Protein-Am I getting enough?

This information is intended for general consumer understanding and education only and is not intended to be, and is not provided as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

What can you do to prevent complications and give birth to a healthy baby? Based on Dr. Tom Brewer's proven Brewer Medical Diet, here are six simple steps that you can start today:

1. Eat 80-120 grams of high quality protein every day. Protein forms the foundation of every cell of your baby's body. These can be lean meats or vegetarian combinations.  SEE BELOW
2. Take in at least 2,400 calories every day, to prevent your body from burning the protein you eat for energy. Don't hesitate to use real butter on your bread—it's a natural and concentrated source of fat your body can use.
3. Salt your food to taste. You actually need more sodium in pregnancy, not less, especially if you're experiencing excessive swelling or increased blood pressure. Lack of sodium will actually worsen these symptoms! Your taste buds are uniquely designed to tell you how much sodium you need, and your body is naturally able to regulate how much sodium stays and how much is excreted, according to its needs. Feel free to use alternatives to table salt, such as kelp, and let your taste buds be your guide to quantity. If your food tastes flat, don't be shy about it!
4. Make milk and eggs the foundation of your pregnancy nutrition: four cups of milk and two eggs a day equals 50 percent of your protein needs and supplies your baby with many essential nutrients for growth. Vegetarians and the lactose intolerant will need to carefully choose equivalent alternatives.
5. Choose whole grains over refined and processed grains whenever possible. Whole grains (including brown rice, whole-wheat flour, bran and oats) offer about 1/3 more nutrients than their processed or "enriched" counterparts.
6. Round out your pregnancy diet with fresh fruits, vegetables, and real juices (not sweetened juice "drinks"). Include both dark green and yellow varieties, and drink plenty of pure water when you're thirsty. Fruits and vegetables contain water, as well as important nutrients to help your body fight infection and metabolize other nutrients.

You must have, every day, at least: *

1. Milk and milk products--4 choices 1 cup milk: whole, skim,1%, buttermilk 1/2 cup canned evaporated milk: whole or skim 1/3 cup powdered milk:whole or skim 1 cup yogurt 1 cup sour cream 1/4 cup cottage cheese: creamed, uncreamed, pot style 1 large slice cheese (1 1/4 oz): cheddar, Swiss, other hard cheese 1 cup ice milk 1 1/2 cup soy milk 1 piece tofu, 3"x3"x 1/2" (4 oz) 2. Calcium replacements--as needed (2 per soy exchange from group 1) 36 almonds 1/3 cup bok choy, cooked 12 Brazil nuts 1 cup broccoli, cooked 1/3 cup collard greens 1/2 cup kale 2 teaspoons blackstrap molasses 4 oz black olives 1 oz sardines 3. Eggs--2 any style 4. Protein Combinations--6 to 8 choices** 1 oz lean beef, lamb, pork, liver, or kidney 1 oz chicken or turkey 1 oz fish or shell fish*** 1/4 cup canned salmon or tuna 3 sardines 3 1/2 oz tofu 1/4 cup peanuts or peanut butter**** 1/8 cup beans + 1/4 cup rice or wheat (measured before cooking) beans: soy beans, peas, black beans, kidney beans, garbanzos rice: preferably brown wheat: preferably bulgar 1/8 cup brewer's yeast + 1/4 cup rice 1/8 cup sesame or sunflower seeds + 1/2 cup cup rice 1/4 cup rice + 1/3 cup milk 1/2 oz cheese + 2 slices whole wheat bread or 1/3 cup macaroni (dry) or noodles or 1/8 cup beans 1/8 cup beans + 1/2 cup cornmeal 1/8 cup beans + 1/6 cup seeds (sesame, sunflower) 1/2 large potato + 1/4 cups milk or 1/4 oz cheese 1 oz cheese: cheddar, Swiss, other hard cheese 1/4 cup cottage cheese: creamed, uncreamed, pot style 5. Fresh, dark green vegetables--2 choices 1 cup broccoli 1 cup brussels sprouts 2/3 cup spinach 2/3 cup greens collard, turnip, beet, mustard, dandelion, kale 1/2 cup lettuce (preferable romaine) 1/2 cup endive 1/2 cup asparagus 1/2 cup sprouts: bean, alfalfa MORE INFORMATION: http://home.mindspring.com/~djsnjones/index.html 6. Whole grains--5 choices 1 waffle or pancake made from whole grain 1 slice bread whole wheat, rye, bran, other whole grain 1/2 roll, muffin, or bagel made from whole grain 1 corn tortilla 1/2 cup oatmeal or Wheatena 1/2 cup brown rice or bulgar wheat 1 shredded wheat biscuit 1/2 cup bran flakes or granola 1/4 cup wheat germ 7. Vitamin C foods--2 choices 1/2 grapefruit 2/3 cup grapefruit juice 1 orange 1/2 cup orange juice 1 large tomato 1 cup tomato juice 1/2 cantaloupe 1 lemon or lime 1/2 cup papaya 1/2 cup strawberries 1 large green pepper 1 large potato, any style 8. Fats and oils--3 choices 1 tablespoon butter or margarine 1 tablespoon mayonaise 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1/4 avocado 1 tablespoon peanut butter++ 9. Vitamin A foods--1 choice 3 apricots 1/2 cantaloupe 1/2 cup carrots (1 large) 1/2 cup pumpkin 1/2 cup winter squash 1 sweet potato 10. Liver--at least once a week (optional) 4 oz liver beef, calf, chicken, pork, turkey, liverwurst 11. Salt and other sodium sources--unlimited table salt, iodized--to taste sea salt--to taste kelp powder--to taste soy sauce--to taste 12. Water--unlimited Drink to quench thirst, but do not force fluids Real juice or milk might make better use of limited stomach space. Avoid pregnancy teas and juices which include nettle, dandelion, alfalfa, bilberry, or celery (they have diuretic properties). 13. Snacks and additional menu choices--unlimited More foods from groups 1-11 14. Optional supplements--as needed Vitamin pills, powders, herbs, yeast, oils, molasses, wheat germ, etc. "Note: Vitamin supplements are in routine use in prenatal care; they do not take the place of a sound, balanced diet of nutritious foods." (The Pregnancy After 30 Workbook, ed. Gail Brewer, 1978)   Adapted from Right from the Start, by Gail Brewer and Janice Presser Greene, from The Pregnancy After 30 Workbook, edited by Gail Brewer, and from The Brewer Medical Diet for Normal and High-Risk Pregnancy, by Gail Brewer and Tom Brewer, MD * Each food you eat may be counted for one group only (in other words, count 1/4 cup cottage cheese as either 1 milk choice or 1 protein combination choice, not both

**Different Brewer sources recommend different numbers of servings for this food group. Each 1 oz. serving provides 7 grams of protein.

Protein Content of Common Foods
Animal	Grams of Protein	Vegetable Proteins	Grams of Protein
Steak, sirloin	26	Peanuts (1 oz.)	7
Ground meat	20	Walnuts (1 oz.)	4
Hamburger	14	Peanut butter (2 TB.)	8
Bologna	10	Sesame seeds (1 oz.)	5
Hot dog	10	Sunflower seeds (1 oz.)	6
Venison	26	Flaxseeds (1 oz.)	6
Buffalo	13	Tofu (6 oz.)	12
Bacon (1 slice)	21	Soybeans (½ cup)	11
Ham	2	Soy milk (1 cup)	7
Turkey breast	26	Kidney beans (½ cup)	8
Roast beef	21	Lentils (½ cup)	9
Chicken, light	26	Chickpeas (½ cup)	10
Salmon	18	Split peas (½ cup)	8
Scallops	14	Tofu (5 oz.)	10
Oysters (2 oz.)	8	Oatmeal (1 cup)	6
Crab	13	Pasta (1 cup)	7
Cottage cheese (½ cup)	14	Brown rice (1 cup)	5
Cheddar cheese (1 oz.)	7	White rice (1 cup)	3
American cheese (1 oz.)	6	Whole-wheat bread	5
String cheese (1 oz.)	6
Mozzarella (1 oz.)	7	All are 3-ounce servings (approximately the size of a deck of cards) unless otherwise indicated. Source: 1996 First Databank.
Goat cheese (1 oz.)	6
Egg  (1)	6
Blue cheese (1 oz.)	6
Whole milk (1 cup)	8
Skim milk (1 cup)	8
Low-fat plain yogurt (1 cup)	10