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Iron is an essential part of any diet (pregnant or not!) - your body needs iron to make haemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen around your body. It's also an important component of myoglobin (a protein that helps supply oxygen to your muscles ) collagen (which is important for healthy bones and cartilage) and it helps you to maintain a healthy immune system. Iron is even more essential for pregnancy healthy nutrition and for breast feeding mums. During pregnancy the amount of blood in your body increases by almost 50% so your need for iron goes up accordingly! You also need extra iron in your pregnancy diet to meet the needs of your developing baby and placenta, especially in the second and third trimesters. If you're not getting enough iron you're likely to feel more tired, less energetic, short of breath and irritable. If low iron levels continue you might start experiencing headaches and suffer from a lowered immune resistance. Iron deficiency anaemia is the most common type of anaemia in pregnancy and has an increased risk of premature birth, low birth weight and reduced fetal organ growth. What are the best sources of iron for pregnant women? There are two forms of iron: haem-iron which is only found in animal products (especially red meat) and is easier for your body to absorb and non-haem iron which is found in plant foods such as green leafy vegetables, wholegrain bread, beans and lentils as well meat, poultry and fish. Beef, turkey (especially the dark meat on the legs), chicken and fish are good sources of iron as part of your pregnancy diet. Liver has plenty of iron but also contains excessive amounts of Vitamin A so should be limited during pregnancy to around 50g a week. Vegetarians should ensure their diet includes plenty of raisins, apricots, prunes and nuts as well as dark green leafy veggies such as watercress, spinach or kale. Vitamin C can help you to absorb iron more easily, especially from plant foods. Team your iron-rich meal with cabbage, broccoli or roast peppers and tomatoes, enjoy a glass of fresh orange juice with your meal or serve fresh fruit as a dessert for maximum benefit. Caffeine can make it harder for the body to absorb iron, so avoid tea and coffee at meal times. Spinach Smoothie If your first thought when considering a spinach smoothie is 'thanks, but it's just a shade too green for me!' think again. It's surprisingly delicious and so good for you! Spinach is packed with Vitamins (including Vitamin C, A, K, B2 and B6) as well as containing iron, magnesium and dietary fibre. Best of all spinach is a rich source of the folate that is so essential for pregnancy nutrition. 1 apple, cored and chopped 1 pear, cored and chopped 1 ½ cups of apple juice 4 big handfuls of spinach Simply put all the ingredients into your blender and whizz together until smooth. This will make enough for two big glasses, so pop one in the fridge for tomorrow. Add more apple juice if you prefer a more liquid smoothie, or serve over ice. For a change use a good chunk of cucumber instead of the pear or give it an extra burst of flavour by adding a teaspoon of grated fresh ginger Alexandra McCabe is a founder of FittaMamma, the healthy pregnancy experts. FittaMamma is a free resource to help women enjoy an active pregnancy with workout videos, recipes and step by step yoga guides. Read here for tips on what to eat when you're pregnant and how to enjoy a healthy prenatal diet with all your important pregnancy vitamins
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