Veganism during pregnancy: Is it the right fit for you?
As veganism grows increasingly popular, more women are choosing to eat this way — including during pregnancy.
Vegan diets exclude all animal products and typically emphasize whole foods like vegetables and legumes. This eating pattern is linked to various health benefits, including a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Yet, some people worry that a vegan diet may cause nutrient deficiencies that could be especially dangerous for pregnant women or their babies.
This article explores whether the vegan diet’s safe during pregnancy and provides tips for how to do it properly.
Prior to pregnancy
Good pregnancy nutrition starts even before you become pregnant. Here are some things to do and think about:
- Is your Body Mass Index (BMI) in what’s considered the normal range?
- Take a folic acid supplement every day, as per gynecologists suggestion.
- Have blood work done to confirm that your iron status is normal.
- Take a reliable and adequate source of vitamin B12 (fortified foods and/or supplements) every day.
- Is your overall diet healthful and comprised mainly of whole, nutritious foods?
- Are you getting enough exercise?
- Avoiding alcohol and tobacco products is immensely important during pregnancy. It’s a good idea to eliminate these substances if you are planning to get pregnant.
The months before becoming pregnant offer a time when you can make sure that you’re in the best possible shape for pregnancy. Even though the nine months of pregnancy may seem interminable.
Nutrition Recommendations During a Vegan Pregnancy
If you’re not already doing so, it’s good to get in the habit of eating a healthy vegan diet and exercising regularly. That way, you’ll be able to share these habits with your children and serve as a role model. Plus, you’ll already be used to eating well and exercising when you become pregnant.
Adequate — but not excessive — weight gain is important in pregnancy. While you might think that you only need to gain 11 to 16 kg to account for the baby’s weight, the baby’s weight is just a fraction of the weight you must gain.
The nutrients that pregnant vegan women should be especially aware of are:
- Protein
- Vitamin B12
- Folic acid
- Iron and Zinc
- Iodine
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Calcium
- Vitamin D
You must be aware of good sources of each of these nutrients and have a plan for meeting your needs every day. Fortunately, it’s simple to meet your needs for these nutrients with a vegan diet. In some cases, these nutrients are most easily obtained through supplements and/or fortified foods.
Vegan Protein Sources
The list of vegan foods that don’t contain protein is a much shorter list than those foods that do supply protein. Foods that provide protein include all varieties of beans from adzuki to yellow, grains, nuts and seeds, nut butters and seed butters, vegetables, potatoes, soy foods, meat analogs (products made to resemble meats), and seitan (wheat “meat”). The short list of poor sources of protein is just that: short.
Foods and ingredients that are not good sources of protein include:
- Fats and oils — margarine, olive oil, canola oil, other oils, most salad dressings
- Sugar and other sweeteners — maple syrup, molasses, agave nectar
- Soft drinks, coffee, tea
- Herbs and spices — the amounts you eat are too small to provide much protein
- Fruits — note that fruits are great foods; they’re just not good protein sources
- Alcohol — but you’re not drinking that anyway, right?
Another issue to be aware of is whether you are getting enough calories. Ideally, you’re gaining weight at the rate that you should for pregnancy. If you are, chances are that you’re getting enough calories. Not gaining weight could mean you’re eating fewer calories than you need, which means that protein is being used mainly to keep your body functions going instead of being used to build your baby’s muscles. Your protein intake will naturally increase as you eat more food when you are pregnant, especially if you focus on foods that are good sources of protein
Benefits of a Vegan Diet During Pregnancy
A vegan diet can offer benefits to both you and your baby, including:
- Reduced risk of preeclampsia- Preeclampsia is a serious pregnancy complication associated with high blood pressure and organ damage. A review of the medical records of 775 health-conscious vegan mothers who received good prenatal care and supplemented their diets with vitamins found that only one developed preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is often associated with rapid weight gain and eating foods high in saturated fat. A healthy vegan diet may protect against developing preeclampsia.
- Reduced risk of gestational diabetes- Vegan diets that are high in fiber — including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains — and low in saturated fat may reduce the risk of excessive weight gain and gestational diabetes. If you have gestational diabetes, a vegan diet may reduce your chances of having a C-section. It may also reduce your need for insulin.
- Reduced risk of some neural tube defects and brain tumors- Neural tube defects, which are birth defects of the brain, spine, or spinal cord, have been associated with a high nitrate intake during pregnancy. Since cured meat and smoked fish are the main sources of nitrates in most diets, vegan diets reduce this risk.
Risks of a Vegan Diet During Pregnancy
A vegan diet during pregnancy needs to be healthy, diverse, and well-planned. If not, it will likely lack essential nutrients. Vegan diets that lack in nutrients such as protein, vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, DHA, and iron increase the risk that your baby may have low birth weight or birth defects.
Vegan diets need to include the following, especially if you’re pregnant:
- Vitamin B-12- This is not found in most plant foods, so be sure to supplement. Vitamin B-12 is included in all standard prenatal supplements.
- Iron- Plant-based sources of iron include foods such as beans, dark green vegetables, dried fruits, nuts, and seeds. You may still need to supplement, especially in the second half of your pregnancy. Iron supplements must be taken as per suggested by the doctor alongside including iron rich foods in the diet
- Nutrients such as zinc and iodine- These are found in some vegetables and prenatal supplements.
- Calcium- Plants rich in calcium include spinach, collard greens, and kale.
- Omega-3 fats- These healthy fats can be found in foods such as walnuts, chia seeds, and edamame.
- Protein- Pregnant women need about 70 grams of protein daily in the second and third trimesters. Plant foods high in protein include beans, tofu, whole grains, and vegetables.
- Vitamin D- If you don’t get enough Vitamin D from sunlight, you may need a supplement. A few vegan sources are mushrooms, fortified cereal, soy milk, orange juice, etc.
Tips for a Healthy Vegan Diet
Follow these guidelines to make sure that your vegan diet is healthy and will meet all your nutritional needs during pregnancy:
- Eat a variety of foods- Make sure most of the food you eat is minimally processed. Include a lot of different vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
- Limit vegetable fats- Choose vegetable fats carefully, making sure to get plenty of omega-3 fats. Limit trans fats and tropical oils such as coconut, palm, and palm kernel oil.
- Get enough calcium and vitamin D- Eat a lot of plants that are high in calcium. No diet can provide vitamin D, so make sure your levels are adequate.
- Supplement Vitamin B-12- Since Vitamin B-12 comes primarily from animal sources, you will need to supplement it regularly.
Balanced vegan diets can be nutritionally adequate for all stages of life, including pregnancy. Yet, poorly planned vegan diets may increase your risk of nutrient deficiencies, as well as preterm birth, low birth weight, and the improper development of your baby. Therefore, following a vegan diet while pregnant requires careful planning. To make sure you meet your nutrient needs, consider consulting a dietitian who specializes in plant-based diets.
References-
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/pregnancy-weight-gain/art-20044360
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6470702/
- https://www.webmd.com/parenting/is-it-safe-to-eat-a-vegan-diet-while-pregnant#1
