I’ll be honest – sort of ashamed to say I have never really monitored my calcium intake that well. I just sort of forget about it and hope for the best. While I used to take a multi and calcium supplement every once in a while, I put those aside for my prenatals for the time being. I take this vegan prenatal vitamin, which only has 120mg (or 12% if the daily value recommended). Eesh. Not that great, right?
It’s recommended that pregnant mamas are at least getting 1000mg (and after that, 1200-1400mg if you are breastfeeding). Needless to say, I have been trying to be much more mindful.
With all the beans, almonds, and veggies in my diet, I feel pretty good that I am obviously getting calcium, but it doesn’t hurt to give it a boost. Baby girl is taking all that she needs to grow her own strong bones, which means she takes whatever the hell she can from me. I need to stay strong, too.
I’ve found this calcium-packed and vegan smoothie to be my #1 go-to for a HUGE chunk out of my intake. It has 701mg (or 70%) calcium. 70%! That, plus 12% from the prenatal and my normal eating habits throughout the day… I definitely feel some peace of mind after having this smoothie.
As always, please note that I am not a nutritionist nor a medical professional, but this is based on reading labels. Always talk to a professional if you are concerned about your calcium intake.
Recipe
You will need:
- 1 cup frozen banana – 11mg (or 1%)
- 1/2 cup SoDelicious vanilla coconut yogurt – 200mg (or 20%)
- 1 cup vanilla almond milk – 450mg (or 45%)
- 1 tbs cacao nibs – 20 mg (or 2%)
- 1 tbs maple syrup – 20 mg (or 2%)
- 1-2 drops peppermint extract
Calcium total: 701mg (or 70%)
To make:
- Add all ingredients to blender and run until smooth.
To me, this tastes like dessert. It reminds me of a mint chocolate milkshake, really. One thing to note is that peppermint extract is SO strong. I am serious when I say 1-2 drops. I would start with the bare minimum and taste as you go. Too much will make it bitter and quite frankly, just gross. So be mindful of that!
I alternate between this and my favorite protein-packed smoothie, too. There’s a lot to keep track of during your pregnancy, but if you are incorporating whole foods into your diet, chances are you are hitting your goals. Try not to sweat it, and when all else fails, do a bit of research and recipe searching to find exactly what you believe you are missing. You got this, mama. xx bianca
That sounds delicious! Tahini is great for calcium too so I sometimes add that to smoothies, or just make lots of houmous. <3 Though I'm sure you get plenty of calcium anyway. :)
Oh, I always forget that tahini is good for that. I will have to try it in a smoothie! Thanks for the tip, Ciara! :) xx