Health & Fitness
How to have a healthy vegan pregnancy
Finding out you're pregnant changes everything. Including the way you eat! Of course you want to make sure that your growing bundle of joy is being nurtured from the start, but that doesn't necessarily mean you have to give up your vegan principles!
Finding out you're pregnant changes everything. Including the way you eat! Of course you want to make sure that your growing bundle of joy is being nurtured from the start, but that doesn't necessarily mean you have to give up your vegan principles and diet. Studies have found that you can have a healthy pregnancy whilst on a vegan diet as long as you make sure that you are getting all the proper nutrients you and your growing little one need. Now what does that mean?
Make sure you eat enough
A lot of vegans tend to gain weight very slowly during their pregnancy. If this is your case, you probably have to eat more food, either by eating more often or by having foods that are higher in fat. Concentrated sources of calories that you may want to consider include nuts and nut butters and dried fruits. That being said, there is much more to a vegan pregnancy!
Don't skimp on the protein
A very common concern for future vegan moms is the fear of not getting enough protein. But most nutritionists actually say that it isn’t that difficult to fulfill your protein needs. Elizabeth Somer, a dietitian and the author of Nutrition for a Healthy Pregnancy: The Complete Guide to Eating Before, During, and After Your Pregnancy says that this can be done by drinking almond milk every day and eating whole grains and beans.
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Omega-3s are key
Another big concern for vegans –and actually a more serious one– are Omega-3 fatty acids. These are very important when it comes to your baby’s brain and vision development, so you don’t want to skip them! Omega-3s are found in fish. But since you don't eat fish, make sure that you eat plenty of flax seed, walnuts, dark leafy green vegetables, kidney and pinto beans, broccoli and cauliflower. If you think you’re not getting enough Omega-3s or even vitamins in general, ask your doctor about supplements.We actually sell a pretty popular brand of prenatal multivitamin suitable for vegans –check it out here!
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