Foods High in Protein

So, Protein. Pregnant women need it. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a pregnant woman should get 10 extra grams of protein while they are pregnant. That's approximately 60 grams of protein! So, for all you raw soon-to-be mommies or those of you who are just interested in which raw foods have the most protein, here is a chart from The Fat Free Kitchen!  You can rest assured that while this table is not a RAW table, and it talks about cooking the veggies, you can eat the foods raw and enjoy even more protein that hasn't been destroyed during cooking. Just don't overdo it, because excess protein can harm your body! Anyway, Enjoy!

Description	Weight (g)	Measure	Content per Measure (g)
Alfalfa seeds, sprouted, raw	33	1 cup	1.32
Artichokes, (globe or French), cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	120	1 medium	4.18
Asparagus, canned, drained solids	72	4 spears	1.54
Asparagus, cooked, boiled, drained	60	4 spears	1.55
Asparagus, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	180	1 cup	5.31
Avocados, raw, California	28.35	1 oz	0.60
Avocados, raw, Florida	28.35	1 oz	0.45
Beans, baked, canned, plain or vegetarian	254	1 cup	12.17
Beans, baked, canned, with franks	259	1 cup	17.48
Beans, baked, canned, with pork and sweet sauce	253	1 cup	13.43
Beans, baked, canned, with pork and tomato sauce	253	1 cup	13.05
Beans, black, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt	172	1 cup	15.24
Beans, Cowpeas (Blackeyes), immature seeds,  boiled, without salt	165	1 cup	5.23
Beans, Cowpeas (blackeyes), immature seeds, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	170	1 cup	14.43
Beans, Cowpeas, common (blackeyes, crowder, southern), mature seeds,	172	1 cup	13.30
Beans, great northern, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt	177	1 cup	14.74
Beans, Kidney beans, red, mature seeds, canned	256	1 cup	13.44
Beans, Kidney beans, red, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt	177	1 cup	15.35
Beans, Lima beans, large, mature seeds, canned	241	1 cup	11.88
Beans, Lima beans, large, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt	188	1 cup	14.66
Beans, Mung beans, mature seeds, sprouted, cooked, boiled,  without salt	124	1 cup	2.52
Beans, Mung beans, mature seeds, sprouted, raw	104	1 cup	3.16
Beans, Navy beans, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt	182	1 cup	15.83
Beans, Pinto beans, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt	171	1 cup	14.04
Soybeans, mature cooked, boiled, without salt	180	1 cup	22.23
Soybeans, green, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	172	1 cup	28.62
Beans, Snap beans, green, canned, regular pack, drained solids	135	1 cup	1.55
Beans, Snap beans, green, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	125	1 cup	2.36
Beans, White beans, mature seeds, canned	262	1 cup	19.02
Beet greens, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	144	1 cup	3.70
Beets, canned, drained solids	170	1 cup	1.55
Broccoli, raw	88	1 cup	2.62
Broccoli, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	156	1 cup	4.65
Beets, cooked, boiled, drained	170	1 cup	2.86
Beets, cooked, boiled, drained	50	1 beet	0.84
Cabbage, Chinese (pak-choi), cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	170	1 cup	2.65
Cabbage, Chinese (pe-tsai), cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	119	1 cup	1.79
Cabbage, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	150	1 cup	1.53
Cabbage, raw	70	1 cup	1.01
Cabbage, red, raw	70	1 cup	0.97
Cabbage, Savoy, raw	70	1 cup	1.40
Carrots, baby, raw	10	1 medium	0.08
Carrots, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	156	1 cup	1.70
Carrots, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	146	1 cup	1.74
Carrots, raw	110	1 cup	1.13
Cauliflower, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	124	1 cup	2.28
Cauliflower, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	180	1 cup	2.90
Cauliflower, raw	100	1 cup	1.98
Celery, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	150	1 cup	1.25
Celery, raw	120	1 cup	0.90
Corn, sweet, white, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	77	1 ear	2.56
Corn, sweet, yellow, canned, cream style, regular pack	256	1 cup	4.45
Corn, sweet, yellow, canned, vacuum pack, regular pack	210	1 cup	5.06
Corn, sweet, yellow, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	77	1 ear	2.56
Corn, sweet, yellow, frozen, kernels cut off cob, boiled, drained, without salt	164	1 cup	4.51
Corn, sweet, yellow, frozen, kernels on cob, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	63	1 ear	1.96
Cucumber, peeled, raw	119	1 cup	0.68
Cucumber, with peel, raw	104	1 cup	0.72
Dandelion greens, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	105	1 cup	2.10
Endive, raw	50	1 cup	0.63
Garlic, raw	3	1 clove	0.19
Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt	198	1 cup	17.86
Lettuce, cos or romaine, raw	56	1 cup	0.91
Lettuce, iceberg (includes crisphead types), raw	55	1 cup	0.56
Lettuce, looseleaf, raw	56	1 cup	0.73
Mushrooms, canned, drained solids	156	1 cup	2.92
Mushrooms, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	156	1 cup	3.39
Mushrooms, raw	70	1 cup	2.03
Mushrooms, shiitake, cooked, without salt	145	1 cup	2.26
Mushrooms, shiitake, dried	3.6	1 mushroom	0.34
Mustard greens, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	140	1 cup	3.16
Okra, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	160	1 cup	2.99
Okra, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	184	1 cup	3.83
Olives, ripe, canned (small-extra large)	22	5 large	0.18
Onions, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	210	1 cup	2.86
Onions, dehydrated flakes	5	1 tbsp	0.45
Onions, raw	110	1 whole	1.28
Onions, spring or scallions (includes tops and bulb), raw	100	1 cup	1.83
Parsley, raw	10	10 sprigs	0.30
Parsnips, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	156	1 cup	2.06
Peas, edible-podded, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	160	1 cup	5.23
Peas, edible-podded, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	160	1 cup	5.60
Peas, green, canned, regular pack, drained solids	170	1 cup	7.51
Peas, green, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	160	1 cup	8.24
Peas, split, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt	196	1 cup	16.35
Peppers, hot chili, green, raw	45	1 pepper	0.90
Peppers, hot chili, red, raw	45	1 pepper	0.90
Peppers, sweet, green, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	136	1 cup	1.25
Peppers, sweet, green, raw	149	1 cup	1.33
Peppers, sweet, green, raw	119	1 pepper	1.06
Peppers, sweet, red, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	136	1 cup	1.25
Peppers, sweet, red, raw	119	1 pepper	1.06
Potato pancakes, home-prepared	76	1 pancake	4.68
Potato, baked, flesh and skin, without salt	202	1 potato	5.05
Potatoes, baked, flesh, without salt	156	1 potato	3.06
Potatoes, boiled, cooked in skin, flesh, without salt	136	1 potato	2.54
Potatoes, boiled, cooked without skin, flesh, without salt	135	1 potato	2.31
Potatoes, boiled, cooked without skin, flesh, without salt	156	1 cup	2.67
Potatoes, hashed brown, home-prepared	156	1 cup	3.78
Pumpkin, canned, without salt	245	1 cup	2.70
Pumpkin, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	245	1 cup	1.76
Radishes, raw	4.5	1 radish	0.03
Spinach, canned, drained solids	214	1 cup	6.01
Spinach, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	180	1 cup	5.35
Spinach, frozen, chopped or leaf, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	190	1 cup	5.97
Spinach, raw	30	1 cup	0.86
Squash, summer, all varieties, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	180	1 cup	1.64
Squash, summer, all varieties, raw	113	1 cup	1.33
Squash, winter, all varieties, cooked, baked, without salt	205	1 cup	1.82
Squash, winter, butternut, frozen, cooked, boiled, without salt	240	1 cup	2.95
Sweet potato, canned, syrup pack, drained solids	196	1 cup	2.51
Sweet potato, canned, vacuum pack	255	1 cup	4.21
Sweet potato, cooked, baked in skin, without salt	146	1 potato	2.51
Sweet potato, cooked, boiled, without skin, without salt	156	1 potato	2.57
Tomatoes, red, ripe, canned, stewed	255	1 cup	2.42
Tomatoes, red, ripe, canned, whole, regular pack	240	1 cup	2.21
Tomatoes, red, ripe, raw, year round average	180	1 cup	1.53
Tomatoes, red, ripe, raw, year round average	17	1 cherry tomato	0.14
Tomatoes, red, ripe, raw, year round average	123	1 tomato	1.05
Tomatoes, sun-dried	2	1 piece	0.28
Tomatoes, sun-dried, packed in oil, drained	3	1 piece	0.15
Watermelon, raw	286	1 wedge	1.77

Pre-Pregnancy and Folic Acid

As many of you know, I am looking forward to one day becoming a MOMMY. Of course, (as far as I know) that won't be for a little bit. Not too long, but long enough to have time to PREPARE my body for a little growing baby.

I've been thinking A LOT lately about Folic Acid, as its one of the most important nutrients my baby/ies will need. Here is a copy and pasted definition of Folic Acid from MedlinePLUS:

Folic Acid Also called: Folacin, Folate, Pteroylglutamic acid, Vitamin B9

Folic acid is a B vitamin. It helps the body make healthy new cells. Everyone needs folic acid. For women who may get pregnant, it is really important. When a woman has enough folic acid in her body before and during pregnancy, it can prevent major birth defects of her baby's brain or spine. Foods with folic acid in them include leafy green vegetables, fruits, dried beans, peas and nuts. Enriched breads, cereals and other grain products also contain folic acid.

So, what do I, as an almost-soon-to-be-pregnant lady NEED to be eating in order to make sure that I am getting plenty of Folic Acid? There are a ton ton ton of veggies and fruits and leafy greens that include folic acid. Check out this nutrient chart that can help you plan better, more folic acidy meals!

For more information, check out WomensHealth.org's cite about folic acid.

Nutrition for a Healthy Pregnancy

Of course, only women can carry a baby and give birth to a baby. Therefore, pregnancy is an important topic for ladies' week! Even if you plan to never have a[nother] child, you probably know someone who is thinking about having/going to have/about to have a baby. In Ani Difranco's words, "To split yourself in two is just the most radical thing you can do" AND--if you choose to take that step, you must fight for your baby at all costs--even if it costs you that extra slice of pizza. Its the ultimate feminist movement, to have a baby, and it is the ultimate test of female strength! Kudos to all women who have taken this journey!!!

AND, as it turns out, "what you eat before and during your pregnancy," according to Miriam Erick, "could be one of the most important considerations for your health and happiness during those nine months" (xxxii). Erick says that normal pregnancy symptoms can drive a woman absolutely nuts while carrying her baby, such as "Fatigue, morning sickness, constipation, hemorhoids, varicose veins, tooth and gum problems, leg cramps, nosebleeds, skin problems, colds and infections, mild depression, and mood swings..." Even these are only "a few of the NUTRITIONALLY RELATED side effects of pregnancy that might be avoided or at least lessened by proper diet" (xxxii). I hear about these side effects ALL THE TIME from pregnant people. You will probably get one or two, I'm sure, but you can lessen them dramatically (or prevent them) by eating better and making sure you are getting enough vitamins/minerals that your body needs!

First, if you are in your childbearing years, you should consider stocking your body with a few beneficial vitamins: Iron and Folic Acid.

Of iron, you should consume 18mg of iron each day. You should make it even higher if you have heavy periods or use IUD. If you are iron deficient, get MORE IRON! You can get iron in wheat germ, spinach, beet greens, sunflower seeds, mangos, avocados, raisins, almonds, beans.

Of folic acid, get 400mcg daily! This can be the most important vitamin to prevent birth defects! You can get it in spinach, tomato juice, collards, asparagus, wheat germ, beans.

Now, WHILE YOU ARE PREGNANT, you must must must consider your eating habits. Erick's research tells us that despite popular belief, a growing baby gets most of its vitamins from WHAT YOU EAT AS YOU EAT IT! That means every bite you take is a choice for either helping your baby grow and develop, or just stuffing it full of twinky! EEP!

To get the minerals and vitamins you really need, you need to be eating at least eight servings of fresh fruits and vegetables (full of vitamin C such as citrus as well as leafy greens!)! You also need to make sure you are getting plenty of vitamin C.

Calcium Rich Foods:
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Collard Greens
Dandelion Greens
Figs
Mustard Greens
Orange juice
Rice Dream
Turnip Greens

Fantastic Veggies (* high in folic acid):
Asparagus*
Bean Sprouts
Green Beans
Beets
Broccoli*
Brussel Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Chard*
Collards*
Dandelion Greens*
Eggplant
Kale*
Mustard Greens*
Okra
Pea pods
Green Peas*
Romaine*
Spinach*
Squash
Succotash
Sweet Potato
Tomato
Turnip Greens*
Zucchini

Fabulous Fruits:
Apple
Applesauce
Apricots
Banana
Berries
Cantaloupe
Casaba Melon
Cherries
Grapefruit
Grape
Kiwi
Honeydew Melon
Mandarin Oranges
Mango
Nectarine
Orange
Papaya
Peach
Pear
Pineapple
Plum
Prunes
Tangerine
Watermelon

Erick's Nutrition: 1, 2, 3 table:

1. 2/3 or 3/4 of your plate should be heaped with a variety of whole grains, veggies, and fruits.
2. Include at least one whole grain and two fruits and/or veggies at every meal and one fruit or veggie at each snack.
3. Before you eat, always ask, "Is this good for me and my baby?" If so, eat. If not, find an alternative!

Raw Superfoods (awesome buzzword) for Pregnancy (mostly taken from Erick's book) are:

Spinach: One cup of cooked spinach supplies only 41 calories, yet boosts your zinc intake. It also has calcium, magnesium, iron, and folic acid.

Strawberries: 2 cups of strawberries are only 100 calories and ensure optimal iron intake while providing lots of fiber and Vitamin C!

Wheat Germ: 1/2 cup of wheat germ supplies more than half of your daily magnesium needs, as well as a ton of vitamins (100% of your daily folic acid and 50% vitamin E), Iron, Zinc, and other minerals!

Broccoli: High in folic acid, vitamin C, beta carotene, iron, magnesium, calcium, vitamin B12, just about everything else!

Papaya: Supplies more than twice your day's need for vitamin C, more than your daily allotment of Vitamin A (as beta carotene), magnesium, calcium, potassium--and low in calories!

Water: DRINK A TON OF THIS!

So, what about being raw? Does this change how/when/what I eat? Yes, it does. But not much. If you are already high raw, you are pretty much there. Your baby will be getting all kinds of super healthy foods and nutrients and vitamins into its developing little system. BUT, you should try to get a ton of whole grains, calcium rich foods, and protein. Make sure you are eating enough raw veggies/nuts/seeds to make up for these vitamins. You are looking for foods high in Vitamin D, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B12, and calcium.

I hope this helps/is interesting! I think its awesome. God really has provided us with all the tools we need for happy, healthy, well-developed babies/bodies! Its just what you make of it bite by bite.

I AM Smoooooothie

Well,

As it turns out, I have discovered FINALLY that I love smoothies! Now, I have yet to actually throw some veggies in....but I will try that soon enough (i.e. tomorrow!). I created (as far as I know) an ah-mazing recipe for a banana/mango smoothie. It is not totally raw, but it is totally good. Here is the very simple, 4 RAWs (raw raw raw raw) recipe:

2 Bananas
1 Mango
Half a cup of soy milk
About 1 or 2 TSP raw Honey
3 drops of vanilla extract

This is not my picture! I found it on google images! :)

And you get: AMAZING SMOOTHIE LAND HAPPY TIME!!!!!! I'd start with the banana, mango, and soy and then add the honey and vanilla to your liking. It was a GREAT post-work out "meal," keeping me energized for a few hours before eating lunch. Right now, I am having a berry smoothie. Just a bunch of berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries) and some soymilk to help it mix. Oh, I put some honey in that, too, to help it.

I have decided that, as I am a married woman not taking an oral contraceptive, I am going to prepare my body for pregnancy even though we are not planning for it. We all have heard stories about people who have become pregnant "accidentally" and, well, I'd like to be healthy and happy if that occurs. SO, I am going to begin a pre-pregnancy regimen. First, I will be working out every single day. Now, that could just mean I go for an extra two mile walk every day, but I MUST walk. This workout will also include an every-other-day ab exercise. I mean, wow, a woman needs some strong ab muscles to go through labor!!! Also, I will be trying to look into the foods that will provide some great vitamins for a pregnant body. Now, like I said, I AM NOT PREGNANT, so don't freak out. I just want to be sure my body is ready if the day comes when I am. And, when we decide to start trying, I will be ready!

:)