How to Stay Healthy Vegan During Pregnancy

A decision of going or staying vegan during pregnancy

Pregnancy nutrition has changed so much over the past two decades. Pregnant women have more freedom about the decisions they make during their pregnancy than ever before. Why is that? The look of a pregnancy diet has shifted a lot. You may now see more expectant women following a vegan diet. Modern women don’t stick with stereotypes which have been made some twenty or thirty years ago!

There is some much proof that a well-balanced vegan diet is actually very good for your health and leads to an amazingly healthy lifestyle. So why should pregnant women abandon this healthy diet? The truth is that despite all this proof, many women are still unsure about whether they should follow the vegan diet during their pregnancy.

If you are planning on getting pregnant and stay or even become vegan during your pregnancy, then you shouldn’t be concerned whether you will get enough nutrients for you and your unborn child. Read my guidance and I’ll show you why.

Preparing for a vegan pregnancy

Like planning on pregnancy on any other diet, veganism is no different. You have to prepare your body for a new life growing inside your belly. Nine months of pregnancy is a long journey and you want to make sure you are prepared for this changing, but very exciting life period.

Start making changes before conception

You should start preparing your body a few years before a planned conception- For example, if you are planning on getting pregnant in next two or three years, you should already start making necessary changes now. If you are already vegan, you actually don’t have to anything significantly different. If you consider becoming vegan, make sure you have enough information which is fundamental for living a vegan diet. In any case, tell your healthcare provider about your specific diet.

The first step is to get your weight to the point where you’d like to before you get pregnant. Check your body mass index (BMI). If you find your BMI in overweight or even obese range, you might wish to lose some weight. Overweight during pregnancy can increase the risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and high blood pressure. On the other hand, underweight can cause preterm birth or even an underweight infant.

Check your nutrients intake before conception

As you might already know, getting enough nutrients is extremely important not only during the pregnancy but before entering pregnancy, too. Make sure you especially get enough folate as its deficiency can cause spina bifida and other very serious neural tube defects in an unborn baby.

Sometimes it’s necessary to take prenatal supplements, such as a pregnancy multivitamin/mineral supplement or other supplements which are specific for pregnancy. Get checked for blood analysis before you get pregnant and if necessary, undertake other tests, such as a prenatal vaccination. Make sure your level of vitamin B12, D, choline, iodine, iron, and zinc is in a normal range.

You should absolutely consider quitting smoking, using recreational drugs and drinking alcohol even if you are not a heavy and frequent user! Also avoid herbal supplements and botanical remedies are recommended.

Myths about vegan pregnancy

You might come across several myths, prejudices, and stereotypes about vegan pregnancy. But don’t get discouraged! They are only myths and you can easily overcome them. You also might hear from your loved ones and well-meaning people in your closest surroundings that it’s not healthy to be on a vegan diet while pregnant and that you can put in risk not only your life but the life of your unborn baby, too. Have no fear and listen to your heart and your best judgment.

The position of the American Dietetic Association is very positive about vegan pregnancy and says that it’s absolutely appropriate to follow a vegan diet throughout a human life which naturally includes pregnancy. Contrary, many types of research conclude that veganism during pregnancy could be healthier! In fact, the consumption of animal products increases the risk of heavy metals intake (in seafood and fish) and bacterial risk (in meat and dairy).

Because of higher consumption of organic and whole food, your body has less exposure to the antibiotics, pesticides, hormones and all other highly toxic chemicals which are commonly found in animal products. And that’s great news!

One of the biggest research in the past is a famous project in a small vegan community in Summertown, Tennesse. The study happened in 1987 and included 775 pregnant women. They ate a vegan diet (mostly products they grew on the farm). The researches discovered that a vegan diet has no impact on infant birth weights and most of the pregnant women had a very easy labour. You can read more about this case study here.

Specific nutrients for pregnant vegans

Protein

Stop thinking about the common protein myth right now! Yes, vegans get enough protein and vegans pregnant women, too! There are some amazing plant protein sources which give your body all essential amino acids. The only things you might be aware of is to mix and combine these sources well.

From the fourth month of pregnancy, you should increase your intake of protein by 25 grams a day. It is good if you eat at least one bigger protein-rich meal per day. The good sources of plant protein are black beans, chickpeas, edamame beans, lentils, peanut butter, tofu, tempeh, peanuts, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, almonds and hazelnuts, quinoa or brown rice.

Download the list of vegan protein sources here:

The trick is to combine these ingredients well so you get a meal rich not only in protein but also in iron, zinc, folate, and choline. You don’t have to be worried about not getting all essential amino acids. Naturally, a vegan diet is a bit lower in one or two amino acids. With the right combination of your meal, you will get a sufficient amount of all nine essential amino acids.

Iron

Getting enough iron is a concern for all women, no matter what diet they follow. During the pregnancy, the blood supply increases by up to 50 per cent! Iron is necessary for neurological development and a build-up of iron stores. It also reduces the chance of preterm birth.

All pregnant women are recommended to take 27 mg of iron per day. Vegan and vegetarian pregnant women are advised to consume even up to 49 mg per day which is 1.8 times higher. The question is if this amount is really necessary. Vegan pregnant women naturally consume more vitamin C which helps with the iron absorption.

Supplements which include 30 mg of iron are common for pregnant women. If your diet is already rich in iron and vitamin C, you might avoid taking this much iron because it can be even toxic for you!

The best sources for iron are beans, dried fruit (especially dried apricots), leafy greens, lentils, seeds, soy food, whole grains and blackstrap molasses. Try to eat more fruit and vegetables which contain vitamin C, such as citruses, tomatoes or red capsicums. Avoid consuming too much coffee and black and green tea because these decrease the iron absorption.

Download the list of vegan iron sources here:

Zinc

Zinc is important for building a strong immune system and for cell differentiation. It is crucial for cell replication. Insufficient intake can cause preterm birth, low birth weight and other problems linked to difficult labour. The recommended intake is 8 mg before pregnancy and 11 mg during pregnancy (12 mg for pregnant teens). Its absorption increases during pregnancy.

Many products which are high in iron are also high in zinc, such as beans. Other amazing sources are quinoa, seeds, tahini, tofu, cashews, asparagus, corn, mushrooms, peanuts, peas and fortified cereals.

Calcium

Most of the vegans have problems with taking enough calcium, so make sure you get enough especially during your pregnancy. You should receive at least 1000 mg per day if you are from 19 to 50 years old. If you are 18, your daily intake is 1300 mg. As you might suspect, calcium is crucial for bone building. The body becomes more efficient in absorbing calcium during pregnancy.

Plant-based food is usually an excellent source of calcium. Many green products contain a lot of calcium, such as bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, kale, okra and collard greens. Other great sources of calcium include figs, tofu, oranges, and almonds.

Iodine

Iodine is essential for normal development of a brain and central nervous system. For the prevention of brain damage, you have to make sure you receive enough iodine in your daily food intake.

Many pregnancy supplements don’t contain enough iodine. The usual recommended amount per day is 220 mcg but most of the supplements contain only about 150 mcg. If you add 1/4 teaspoon of iodized salt to your meal, you will add about 70 mcg iodine to your daily intake!

If you are pregnant, your daily maximum intake of iodine is 900 mcg if you are a teen and 1100 mcg if you are an adult! Try to get information about how much iodine the food you buy contains as many types of food are not iodized. The sea vegetables are a quite good source of iodine. Nevertheless, be aware of a label and where you buy it from.

Vitamin D

When pregnant, you should make sure you get at least 15 mcg of vitamin D per day. It really helps absorb calcium and it plays many other roles during pregnancy. If you don’t get enough vitamin D, you could be in a risk of preeclampsia. During pregnancy, you can also increase your daily intake by up to 50 mcg during the wintertime.

Getting enough vitamin D is usually not a problem during summer because naturally, we spend more time outside a house and absorb vitamin D from the sunlight.

Vitamin B12

There has always been a massive discussion about getting enough vitamin B12 when you are vegan. it still raises many questions, especially when you are a pregnant vegan. The insufficient amount of vitamin B12 can cause neural tube defects, brain damage, being born prematurely, seizures and in the worst case, death. So make sure you really get enough vitamin B12.

If you are a pregnant vegan woman, you might do one of the following things:

• take a supplement which contains at least 25 mcg of vitamin B12 daily,
• take a supplement which contains 1000 mcg of vitamin B12 every two or three days or
• take at least three servings rich of fortified vitamin B12 daily, such as nutritional yeast, vegetable meal or cereals for breakfast.

Folate

Folate is absolutely necessary for building the baby’s DNA and for its healthy growth, Folate is needed for the development of the neural tube which soon becomes the brain and the spinal cord. Vegans have usually no problem with intake of the right amount of folate since they eat a lot of beans, greens, and oranges.

Pregnant women should get at least 600 mcg of folate daily. One cup of orange juice, three cups of lettuce or one cup of cooked white quinoa can cover this amount of folate very easily.

A synthetic version of folate is called folic acid which is used in supplements and other fortified foods such as bread, rice, flour, pasta or cereals. There is usually no problem to intake enough folic acid with this kind of food. Nevertheless, in a case you are gluten-free or don’t really like food which contains pasta, you should take a supplement, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-3 fatty acids are necessary for a healthy mother and her child before, during and after pregnancy. Some of the fatty acids are crucial for the development of a baby’s brain, retinas, and central nervous system. Vegans usually have a lower level of these fatty acids.

Women need the fatty acids for maintaining balanced production of hormone-like substances which help regulate several important physiological functions as blood pressure, blood clotting, nerve transmission and the good function of the kidneys. It’s essential to consume good sources of the omega-3 fatty acids, such as flaxseeds, walnuts, chia seeds, hemp seeds and their oils.

Dietary suggestions for pregnant vegans

During pregnancy, you should try to avoid fat, deep-fried and junk food. Eat a wide variety of food. Try to get all colours of the rainbow which will supply enough calories for you and your baby to grow inside you per day.

Include a piece of fruit or two for your breakfast. You can blend it and make a delicious smoothie. You can try to create a smoothie bowl and add some seeds, nuts or dried fruit. If you still feel a bit hungry after this fruity breakfast, you can prepare a bowl of granola or cereals with soy milk and more seeds. Scrambled tofu with some roasted veggies is also a very good example of tasty and healthy breakfast.

For your snack in between lunch and breakfast, you can prepare a bowl of mix nuts and seeds or create some protein balls and bars. A little bit of hummus as a dip for carrot or cucumber stick with some roasted sweet potato is also a good option.

Lunch should contain most of your daily vegetable and protein intake. You can prepare a salad with salsa (such as guacamole salsa) and add some beans, quinoa or tofu. A bowl of vegetable or bean soup is also a great idea.

For dinner, you can have some stir-fried vegetables with some rice noodles or tofu. Add some nuts or seeds. You can also make marinated tofu with vegetables or pasta with a delicious tomato or creamy sauce.

Vegan pregnancy is not scary

Whether you are already vegan and are planning on getting pregnant or a meat eater who is considering staying on a vegan diet while pregnant, it is not scary at all. You only have to make sure you get enough of all the necessary nutrients throughout your pregnancy. In addition, you can take supplements which are recommended for pregnant women.

Remember you need to take:

• 30 mg iron
• 10-15 mg zinc
• 500-600 mg calcium
• 400-600 mcg folic acid
• 3 mcg vitamin B12
• 10 mcg vitamin D

Eat enough whole grains and as many colours of a rainbow as possible. Try to avoid too much caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol. You will see you should have no fear and you will enjoy your vegan pregnancy and stay healthy at all times!

Did you manage a vegan diet during your pregnancy or do you know about someone who did? Let me know in comments below what you tips for a smooth vegan pregnancy are and don’t forget to share this article with others!