CHERRIES - 2nd Trimester - Healthiest foods to eat during pr

100 Healthiest Foods to Eat During Pregnancy

2nd Trimester

CHERRIES
Having trouble sleeping? Some pregnant women will suffer from insomnia during their pregnancy even if they've never had any issues with it before. it is not known why this happens. It could be the hormonal changes in your body or the physical changes that are making your normal sleeping position uncomfortable. Even thinking about having a baby may be keeping you up! Sleep medications may not be safe during pregnancy, but there's one delicious fruit that's safe and may help you sleep: cherries.

* Cherries contain a compound called melatonin, an antioxidant hormone. Scientists have found that tart cherries contain more of this powerful antioxidant than your body normally produces.

* Melatonin is produced by the pineal gland in the brain. It helps the body know whn it's time to sleep and when it's time to wake up, explaining why some people claim they simply can't "sleep in" on weekends. Melatonin is released at night or int he dark, letting your body know that ti's time to sleep. Eating cherries can imrove your body's levels of melatonin and may help you sleep better.

* That's not all melatonin's good for. It also stimulates cell growth that can help your skin, which is growing and stretching around your breasts and belly.

* melatonin may help protect your skin by preventing damage like stretch makes and wrinkles. Eating some cherries myay make you a healthy, younger-looking mom. Now that sure sounds sweet!

* Cherries are a good source of vitamin C, with about 10 mg per cup. Vitamin C is a friend to your immune system, keeping it strong and helping you fend off infections like the commone cold. Vitamin C also helps strengthen blood vessels, which during yoru pregnancy are working hard to ensure that enough blood is getting to the placenta and eventually to your baby.

* Vitamin C plays a rold in iron absorption. this key mineral helps your bloodstream carry oxygen around your body and to your baby.If you've been feeling winded, you may find some relief with more iron in your diet.

* Vitamin C also plays a rold in the production of collagen, the main stregth compound in your skin. Collagen plays a part in your skin's ability to stretch and rebound after stretching. When collagen levels drop in your skin, it looks bumpy, wrinkles, and old.

JONNY'S TASTY TIPS
Fresh cherries are most available - and more affordable! - in the summer. If you're pregnant then, indulge! But buy organic cherries, please, for your sake and your baby's. the Environmental Working Group lists conventionally grown cherries on its 2003 list of twelve foods most contaminated with pesticides. And remember, the redder the cherries, teh better they are for you.

Luckily, frozen cherries have a nutritional value fairly close to fresh cherries', and they're available year-round. So buy a bag and keep it in your freezer for adding to smoothies or yogurt. Or try my own favorite dessert-organic red cherries straight from the freezer and topped with some milk or yogurt. The milk or yogurt semifreezes on the cherries, and when I stir it up, it creates my healthy alternative to cherry garcia ice cream. It's my secret weapon against the attack of the ice cream craving. Now it can be yours too!

Cherry juice in antoher good choice. Look for organic, 100 percent pure cherry juice that is not from concentrate, since concentrated juice loses most of its water-soluble nutrients during processing.

I know we said that sour cherries are even better for you than sweet, but that isn't an excuse for pigging out of sugar-drenched, calorie-laden cherry pie or dried cherries! Instead, think of ways to use sour cherries where their tartness is an advantage: baked with chicken, duck, or pork roast; in a salad with orange segments and almonds; or in a delicious Indian rice dish. Or try sneaking some into brown rice pudding or bread pudding for a luscious comfort food.

PREVIOUS POSTS

Fertility Foods:

ARUGULA: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/100458-arugula-healthiest-foods-for-fertility

1st Timester:

ALMONDS: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/100150-almonds-1st-trimester-healthiest-foods
ANCHOVIES: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/100146-anchovies-1st-trimester-healthiest-foods-during-pregnancy
APPLESAUCE: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/100145-applesauce-1st-trimester-healthiest-foods
BANANAS: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/100464-bananas-1st-trimester-healthiest-foods-during-pregnancy
BROTH: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/101059-broth-1st-trimester-healthiest-foods-to-eat-during-pregn

2nd trimester:

AVOCADO: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/100148-avocado-2nd-trimester-healthiest-foods
BASIL: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/100147-basil-2nd-trimester-healthiest-foods
CHIA SEEDS: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/100153-chia-seeds-2nd-trimester-healthiest-foods
CHAMOMILE: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/100496-chamomile-2nd-trimester-healthiest-foods-during-pregnanc
CHERRIES:

3rd Trimester:

BLACK BEANS: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/100156-black-beans-3rd-trimester-healthiest-foods
CELERY:http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/100507-celery-3rd-trimester-healthiest-foods-to-eat-during-preg