Protein Rich Foods to Eat During Pregnancy

Protein is the cover girl of nutrients these days, getting raves from many successful dieters. Because you know weight-loss diets are downright dangerous for pregnant women and their babies, you need to appreciate protein during pregnancy on a deeper level - for that brain power behind the beauty.

Eating a balanced diet high in fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats is essential to a healthy pregnancy. During pregnancy, it's even more important to get enough of certain nutrients for that benefit of mom and baby. We've compiled a list of the best protein foods for pregnancy. 

Cottage Cheese

Creamy and versatile, cottage cheese packs in approximately 15 grams of protein per 1/2-cup serving. Perfect plain or spiced track of a sprinkle of cinnamon, additionally, it works well in lasagna and other cheesy pasta dishes or perhaps stirred into pancake batter. For a sweet breakfast treat or anytime pick-me-up, pair cottage cheese with a 1/2 cup of diced pineapple or melon. Worried about fat content? Low fat cottage cheese (1 percent or 2 percent milk fat) clocks in at 100 calories and 2 grams of fat per 1/2-cup serving. Regular cottage cheese contains 116 calories and 5 grams of fat per half cup.

Eggs

Eggs are a good supply of protein, contain beneficial amounts of iron and B vitamins, and supply your pregnancy with choline, an important nutrient for brain development. Plus, locked up in every sunny yellow egg yolk is around 20 IU of the sunshine vitamin, giving you a little egg-stra motivation to incorporate this nutritional powerhouse in your prenatal diet.

Fish/Seafood

Certain types of seafood can provide ample protein. The best seafood to consume during pregnancy diet include wild salmon, tilapia, trout, shrimp, lobster meat, crab meat and canned clams. Just like meat, a 3-oz. serving of these types of seafood will give you about half your daily protein needs. However, observe that not all seafood is considered safe for pregnant women as well as their babies. Many fish have a high mercury content, that is believed to be detrimental to a fetus's developing brain.

Lentils

With 8 grams of protein per 1/4-cup serving, together with plenty of fiber, iron, and slow-burning carbohydrates, there’s a lot to like about lentils now that you’re pregnant. Low cost and occasional in fat, the legume seeds provide more folate/folic acid than any other unfortified food: eating half a cup of cooked lentils a day provides 180 mcg of folate, or approximately 45 percent of the RDI for pregnant women. Canned lentil soup creates a quick snack or protein-packed hot lunch.

Meat

Probably the most well-known source of protein is meat. The protein we get from meats contains all of the amino acids necessary for fetal cell development. Protein-rich meats include beef, chicken, veal, lamb, duck, turkey and pork. Choose lean cuts of meat, as fatty meats can be harmful to baby and for you. Note that a 3-oz. serving on most of these meats will provide around 20 to 25 g protein.