Every woman knows that when she is eating for two, her standards for what she puts into her body change. Pregnant women and their growing babies need an intake of food that is rich in nutrients; promoting strength, energy and a healthy heart for the mother – while working to keep the baby’s progress on track.
Betaine is one amino acid that fights heart disease and promotes protein synthesis in the body. However, for betaine to be synthesized in the body, an adequate amount of choline must also be present.
Choline is a key nutrient for fetal brain and nervous cell development; its consumption can also decrease the risk of hypertension and diabetes later in a child’s life. Therefore, an adequate supply is important during pregnancy and breastfeeding months.
Eggs are a superfood for the expecting mother because they are one of the best sources of choline; one quarter to one third of her daily intake is covered with a single egg.
However, up to 99% of the choline in an egg lies in the yolk, so it’s important to introduce recipes into the diet that use the full yolk while cooking the whole egg thoroughly to safeguard against potential sickness.
A Cobb salad is an excellent option if you want to add hard-boiled eggs to an already healthy main course. There’s no shortage of healthy egg recipes available, and a quick visit to Getcracking.ca/recipes/ will give you access to several, including a delicious Cobb saladthat takes little time to prepare.
What’s great about a salad is that you can go as decadent or as lean as you want by adding or removing ingredients and this recipe will give you four side-salads to add to lunch time, or two larger servings.
To begin with, hard boil four eggs – to ensure the yolk cooks through bring the eggs to a boil, then let them sit in hot water for up to twelve minutes. Rinse immediately with cold water.
To arrange, divide salad greens (iceberg or romaine) among individual plates. Then, place a small handful of cooked chicken breast in the centre of each plate.
Arrange bacon (turkey bacon or diced ham can be substituted for a leaner meal, or removed altogether), tomatoes cut into cubes, egg wedges, and sprinkle red onion around the chicken. Lastly, add a pinch of cheese for flavour, traditionally this salad uses blue cheese.
For a healthy homemade dressing, use a blender to mix avocado, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, salt, cayenne pepper and water until the texture is smooth. For a thicker dressing, use less water.
Furthermore, eggs that contain omega-3 fatty acid can help to promote good vision, and yolks also carry zinc which helps to prevent preterm birth.
For the pregnant woman, the benefits of eating eggs are plentiful, providing protein for her and the baby too, which is also necessary energy for the fetus’ accelerated rate of growth.
For more healthy recipes, and ideas for meals using cooked-through eggs, visit getcracking.ca. Ensure you and your little one on the way get the most out of meal time as you prepare for the arrival.
