Organic Juices for a Healthy Pregnancy : Apple Beeter, Celery Carrot, Watermelon Orange

1. Apple Beeter

Good for your baby’s bones and development

Apples are a good source of calcium, potassium, folate, and vitamins A and C. Folate is necessary for the production and maintenance of new cells and prevention of birth defects. Today, it is recommended to choose organic apples over industrial apples, because of industrial apples’ exposure to an organophosphate pesticide, which is shown to decrease intelligence and increase attention problems in children.

YIELDS: 1 CUP

2 red apples, washed, cored

1 beet, washed, greens removed

Juice apples and beet. Stir.

	Calories	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Fiber	Carbohydrates
PER 1 CUP SERVING	101	0.46g	1.7g	66mg	5g	32g

IS THERE A BITTER TASTE TO YOUR JUICE?

If any of your juices are too bitter for your taste, apples are a perfect sweetener.

2. Celery Carrot

This juice will help you reach your daily needs for vitamin C, potassium, and folic acid. It can also balance your fluids to avoid any unnecessary fluid retention. If you experience an excess of fluid retention in your body during pregnancy, you are at a higher risk for having high blood pressure, which can lead to preeclampsia.

YIELDS: 1 CUP

3 carrots, peeled

2 stalks celery, leaves intact

Juice carrots and celery. Stir.

	Calories	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Fiber	Carbohydrates
PER 1 CUP SERVING	155	0.23g	4g	198mg	11g	40g

CARROTS

Baby carrots are full of flavor, but because they are not totally mature they are not as flavorful as full-grown carrots. It is important to remove carrot greens before storing them, because keeping them on robs the carrot of moisture and vitamins.

3. Watermelon Orange

Good for your digestive system

Pregnancy can invite fluids into places that you don’t necessarily want swollen. Eating foods that can be used as diuretics is helpful in managing water retention or bloating. Some of these foods are watermelon, garlic, cantaloupe, and dill.

YIELDS: 1¹⁄₄ CUPS

1 cup watermelon

1 orange, peeled

Juice watermelon and orange. Stir.

	Calories	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Fiber	Carbohydrates
PER 1¹⁄₄ CUP SERVING	110	0.48g	2.9g	1.5mg	2.8g	28g

MINI MELONS

Watermelons are now available in small individual sizes. They are about the size of a cantaloupe melon. To cut up a melon, you may want to use a melon baller, a small bowl-shaped tool to cut rounds of melon. These can be placed on a skewer and used to decorate your juice.