Certain foods are considered superfoods when it comes to breastfeeding mothers. These foods will offer a lot of nutrients to your baby and prepare them for the next stage of their life.
Let us explore the best foods to eat when breastfeeding.
Best Foods That Promote Lactation
Here are the top 10 superfoods to eat while breastfeeding:
1. Avocado
The first food in our list that promotes lactation is Avocado. Avocado is not called a superfood for nothing. This fruit is rich in healthy fats, vitamin B, K, C, E as well as folate. Avocado can't be cooked, so you will have to consume it in salads or in the famous guacamole sauce. You can also make a paste of avocado and lemon.
Lemon enhances the benefits of avocado, and it helps your organism assimilate it better. Even if lemons, along with limes and other citrus fruits, can cause gas, in combination with avocado, their acidity is reduced significantly. So you can enjoy them in this combination without the gas side effects. Plus, a few drops of lemon juice will not affect your milk production, so you shouldn't worry about that either.
2. Chickpeas
The next milk-producing superfood is Chickpeas. Chickpeas are known to be the best galactagogues in nature. They may increase your milk production, which is always a good benefit for breastfeeding mothers. You should consume them boiled, mixed in different salads.
Chickpeas are great for making hummus as well, but this will decrease their nutritional value. You can add a can of chickpeas to any type of salad and even in soups or stews.
3. Mushrooms
Mushrooms can also increase milk production and bring more than 12 vitamins and minerals. Some of these are vitamin C, magnesium, choline, and selenium. The more you cook your mushrooms, the less nutritional value they will have.
You can consume them sauteed with some light garlic seasoning, or even raw in salads. And if you want to cook them, choose steaming over boiling. Steaming keeps the benefits of mushrooms unaltered and gives them a delicious taste as well.
4. Carrots
Carrots are the best root veggies that increase milk production, but they also add to the quality of the milk. They are very popular in Chinese culture, and they are recommended for breastfeeding mothers for hundreds of years.
They should be consumed raw to get more of their benefits. But you can also add them to stews or soups as long as you don't over boil them. However you eat them, these veggies are an excellent choice for you when you are breastfeeding.
5. Chia seeds
The next superfood to increase breast milk is Chia Seeds. Chia seeds are rich in fiber, calcium, and protein. They can successfully replace eggs when it comes to their nutritional value. You can eat chia seeds with yogurt in the morning or with vegetal milk along with other grains and cereal.
Chia seeds can be added to salads, soups, and even stews. They have a pleasant taste and will enrich all types of dishes. Make sure you purchase them unprocessed and in the organic form for the best nutrients.
6. Hemp seeds
Hemp seeds are also a great source of protein and omega 3 fatty acids. The same properties rely on hemp oil. You can use them just like chia seeds, and you will love them if you like nuts, for instance.
Hemp seeds and nuts have a similar taste, and they are perfect not only for your breast milk but also for your brain. If you like smoothies, adding a teaspoon of lactation-promoting hemp seeds to your morning smoothie can be a great choice.
7. Flax seeds
Grounded flax seeds offer you a lot of protein and iron. They have considered superfoods nowadays thanks to the nutritional value they add to breast milk. To get more of their nutrients, you should consume them grounded but also in a powder form.
If you eat them whole, your body might not digest them properly, and therefore, it will not assimilate them. Flax seeds are great if you want to lose weight, too, because they speed up your metabolism. It is recommended to eat two teaspoons of flax seeds a day.
8. Turmeric
Turmeric is famous for its anti-inflammatory benefits. It is also considered to be efficient in increasing milk supply. This is a seasoning that can be part of many recipes.
Not everyone likes its taste, but if you resume it to half of a teaspoon, you might not even notice it. Sprinkle it over your salads, soups, stews, or any other dishes. It is better to add it to uncooked dishes and also to your tea once it is cooled down.
9. Fruits
Fruits are a great source of natural sugar and fiber. They are a lot healthier than any type of processed sugar and delicious to eat. However, you should consume them in the first half of the day to enjoy their benefits better.
Eat the fruits raw or in smoothies. It is a lot better than eating them in jams or in any combination that involves added sugar. Some of the best fruits you can consume when breastfeeding are apples, apricots, figs, grapes, dates, bananas, mango, watermelon, and peaches.
All these fruits are safe to consume because they don't cause gas, and they are rich in vitamins, both you and your baby need to stay healthy.
10. Nuts
The last superfood in our list that promotes lactation is our list is Nuts. Nuts are a great source of iron, calcium as well as vitamin B and K. Plus, they offer plenty of fatty acids to benefit from as well as protein. Nuts will feed your brain and get into your breast milk rather fast, so consuming them within 2 hours before breastfeeding will give your baby all these benefits too.
You can eat nuts raw or along with different salads. However, stay away from roasted, salted nuts. These have fewer nutrients and bring too much salt to your system that you don't really need.
The best nuts to consume are walnuts, almonds, and cajun. You should be cautious about peanuts because some babies are allergic to them. Check with your doctor before introducing peanuts in your diet.
What's the superfood that you have used while breastfeeding to increase milk supply?
Key References
- "Why Breastfeeding Moms Should Love Avocados • Marie Biancuzzo, RN MS CCL IBCLC". Accessed December 06, 2019. Link.
- "What is a galactagogue? Do I need one? • KellyMom.com". Accessed December 06, 2019. Link.
- "Mushrooms during breastfeeding: can I | Competently about health on iLive". Accessed December 06, 2019. Link.
- "What Kind of Vegetables Can Woman Eat while Breastfeeding? - Mommy Times". Accessed December 06, 2019. Link.
- "Chia Seeds While Breastfeeding - Safety And Health Benefits". Accessed December 06, 2019. Link.
- "Benefits of Hemp During Pregnancy And Breastfeeding – Saint Hemp". Accessed December 06, 2019. Link.
- "Flaxseed use while Breastfeeding | Drugs.com". Accessed December 06, 2019. Link.
- "Why Is Turmeric Good For Moms While Breastfeeding? | Majka". Accessed December 06, 2019. Link.
- "9 Fruits To Eat When You're Breastfeeding For Better Milk Flow". Accessed December 06, 2019. Link.
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