Do you properly prepare your food?
When prepping for pregnancy, one of the primary goals of a mama-to-be usually includes increasing nutrient stores. Doing this can support and promote:
⤳Fertility
⤳Proper growth + development of baby
⤳Healthy pregnancy
⤳Postpartum recovery.
This is why one of the key things I teach in Conscious Conception, my eCourse, is how to properly prepare foods.
Foods like grains, legumes, veggies, nuts and seeds can all require special preparation. These plant foods contain compounds called anti-nutrients, which can make them difficult to digest and/or obtain all the nutrients they have to offer.
You may have heard of some of these anti-nutrients before. They include things like:
⤳Phytic Acid
⤳Lectins
⤳Oxalates
⤳Goitrogens
⤳Trypsin-inhibitors
Some of these anti-nutrients can interfere with digestion and absorption of important nutrients like:
⤳B Vitamins
⤳Calcium
⤳Carbohydrates
⤳Copper
⤳Iodine
⤳Iron
⤳Magnesium
⤳Proteins
⤳Zɪnc
Improper preparation of food can lead to nutrient deficiencies. One well-known example of this is when the early European colonists arrived in North America. The Native American peoples taught colonists how to properly prepare corn. However, when corn became a commodity crop in the 1700s, the preparation method was lost and until the early 1900s, many people became sick with Vitamin B3 deficiency, also known as Pellagra. (Peres)
Our ancestors recognized the need for properly preparing various foods and developed traditional methods of preparation. These include soaking, sprouting and fermentation.
Soaking pearl millet, for example, can increase the solubility of Iron and Zɪnc by 2-23% and Vitamin B1 content by ~42%. (Lestienne et al, 2005; Haard et al, 1989).
Traditional preparation methods can maximize digestion of and nutrient content in food, which can be especially helpful when trying to increase nutrient stores for #TTC.
Want to learn more? Check out my eCourse via the link in my bio. I’ll also be posting a reel on Wednesday with more info on how to properly prepare a very common, yummy food too! :)
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Not medical advice.
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This is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare professional before pursuing any changes to your personal healthcare regime.
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References
Gupta, R.K. Gangoliya, S.S. Singh, N.K. (2013). Reduction of phytic acid and enhancement of bioavailable micronutrients in food grains. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4325021/.
Haard, N.F. Odunfa, S.A. Lee, C.H. Quintero-Ramirez, A. Lorence-Quinones, A. Wacher-Radarte, C. (1989). Fermented cereals.: a global perspective. FAO, Agricultural Service Bulletin 138. Retrieved from: https://cdn.homedistil.ru/fs/1601/21/44887.90329.pdf.
Peres, T. (2016). MALNOURISHED: Cultural ignorance paved the way for pellagra. Retrieved from: https://www.southernfoodways.org/malnourished-cultural-ignorance-paved-the-way-for-pellagra/.
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