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Pregnancy can be so exciting, anxiety-inducing and confusing all at the same time. People everywhere are telling you what to eat, drink, how to exercise, sleep and more! It’s exhausting and I totally get it. This green smoothie for pregnancy is a delicious snack that is full of foods that will help fuel you and your baby and may even help fill in some gaps that those late-night ice cream runs are leaving.
“I’m pregnant!” has to be one of the most exciting moments for someone. Knowing that your body is now creating a precious little human is enough to make your heart explode, yet also knowing its health falls on your shoulders can make your stomach drop.
As a mama of two, I definitely had my fair share of cravings, sleepless nights and food aversions. I’m here to help give you a simple guide to nourishing (and tasty) food for you and your little one as they grow and develop.
Question: What can you do throughout your pregnancy to make sure your baby (and you) are as healthy as can be these next 40 weeks?
Answer: Drink green smoothies.
Table of Contents
Ingredients in Pregnancy Smoothie
I’m sure you’re taking a prenatal vitamin of some kind and being told just what your baby needs to grow and thrive. Yet I still find the best way to get vitamins and minerals for me and my baby is through real, whole food.
I created this smoothie with those special nutrients in mind, and here’s what I’m blending:
- Spinach: Packed with a variety of nutrients like fiber, calcium, vitamin K, iron, folate and more. Any dark leafy green is a pregnancy meal win.
- Coconut water: A great way to get in natural electrolytes to keep your body energized. Lily Nichols has a great article on why electrolytes are great for all people, especially pregnant ones, not just athletes.
- Banana: Potassium with a side of sweetness is what bananas bring to the table, as well as a creamy and sippable green smoothie.
- Pineapple: The delivery system for folate, iron and magnesium. Magnesium specifically can help with restless leg syndrome, which occurs during many pregnancies.
- Carrots: This antioxidant food is a great way to bring beta-carotene to you and your baby.
- Chia Seeds: These tiny seeds act as a digestive aid, which can be super helpful when your body is all out of wack. Add these to any smoothie to help keep everything flowing, if you know what I mean.
As with any type of body change, check in with your practitioner to determine exactly what your body needs during this time. Feel free to bring them this smoothie recipe to make sure it checks all the right boxes, too!
Best Smoothie Add-Ins
There are a lot of great ingredients you can add to your smoothie, depending on what you want. If you want a protein-powered smoothie then add in protein powder, oat milk, hemp milk or cashew milk, nut butter or hemp hearts. For more healthy fat, add in nut butter, coconut oil or avocado.
How to Blend a Green Smoothie for Pregnancy
This smoothie is super simple to blend:
- Blend spinach and coconut water until smooth. Stop the blender and scrape down the sides as needed to make sure there aren’t any leafy chunks.
- Add the remaining ingredients and blend again until smooth. Use the tamper that came with your blender (if you have one) to help keep the ingredients blending well.
That’s it! I’ve found that using this two-step blending method gives me the smoothest result. Leafy greens take longer to break down in a blender, and no pregnant person wants a chunky smoothie.
Blending Tips
While you should always wash your produce before blending and eating, it’s especially important while pregnant. Your body isn’t filtering out toxins like it normally does right now, so it’s easier for a pregnant person to get sick from pesticide residue.
Using at least one frozen fruit in a smoothie will help keep it cool and refreshing. I crave cold things while pregnant, so smoothies are a great way to drink something chilly and delicious without going overboard on milkshakes.
If food aversions have got you down then never fear! Here are some easy swaps to give you a great smoothie result:
- Spinach > kale or Swiss chard
- Coconut Water > filtered water or herbal tea. Non-dairy milk of any kind works great too for a thicker, more nutty-flavored smoothie.
- Banana > cauliflower or avocado for a less sweet version, swap with mango for a sweet switch
- Pineapple > mango, peaches or nectarines
- Carrots > cantaloupe (sweeter), cauliflower (less sweet)
- Chia seeds > hemp hearts, plant-based protein powder
What are you craving while pregnant? If it is a fruit or vegetable, I bet I can help find the perfect smoothie for you to blend to enjoy it! Drop a comment below or just put it in the search bar above to start finding recipes.
Smoothie for Pregnancy FAQs
Yes! They are a great way to boost energy naturally, fill in nutritional gaps as your little one grows and develops as well as help with some uncomfortable aspects of pregnancy like reflux, exhaustion and low energy.
There are wide varieties of smoothies you can blend while pregnant, depending on what you need and what you’re craving. My smoothie contains spinach, coconut water, banana, pineapple, carrots and chia seeds to give you protein, healthy fat, fiber, electrolytes and non-caffeinated energy.
Yes! Protein and healthy fats are great smoothie add-ons to help you stay full longer and avoid a sugar crash from the natural fruit sugars you’re sipping. Protein can come in the form of chia seeds, hemp hearts, nut butter, protein powder, yogurt and more.
More Great Pregnancy Smoothies
Congratulations! I can’t wait for all the sweet moments you will have with that new baby. If you loved this smoothie recipe then check out some other great ones to sip on throughout pregnancy:
- Soothing Smoothie for Reflux: Loaded with ingredients to soothe your stomach and aid in digestion, especially if reflux has been hard on your pregnancy.
- Pineapple Ginger Smoothie: A soothing tropical smoothie to settle the stomach.
- Fertility Smoothie: Designed to give you the best nutrition on your fertility and pregnancy journey.
- Oatmeal Smoothie: Great for lactating mothers who need to keep up their energy while feeding a little one.
- Vanilla Protein Shake: Some delightfully filling nutrition for those days when you just can’t get full or you’re craving a milkshake.
- Chocolate Protein Shake: A burst of natural energy to get you through the day.
Please leave a rating + review once you’ve blended this smoothie. Your feedback helps us so much!
Smoothie for Pregnancy
Ingredients
- 1 cup spinach fresh
- 1 cup coconut water unsweetened
- ½ banana
- ½ cup pineapple frozen
- 2 carrots peeled and chopped
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
Instructions
- Blend spinach and coconut water until smooth.
- Add remaining ingredients and blend again. Pour into a glass and enjoy!
Notes
- Use at least 1 frozen fruit for a refreshingly cool smoothie.
- To lower the natural sugar in this recipe, swap 1/2 banana for 1/4 avocado.
- Swap chia seeds with 1 serving plant based protein powder.
- Use the leafy greens of your choice in place of the spinach.
Fantastic! Thanks for the link! 🙂
You’re so welcome, Heather!
Hi there, I’ve just found out i’m 5 weeks pregnant and really want to stay healthy throughout the pregnancy, Any other pro-pregnancy smoothies anyone can offer would be great to hear!
🙂
Hi Vicky,
Congratulations! Green smoothies are a great way to fuel your body + provide baby with leafy greens, fresh fruits + nutrients!
I just wanted to let you know instead of coconut milk you can do flaxseed milk and it will help with the pesky pregnancy constipation…. my obstetrician recommends it! You can also do ground flaxseed about two table spoons in a shake a day should help keep things moving he says 🙂 he also specializes in nutrition 🙂
Hi Elizabeth,
Thanks for the great tip! 🙂
Hi! I was just wondering, what other greens can I rotate my smoothes with? I’ve just been rotating kale and spinach. Thanks x
Hi Lucy,
We love switching up our recipes with different leafy greens!! Check out our favorites here…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/leafy-greens
Hi,
I am pregnant and I just want to know if it is okay and SAFE to have a green smoothie every day. I am 10 weeks now and I just want to make sure it is safe. I do not like eating veggies so I would rather just drink them.
usually my smoothie consists of:
-2 cups of spinach
-1 cup of blueberries
-1/2 cup of cherries
then I substitute blueberries for raspberries.
I have been doing this for a month and usually 6 days out of the week. Lately, I have been feeling sick. I do eat protein with the smoothies. They are not the only thing I consume.
Thanks.
Hi Karla,
Thanks for reaching out. Green smoothies are a great way to fuel your body during pregnancy, especially when morning sickness is limiting your food choices. Have concerns? We suggest reaching out to your OBGYN to ensure our recipes are the right choice for you + baby!
Cheers 🙂
Hi Karla!
Try adding a little shredded ginger to your smoothies to ease nausea. Good luck!
Great tip, Gina! 🙂
Hi there, this is my first pregnancy and I am having trouble with taking my prenatal vitamins, I even got the syrup version but I still get sick. This is my 11th week and I was wondering if I could substitute it for smoothies?
Please any advice is appreciated as I am a little worried whether I am hurting the baby or even myself.
Thank you
Hi Millen,
Congratulations on your pregnancy. The first few weeks and pre-natal vitamins can definitely be tough on your stomach. We’re green smoothie lovin’ rawkstars all right, but we’re not doctors or nutritionists. We suggest you talk with your doctor about any health concerns— I’m sure they can help you decide what is best for you and your body.
Cheers to health + happiness!
This is helpful information. I’ll make sure to talk to my doctor about it at my next appointment, especially whether or not it’s okay to make it the night before as another person asked.
Also, just wanted to clarify for readers that I think you meant that hemp protein powder (and other hemp products such as seed and oil) does not have same effects as “marijuana.”
Hi Emm,
Thanks for reaching out. Our recipes will keep in your refrigerator for up to two days. Know you will be storing your green smoothie, add a small amount of lemon juice to help preserve their green goodness.
Cheers to health, happiness, + a wonderful pregnancy.
Hi – thanks for these! I came looking for pregnancy smoothie recipes when I saw that I was meant to steer clear from a couple of my staples – flaxseeds and pineapple – whilst pregnant. Confused!
Hi Rebecca,
Thanks for reaching out! We’ve worked with our nutritionist to develop smoothie recipes to provide your body with the best health benefits throughout your pregnancy. But it’s important to listen to your doctor!! Want to substitute chia seeds + flaxseeds for another option your doctor gave you the ok for?
Swap flaxseeds for another healthy fat…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/healthy-fats
And swap chia seeds for another protein option…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/plant-based-protein-powder
Hope this helps!
Any suggestions for substitutes for bananas? My body doesn’t process bananas well.
I was wondering if it’s ok to make smoothies the night before to consume in the morning while pregnant. I know that for juicing it needs to be consumed immediately for concerns about listeria. Does this apply to smoothies as well?
Thank you!
Hi Mariko.
Congratulations! Thanks for reaching out to us. Since we are not doctors or nutritionist we would suggest speaking to your GP to confirm that green smoothies are best for you during your personal pregnancy. Cheers! 🙂
Hi, I have Kale daily and sometimes Beet greens. Can a pregnant woman overdose on Kale or Beet Greens while pregnant because of the vitamin A content? Thanks!
That is a great question, Jeramie. I would suggest asking your healthcare provider, since they will know you personally.
We do suggest rotating your greens each time you buy leafy green, try a different option each time. 🙂 https://simplegreensmoothies.com/leafy-greens
With this being my first pregnancy and morning sickness really affecting my appetite, I was concerned about how I would ever get all the proper nutrients I need to grow a healthy baby. I must say, I was thrilled when I stumbled upon your site..these green smoothies recipes are incredible! I now enjoy a smoothie every morning and can rest assured. I’ve even created one of my own that includes a mixture of spinach, kale, banana and a bit of mango with either almond milk or orange juice. Thank you soooo much!
Wonderful! All the bet to you in your journey to parenthood.
Flax seed is not recommended while pregnant or nursing.
I just researched this and found that this additional information from livestrong: Flaxseed is rich in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, an essential nutrient especially important during the development of your child. However, flaxseed also contains lignans, chemicals that can mimic the actions of estrogen in your body. Normal levels of flaxseed in the diet are thought to be safe during pregnancy, but avoid taking supplements containing flaxseed lignans or eating abnormally large amounts of flaxseed.
Thanks for the tips, Sarah! 🙂
This may be a dumb question, but is there any reason someone who is not pregnant or a man wouldn’t want to drink these smoothies?
Love all the other recipes and got excited to find a couple we haven’t tried yet. Thinking that if they are safe for expectant moms they would be good for anyone, but just wanted to check before subjecting my husband to one of these recipes.
Hi Karen!
Great question! Men and non-pregnant women can drink these, too!
Hi, I love green smoothies but with my morning sickness I can not even put one to my mouth. Any suggestions greatly appreciated!!
Hey Renai!
Could you send us an email through our contact page so Jadah and/or Jen could give you some feedback? I may not be the best person to answer… ha ha.
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/contact
Having a girl? 🙂 Maybe it’s a wives tale, but I’ve heard morning sickness is worse with baby girls. But it might also be if you’re really unhealthy. My first pregnancy (lost) was a girl, but i had smoked for years, quit when i learned pregnant, but too late by then to be healthy. I also ate crap usually, fast food, burgers, pizza, doritos, soda, coffee… I had the worst mo r ning sickness ever, threw up almost everything. The doctor recommended (get this…from a DOCTOR) Gatorade!!! That’s right, high fructose corn syrup with food coloring. I didn’t know any better at the time, was only 16, so I did it. Overall unhealthy, and not holding down solids, i lost the baby. Fast forward 25 years, I’ve become a healthy vegetarian, mostly vegan, and aspiring 80% raw foodist. I love hot soup, so hard to be totally raw. 😉 i have 2 juicers, a vitamix, have done juice fasts with my husband, definitely don’t smoke, do detoxes, enemas, feel great!!! I am pregnant now with a boy. I’m now 4.5 months, and didn’t have hardly any morning sickness! Just the occasional gag reflex when i saw something gross, and a few mornings where i nibbled crackers before getting out of bed. (Organic crackers.) my other favorite thing that may have helped was each morning i made fresh organic ginger, lemon, honey tea. Using a microplane, i grated about 1 inch of fresh ginger root into a 2 cup glass pyrex, then squeezed a small lemon (or half a large lemon), and added one Tablespoon of raw organic honey. Then filled with 2 cups boiling water, and let steep for 5 minutes. Then using a mesh strainer, I’d pour/strain it into my travel mug. I’d drink whatever didn’t fit right away. Sooooo good, even when you’re not pregnant. Oh yea, snd if i had fresh turmeric, i would grate some of that in the brew too. Only about 1/2 inch though, it’s got a strong earthy taste.
Wow, you sound like you really take your health seriously these days, that’s awesome! Especially since it sounds like you didn’t come from a background where nutrition was very important. Big kudos!
I’d just like to clear up a myth in the making… morning sickness isn’t affected by either the gender of the baby, and the health of the mother. I should know, I’ve been a naturopathic doctor for 11 years and am pregnant for the fourth time (we lost our first at 10 weeks). I run marathons (well, half marathons) and am a 95% organic pescetarian (that is to say, I’m pretty healthy). I have two healthy sons born two years apart, with my first little guy, I had no morning sickness, no acid, slept well and ran races into my 8th month. I really thought I was pretty awesome at being pregnant!
With my second son, I ended up being so sick that I was hospitalized for almost 2 weeks because I was so dehydrated. Even after I was released from the hospital, I had to have I.V. fluids every other day (this is where having my own medical clinic was a real benefit!). I was also exhausted ALWAYS. Both boys were born big and healthy, one week over term.
This time around, I’m having a girl and my experience has been right down the middle, sick but not hospital sick, tired but not unable to cope… just definitely no running! My point is that I would like to dispel the idea that if you’re healthy, you’re not going to have any morning sickness (or that morning sickness could indicate a lack of health).
Anyways, sorry about the rant, I am eager to defend this point because pregnant moms can feel enough guilt about what they’re doing or not doing, no point adding any more over a misunderstanding.
Also, if your doctor starts recommending Gatorade, come see a naturopath! 🙂
Could I heat up the fruit portion of the smoothie and then cool it to drink? I’m allergic to raw fruit, can only consume cooked fruit. ..
That’s a great question… We have never tried, nor are we sure of what it will do to the smoothie. We’ll have to research that one. Let us know if you find anything out, Diana!
Do you eat organic? My sister in law was allergic to lots of things, and refused to fall into the organic hype (she thought it was just an expensive fad or something, didn’t see the point). I eat organic, and do detoxes and have good health knowledge, as ive turned my own health around from years of researching and trial, so i talked to her about it lots. It took years, but she finally opened up to it. Mostly because she accidentally touched an organic banana one day, and didn’t have a reaction (normally just them does it). She now thinks her allergy was to non-organic produce, as they are covered in chemicals, waxes, pesticides, fungicides, herbicides. Now she can eat them. So just curious.
*normally just touching them does it