Recipes for Nausea

Nausea can be a vicious cycle during pregnancy; feeling queasy may lead you to avoid eating, but then having an empty stomach ends up making the nausea even worse! If that sounds familiar, then this post if for you. We'll start with a quick run down of foods may help prevent nausea, as well as foods that may actually cause it, and move onto some great easy recipes to help you break out of the food-aversion cycle. If you're looking for more food-based tip coping with "morning" sickness, be sure to check out my previous post on the subject!

"Morning sickness" (lets be real, its more like all day sickness) is likely a side effect of sky rocketed hormone levels in pregnancy. However additional biological basis for nausea in the first trimester have been proposed as well, including protective mechanisms (meats and raw vegetables are common harbingers of bacteria, so maybe it's the body's safety system to create aversions to them early on?), or even nutritional benefits (the body needs quick carb for easy energy in the first trimester to build a tiny human and thus prefers easy to digest carbohydrates and not proteins or fats?). So while we can often feel like our body is betraying us at the start of pregnancy, it is important to know maybe there are other factors at play.

Nausea in pregnancy can also have a kind of weird guilt component to it. Many of us envision eating nothing but salads and green smoothies and organic grass fed everything during our pregnancies in hopes of providing out growing child with the best possible nutrition straight out of the gate. But all those good intentions often quickly disappears when we actual become pregnant and the nausea sets in. I've heard many folks lament about how terrible they feel about not "feeding" their baby any vegetables because their too sick, or even worry that they may be harming their child. But the good news is that decades and decades of human history have shown us that your diet doesn't have to be perfect to grow a healthy baby. It can be reassuring to know that while protein needs do dramatically increase later in pregnancy, in the first trimester they are more or less that same as before you were pregnant. So be sure to finding some level of grace and acceptance ad know that you are trying your best and that the nausea and food aversions will someday pass. With that in mind, here are some food based tip to control nausea.

Foods that may help prevent nausea

While there are no "perfect" foods that will solve everyone's symptoms, the following foods are generally considered to be beneficial for nausea:

- Ginger

- Lemon

- Mint

- Sour flavored foods

- Hot or cold foods

- Bland foods (low fat, low fiber, simple foods without a ton of seasoning)

- Foods with a high B6 content (seeds, nuts, dried fruit, banana, avocado, yams & potatoes)

Highly nutritious foods that are easy to digest

Choosing foods that provide you with a lot of nutrition while being gentle on your sensitive stomach can be tricky. Here's a few foods that offer a high nutrition value without requiring a lot of work to digest, and are generally well tolerated:

- Porridges and long cooked grains

- Brothy soups and stews

- Cultured dairy products (yogurt, buttermilk, kefer, sour cream and cottage cheese)

- Light or mild proteins (tofu, eggs, white meat chicken, or nut butters)

- Sourdough bread products (toast and pretzels)

- Potatoes, squash and sweet potato

Foods to avoid

Certain foods are known to be harsher on the gut, which can trigger nausea. Try limiting these foods to small amounts if you're feeling prone to sickness:

- Greasy or high fat foods- which can make you're stomach produce more acid and bile, leading to worse nausea

- Super sugary foods- likes large amounts of candy, soda, or desserts may cause your blood sugar levels to spike and then drop, leading to feeling dizzy, tired or sick

- Super salty foods- can trigger bloating and worsen dehydration

- Whatever doesn't smell good to you- listen to you're body!

Other tips and tricks for nausea in pregnancy

- Eat small amounts frequently- Many pregnant people find that eating frequent small meals and snacks throughout the day rather then a few larger meals is helpful for combating nausea. Giving your gut smaller portions to work with lessens the work it needs to put into digesting your foods thus decreasing nausea. Eating frequently can also help to stabilize your blood sugar and prevents feeling sick. Having snacks at regular intervals can also help you to avoid that uncomfortable pattern of feeling nauseous from being so hungry, but then feeling nausea from eating too much too quickly.

- Chew your food well- your mouth is where the process of digestion starts; by chewing your food extra, you can take some of the extra work off of your stomach, and thus potentially decrease nausea and bloating.

- Mix up your meals- don't be afraid to think outside the box and try having breakfast foods for dinner and dinner foods in the morning. A light soup or some chicken with rice can be gentler on your belly in the morning, while scrambled eggs or cereal might work well at night. Anything goes!

Recipes for nausea

Buttermilk smoothies

Although it's most commonly used in baking, buttermilk also forms the basis for a great smoothie. With Its slightly sour flavor profile, it's an especially good choice for if your struggling with nausea; plus it's cultured which means it's easier to digest than regular dairy products. Buttermilk also contains a ton of nutritional value with a perfect balance of protein, fat and carbs, as well as calcium and B vitamins. Here's a quick and easy recipe:

2 cups frozen fruit (berries, mango, peaches or banana)

1 1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2-1 cup ice

2- 3 Tablespoons or agave syrup or honey

Agua Frescas

Popular in Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, "aguas frescas" are a real treat. Made with fresh fruit, water, lime and mint, they're an excellent way to stay hydrated and stave off nausea. Here's a nice post with several recipe variations from Cookie and Kate: https://cookieandkate.com/aguas-frescas-recipe/

Lemon Ginger Chicken Soup

Chicken soup is not only good for the soul, but it's also great if your belly is unsettled! Broth-based soups are highly nutritious and very gentle on the stomach. Chicken also pairs well with lemon and ginger, two powerful nausea-busting ingredients. Try this easy recipe from Simply Wisked that includes a little rice and veggies for extra nourishment (or feel free to leave them out if you prefer): https://www.simplywhisked.com/ginger-chicken-soup/

Ramen with Eggs

If you're a fan of instant ramen, then this one's for you. Both eggs and ramen are economical, tasty and easy to digest, plus they just happen to go great together. Here's two ways to enjoy them:

1. Cook you're ramen according to the instructions on the packet (you can also throw a chopped carrot in while the water is boiling for a little bit of veg), then top with either a hard boiled egg or a fried egg.

2. Make a ramen and egg scramble- cook the ramen according to the instructions on the packet and drain. Then add the cooked noodles to a frying pan a little butter or oil for about 1 minute. Add in 1-2 scrambled eggs to the pan with noodles and cook together until done, about 2-4 minutes.

Pastina

This Italian comfort food is made with tiny pasta pearls (or Pastina), that absorb the liquid they're cooked in, making them creamy, hydrating and rich in minerals. Love this lemon Pastina recipe from Longbourn Farm (feel free to omit the mozzarella if you're not feeling it): https://longbournfarm.com/pastina-family-classic/

Baked Potato

Full of easy to digest vitamins (including iron and B6, which is naturally good for nausea) and minerals (like magnesium and potassium that are important for hydration), baked potatoes are solid choice for any meal or snack. Try topping it with sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, or some chives (an herb that many consider a digestive aide).

Lemon Ginger Tea & Sourdough Toast

For a light snack to help you keep your energy up, try this simple combination of tea and toast. You can brew up some lemon & ginger tea from store bought tea bag or make your own with this easy recipe from BBC Good Food: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/lemon-ginger-tea. Have it with a slice of sourdough toast (which is thought to be the easiest bread to digest) topped with a little butter, jam, avocado or nut butter.

Rice Cakes with Banana, Peanut Butter & Honey

Gentle on the stomach, yet full of protein, healthy fats and vitamins, this simple combo is easy to make for yourself when you're looking for a quick snack or light meal. Simply top your rice cake with a tablespoon or two of your favorite nut butter, a few coin-slices of banana (or you can use apple slices as well if you want something crunchy) and a drizzle of honey and your good to go!

Cottage Cheese Bowls

Long touted as an ideal food to eat when you're feeling nauseated, cottage cheese is also a full of protein and vitamins, yet easy to digest. You can have it plain, or topped with fruit, nuts or honey. Or, check out this post from Kitchen Konfidence about making your fruit purees to top your cottage cheese with: https://www.kitchenkonfidence.com/2014/07/rainbow-fruit-purees

Kitchari

Made with soaked basmati rice, lentils and mild spices, this traditional Indian dish provides a lot of nutrition without requiring much from your digestive system. It was one of my personal first trimester favorites. Try this simple recipe from Real and Vibrant: https://realandvibrant.com/healing-ayurvedic-kitchari/ . Feel free to substitute with red or yellow lentils if you can't find the type she uses.

Greek Yogurt FroYo

If you're looking for something sweet, try making your own froyo with Greek yogurt ad fruit. It's cheap, easy, and contains much less sugar then ice cream. Greek yogurt is not only packed with protein, but it's naturally tart, which is helpful for nausea. Plus cold foods are often well tolerated if you're feeling queasy. Here's a 5 minute recipe from Just a Taste: https://www.justataste.com/5-minute-healthy-greek-frozen-yogurt-recipe/

Popsicles

Pops are a great way to stay hydrated and treat morning sickness. Try out some of these DIY nausea-specific recipes:

• Lemon Ginger Popsicles from The Harvest Kitchen:

https://www.theharvestkitchen.com/lemon-ginger-popsicles/

• Sour cherry pops:

https://shop.americanlicorice.com/blogs/recipes-and-crafts/torie-howard-sour- cherry-popsicles

• Sour watermelon pops from Klein Worth& Co:

https://www.kleinworthco.com/sour-watermelon-pops/

Chocolate PB Protein Shake

If you're having trouble getting in protein, consider a drinkable form. You can make this easy, nutritionally balanced chocolate peanut butter shake from Eating Well: https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/261428/chocolate-peanut-butter-protein-shake/ , or if you prefer, you chocolate protein popsicles from Oh So Delicioso: https://ohsodelicioso.com/protein-popsicles/#recipe

Simple Sushi Roll in a Bowl

Rice is a highly digestible source of quick carbs, which can be important in the first trimester. Try creating a quick and easy "sushi roll in a bowl" (aka all the ingredients of sushi not in a roll form) with 1/2-1 cup of rice, cooked sweet potato, avocado, torn up nori seaweed and sesame seeds. Tofu is also a great addition, as it's full of protein and calcium, gentle on the gut and has very little smell.

Butter Noodles with Green Peas

Noodles get a bad rap sometimes, but they can be a good food for first trimester nausea. Although high in carbs, many noodles are enriched with vitamins and minerals and have some protein content. Try tossing your noodle with a little butter, and throwing in some frozen green peas (or chicken breast) for extra protein that won't upset your stomach. You can also top your dish a little nutritional yeast or parmesan if you're feeling up to it.

Porridge

Porridge is a general term for a long cooked grain dish and can come in many forms, all of which are are good sources of nutrition, and easy on the gut. They can be eaten any time of the day (not just at breakfast), and topped with fruit and nuts, or just eaten plain. Here's a few options to try if you're looking for something easy to digest:

- Oatmeal

- Cream of wheat

- Polenta

Here's a few other very highly nourishing porridges that are perfect for nausea:

• Jatjuk- Made by blending soaked nuts and rice into a fine porridge, this Korean porridge is warm, nourishing and very tasty. Recipe here from Maangchi: https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/jatjuk

• Congee- This comforting porridge can be find in many versions in a variety of Asian countries. You can try this Chicken based Chinese congee recipe from The New York Times: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018321-chicken-congee

• Jamaican corn porridge- similar to polenta but made with coconut milk and a little sweeter, try this recipe from African Bites: https://www.africanbites.com/jamaican-corn-meal-porridge/

Cereal & Milk

For some reason cereal can be so satisfying in the first trimester. Try to avoid super sugary cereals, which spike your blood sugar and make you feel worse. Stick with options that have less than 9 grams of sugar, like cheerios, plain corn flakes, Kix or Chex. Try having your cereal with cold cow milk or soy for added protein.

DIY Nut Milk

Although store-bought almond milk is made with mostly water, sugar and oil, making your own is a relatively easy, highly nutritious and easy to digest. Here's a great post from Ambitious Kitchen with 4 variations of nut milk: https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/how-to-make-homemade-nut-milk/ . I would suggest drinking it ice cold.

Let me know in the comments which recipe worked the best for you!