A growing number of people are turning to a vegetarian diet, either as a way to strengthen their spiritual commitment or for the benefit of their health.
For those pregnant women who are considering a vegetarian diet, you will be happy to know that your dietary choices will benefit both you and your baby.
In this article, we are going to focus on 8 tips for vegetarian diets during pregnancy. We cover everything from what kinds of protein and vitamins you should be getting to how much or little iron you need each day.
We hope that this article provides the necessary information so that anyone considering a vegetarian diet during pregnancy can make an informed decision about whether or not it is the right choice for them.
Here are 8 tips for vegetarian diets during pregnancy:
1. Eat a balanced diet: It is important to eat a balanced diet, but of course, your diet during pregnancy will be particularly important.
A balanced diet needs to include the essential macronutrients such as carbohydrates, protein and also fat.
If you want to be sure not to have any deficiencies, it is best to have a diet that contains most of the recommended amounts of all the nutrients you need.
2. Eat real food: Many people think of vegetables as something to eat because they look pretty or because they are good for you.
But if you want to be sure that your diet is nutritious, eating real food is the way to go.
Vegetables that are bought in plastic containers, frozen or canned will have lost much of their nutrition in processing, and so they will not be much good for your baby.1
All fruits and vegetables should be fresh and organic.
3. Mix and match the protein: Protein is very important to both your pregnancy and your baby.
If you are pregnant, you should be eating a diet that contains all the recommended amounts of protein – not just the amount of protein recommended for vegans.
However, most plant food is not a complete protein which means it does not contain all 9 essential amino acids that act as a building block for the protein.
Fortunately, it will not be a big issue as vegetarians can obtain all those amino acids by combining plant-based foods in their daily diet.2
Eating more high-quality protein will help to increase your energy, keep you feeling full and reduce nausea in the later stages of pregnancy.
4. Eat plenty of iron: The best sources of iron for vegetarians are legumes, nuts and seeds as well as green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale.3
When you are pregnant, your iron needs increase so much that it is important to be eating high-quality sources of iron.
You need to eat a lot more than usual because your baby needs blood for so many things in the first months, including teeth formation.4
5. Eat lots of fruit and vegetables: Eating fruits and vegetables will keep you full while giving your baby the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants they need to be healthy.
It is also a great way for your snacking essentials while you are craving something sweet to eat!
6. Eat all of the food groups: When you are pregnant, it is important to eat all of the food groups often because many nutrients are found in different foods from all of the food groups.
In addition to eating a balanced diet, you should make sure that you are eating enough calories to maintain your body weight and have plenty of protein and iron.
The more food groups you can eat, the more nutrients your baby will get from your diet.
7. Eat a variety of foods: Fresh, whole foods are the best way to get all of the different nutrients that your body needs.
Some people think that just eating one type of food is enough but it is not actually healthy to eat one type of food for every meal.
Eating a variety will give you more nutrients than eating the same thing day after day, so try and eat at least 5 different things from each food group.
8. Get enough calories: When you are pregnant, you do need to be eating enough calories.
Based on the American College of Obstetrician & Gynecologist (ACOG), the calorie requirement during pregnancy will keep increasing.5
There is no reason why you need to worry about eating too many calories or gaining too much weight during pregnancy – unless of course, your doctor tells you.
Ask your doctors about healthy weight gain during pregnancy.
All in all, it is best to eat a healthy and balanced diet that includes a lot of fruit and vegetables – also be sure to drink plenty of water!
Keep your healthcare experts’ advice in mind when planning your diet and remember to not stress out as this wonderful journey should be one of the best experiences of your life.
Does this article help to keep you healthy with your vegetarian diet during your pregnancy?
Let us know by leaving your thoughts in the comment section below 🙂
Reference:
- Rickman, J. C., Barrett, D. M., & Bruhn, C. M. (2007). Nutritional comparison of fresh, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables. Part 1. Vitamins C and B and phenolic compounds. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 87(6), 930-944. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.2825
- Getting 9 essential amino acids on a plant-based foods diet. (2020, March 4). DeliverLean. https://www.deliverlean.com/getting-essential-amino-acids-on-a-plant-based-diet/
- (NL), A. P. (2017, May 4). 21 vegetarian foods that are loaded with iron. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/iron-rich-plant-foods#TOC_TITLE_HDR_3
- Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Nutritional Status During Pregnancy and Lactation. Nutrition During Pregnancy: Part I Weight Gain: Part II Nutrient Supplements. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1990. 14, Iron Nutrition During Pregnancy. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK235217/
- Nutrition during pregnancy. (2021, March). value is what Coveo indexes and uses as the title in Search Results.–> ACOG. https://acog.org/Patients/FAQs/Nutrition-During-Pregnancy
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