid DHA. During the third trimester and during breastfeeding baby’s brain needs the DHA that you consume to feed her precious brain. One of the best sources of DHA is wild salmon. A 3.5 ounce portion contains 1200 milligrams of omega 3 fats! Morgan and Louisa were lucky to be born smack in the middle of salmon season here in the Northwest. The three of us have been consuming major amount of DHA this summer! My brain doesn’t feel any larger, but hopefully the girls are benefiting.
When fresh Wild Salmon is not available try wild salmon burgers, which you can find in your freezer section. Canned wild salmon is great for making a salmon salad, much like you would with a can of tuna. A fish oil supplement is always an option, but this is not providing you with the energy needed to get through the long early days of motherhood.
#2 Nuts and Seeds
Almonds, walnuts, pumpkin, sesame, flax and sunflower seeds – all power filled tiny bits that will bring you serious energy. Sure they are packed with calories, but the kind a hard working Mama needs for fuel. Nuts and seeds are abundant in linoleic acid, an omega-6 oil that makes ARA (arachidonic acid). ARA and DHA work together to grow baby’s brain.
I’m on batch number 5 of a granola recipe I stumbled upon in Bon Appetit. This Surfer’s Granola recipe has filled my house with such scrumptious aroma it makes grabbing a handful every time I enter the kitchen too easy. I double the recipe and we have breakfast all week. Top with fresh fruit, organic milk, or a non-dairy version of milk and you don’t have to think when your busy morning begins. Surfer’s Granola recipe can be found here.
#3 Avocados
High in Oleic Acid, the beneficial fat also found in olive oil and olives, avocados are an easy and healthy option to curb hunger. A salad is not just a salad with fresh avocado on top. I add avocados to sandwiches, top my quinoa with them, throw them in a tortilla with beans for a quick lunch, and have even whipped them up in a strawberry shake for Louisa!
#4 Pastured Eggs
A high quality complete protein, eggs are perfect for any meal or snack. Pastured eggs contain great amounts of omega-3 fats compared to the industrial eggs we buy in the grocery store. You can tell a pastured egg by it’s deep yellow yoke, plus they taste better. I’ve been buying my eggs from the same farm for the last 6 years and boy do I miss them when I run out.
Hard boiled eggs are the perfect power food for nursing mamas and their hungry toddlers. An easy egg scramble filled with any vegetables you have in the house is a fast, easy, and affordable option for any meal. Cook them the way you like and enjoy not being hungry for more than a few hours!
Don’t forget to check out any of Nina Planck’s books for more information on feeding our families REAL FOOD.
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