Pregnant and on a plant based diet??
Photo: Vo Thuy Tien
Eating enough of the nutrients you need is often a concern during pregnancy. For those who eat mostly or only plant based foods, there are many ways to consciously plan your meals with the addition of a few supplements to help have a very healthy pregnancy and baby.
Food with Focus
From the research, we know that there are specific nutrients needed throughout pregnancy to prevent certain complications and to promote the development of a healthy, happy baby. Some of these nutrients are abundant in plant based sources, but others are not available in enough quantities, not in plant sources at all, or are in a less bioavailable form (meaning the nutrients cannot be absorbed by the body as well).
Check out the following nutrients to watch out for if you do follow a plant-based diet.
Vitamin B12
According to the Obstetrics and Gynecology journal, vitamin B12 and iron are some of the most common deficiencies of vegan and vegetarians during pregnancy. B12 is one of the nutrients needed to help prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida.
Some plant based foods are fortified with vitamin B12, such as nutritional yeast and breakfast cereals. While fortified foods can provide necessary nutrients, the type of B12 used in them is not always absorbed and used the best by everyone.
For those who follow a vegetarian style diet, B12 is found in dairy products and eggs. If these foods are not consumed on a regular basis or you follow a vegan diet, it’s a good idea to talk with your healthcare provider about B12 supplements. Look for active forms of B12 or try an algae based B12 supplement, which has been shown to have a bioavailable form of B12.
Iron
Iron is extremely important during pregnancy to help supply oxygenated blood to your baby. Plant based iron is not as readily absorbed, meaning that you need to eat about twice as many iron rich foods to make sure enough is absorbed.
Some great food sources include lentils, white and kidney beans and chickpeas. You can soak and rinse these for better iron absorption. Other sources include peas, nuts/seeds and fermented soy products like tempeh.
Another very important piece to optimizing iron absorption is eating these foods with vitamin C rich foods. Foods high in vitamin C include citrus, red peppers, kale, strawberries, tomato sauce and grapefruit.
You can also cook with cast iron pans to increase the iron in your foods.
On the flip side, calcium, coffee and tea can actually inhibit the absorption of iron. Avoid eating large amounts of these when eating iron rich foods to ensure your iron intake is sufficient.
Protein
Protein is important for building and maintenance of organ systems and muscles during baby’s development. Protein needs increase during pregnancy and become especially important in the 3rd trimester. Protein needs vary with different pre-pregnancy weights and activity levels and current guidelines are a little outdated. For simplicity focus on at least 75 grams of protein a day in your first and second trimesters and at least 100 grams in your 3rd.
It’s important to spread your protein consumption throughout the day and include a variety of different sources to make sure you get all the amino acids you need (amino acids are the building blocks of protein) .
For those who eat them, great sources of protein include eggs, dairy and fish. Vegan sources include tofu, tempeh, legumes, nuts, seeds and algae supplements such as spirulina. Again, it’s VERY important to eat a variety of these sources each day!
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is important for bone and teeth development. We receive our vitamin D from the sun, food and supplements. Vegetarian sources include dairy or goat milk, eggs and some fish (for pescatarians). Vegan sources include mushrooms (that have been exposed to UV light) and vitamin D fortified plant-based milks and juices.
It is very difficult to get enough vitamin D through diet and even harder on a vegan diet. Vitamin D can be checked by a simple blood test. Ask your healthcare provider to check your levels throughout pregnancy to see if you need supplementation.
Omega-3-fatty acids - DHA
Omega 3 fatty acids are associated with reduced inflammation and also play a major role in baby’s brain and eye development. During pregnancy, your needs for DHA, a specific type of omega-3 fatty acid, increase.
You may have heard that sources such as walnuts and flaxseeds contain omega-3’s, this is true, they contain ALA. The problem is that our bodies cannot convert enough ALA to DHA to meet increased needs during pregnancy. DHA is found in high quantities in fish and eggs. If you do not eat these, other options include certain algae supplements.
Choline
Choline is an important nutrient during pregnancy, as large amounts of choline are transferred across the placenta to baby for proper formation of the neural tube and brain development. Choline also promotes the health of the liver and placenta for the mother.
Your choline needs increase during pregnancy. While choline is found in high amounts in animal products such as beef, chicken, milk and eggs, there are some plant based sources as well. These include soybeans, potatoes and kidney beans. It is very difficult to get enough choline on a vegan diet. The good news is there are choline supplements!
Zinc
Zinc is another nutrient that is essential during pregnancy and has been associated with longer term pregnancies, brain growth and cell development. Vegan and vegetarian foods high in zinc include baked beans, pumpkin seeds, yogurt, cashews, chickpeas and oatmeal.
You got this
It is possible to have a healthy pregnancy following a vegan or vegetarian diet. The important message here is planning. Yes, Oreos are vegan, but solely eating tons of Oreos will not help to build a healthy baby. Plan your meals with a delish variety of plant-based foods, paying special attention to foods listed above.
Resources:
Ota E, Mori R, Middleton P, et al. Zinc supplementation for improving pregnancy and infant outcome. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. February 2015. doi:10.1002/14651858.cd000230.pub5
Piccoli GB, Clari R, Vigotti FN, et al. Vegan-vegetarian diets in pregnancy: danger or panacea? A systematic narrative review. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology. 2015;122(5):623-633. doi:10.1111/1471-0528.13280
Sebastiani G, Herranz Barbero A, Borrás-Novell C, et al. The Effects of Vegetarian and Vegan Diet during Pregnancy on the Health of Mothers and Offspring. Nutrients. 2019;11(3):557. doi:10.3390/nu11030557
Elango R, Ball RO. Protein and Amino Acid Requirements during Pregnancy. Adv Nutr. 2016;7(4):839S-44S. Published 2016 Jul 15. doi:10.3945/an.115.011817
Zeisel SH. Nutrition in pregnancy: the argument for including a source of choline. International Journal of Women's Health. April 2013:193-199. doi:10.2147/ijwh.s36610