The Brewer Pregnancy Diet

The Brewer Pregnancy Diet - In memory of Dr. Tom Brewer November 2005

Dr. Tom Brewer was a pioneer in women's health. At a time when doctors were trying to treat symptoms of Preeclampsia, Dr. Brewer attacked the problem at its cause: poor nutrition. He learned very quickly that when a woman is given the tools to make good nutritional decisions, she will eat healthy.

Dr. Brewer first recommended his high protein pregnancy diet to women in his practice in the 1960's. He served women from a very poor community whose families had passed on seriously flawed cooking and eating habits. When he implemented his program, the health of the women and babies was better than that of their well educated neighbors. During his 12 years in practice over 25,000 women experienced healthy pregnancies with his diet. Dr. Brewer's research demonstrates that good nutrition can help prevent still birth, premature birth, preeclampsia, anemia, placental abruption, infection and miscarriage.

The Brewer diet focuses mainly on adequate protein intake during pregnancy and is traditionally taught in Bradley Method® Childbirth Classes (which I plan on teaching by the end of the year).
Dr. Brewer's work is to be continued by the Brewer Institute, a privately funded organization that will begin operations in 2006.

Most Importantly, PROTEIN! PROTEIN! PROTEIN!
Proteins are broken down into amino acids by your body and used to repair body tissues and organs. Your baby will be built from these amino acids. Contrary to popular belief, you can not build a baby from the extra stores of fat on your hips (although, wouldn’t that be nice!) Inadequate protein intake can lead to fatigue, swelling, and even a lack of appetite.

The average non-pregnant person needs approximately 56 grams of protein per day. Dr. Brewer recommends the pregnant woman aim for 80 – 100 grams of protein per day. This may seem like a lot of protein to eat in one day but if you consider that a 3 ounce piece of chicken (which is about the size of a credit card) has 20 grams of protein one can easily obtain 80 grams. Oh, and check out a good healthy peanut butter, the one I eat has 10 grams of protein in 2 tablespoons! Yum! Yogurt and cottage cheese are also quick, easy to eat, high-packed protein foods.

Although my focus is protein, the diet consists of many more healthy combos, but to me, protein is crucial.
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 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. --What Every Pregnant Woman Should Know(1977)--2 servings (3 oz. each) --The Pregnancy After 30 Workbook(1978)--2 servings --Right from the Start(1981)--8 servings (1 oz. each) --The Brewer Medical Diet for Normal and High Risk Pregnancy(1983)--6 servings (1 oz. each) --The Very Important Pregnancy Program(1988)--6 servings (1 oz. each) See the last question on my FAQ page. ***Due to mercury content, do not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish --You may eat up to 12 oz a week of a variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury: shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, catfish --Albacore ("white") tuna has more mercury than canned light tuna, so you may eat up to 6 oz of albacore tuna per week. ****Some sources suggest that one possible source of peanut allergies in children may be an excess consumption of peanuts by their mothers during their pregnancy. If you know of any documentation about this, please let me know. Here's one source of peanut allergy information Here's another source for info about peanuts and soft cheeses See Q&A section here for info on why not to use protein drinks See here for information on the hazards of herbal diuretics in pregnancy