Worried that you won't get the
right amount of nutrients while you're pregnant? Whether or not you're a
vegetarian, your body needs a lot more nutrition for the development
and growth of your baby.
There is no general rule in diet as there are a lot of vegetarian meal plans. But you should follow good eating habits during pregnancy. Find them here:
1. Always stock up proteins in your diet.
If you're a vegan or a vegetarian who does not eat fish, eggs, poultry and dairy products, your best sources of protein are nuts, legumes, peanut butter, quinoa, tofu and soy products.
2. Eat food high in fiber and starch.
Fiber-rich food includes whole-grain and wheat bread, cereals, pasta, brown rice, fruits and leafy green vegetables. Note though that starch is high in calories. Maintain calorie intake of less than 300 your daily typical meal in your last six months of pregnancy to help your baby grow healthier. When in doubt, just be careful not to eat way more than you can handle.
3. Load your body and bones with calcium!
You know that pregnant women are often associated with having osteoporosis because of the lack of calcium. To deviate from the deadly sickness, consume at least four servings of food rich in calcium daily. This will help to ensure that you are getting 1200 mg. of calcium in your diet per day. You can get calcium from dairy products, seafood, dried beans or peas, tofu and again, leafy green vegetables.
4. Get daily dose of iron.
If you feel lethargic, anemic and out of energy, you must be deficient in iron. To feel normal and more energetic, eat at least three servings of iron-rich food daily. This should consist of about 27 mg. of iron in your daily diet. Sources of iron are rice and grains, raisins and prunes, eggs, leafy green vegetables, dried beans and peas, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes and peanuts.
5. Include Vitamin A, B12, C and D into your daily diet.
Choose at least one source of vitamin A every other day. Common sources consist of the yellow and orange food such as carrot, pumpkin/squash, sweet potato and apricot. If you want green food, you can be nourished with Vitamin A by consuming cantaloupe, spinach, turnip greens and beet greens.
As a vegetarian, never go without taking B12 as part of your diet. If you’re not eating eggs, dairy products, fish and shellfish, consult a dietician for a good B12 supplementation.
For Vitamin C, choose to eat at least one of the following: orange, grapefruit, strawberries, honeydew, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, green peppers, tomatoes and mustard greens.
To aid your body absorb calcium, you need adequate amounts of Vitamin D. You can do this by exposing yourself to direct sunlight for about 15 minutes thrice a week. For meals, take on food like fortified milk, eggs, and fish or consult your health care provider for the right Vitamin D food supplement.
6. Say yes to folic acid.
You need at least one source of folic acid every day. You can choose from dark, green, leafy vegetables, and legumes such as lima beans, black beans, black-eyed peas and chickpeas.
7. No Alcohol. No Caffeine. No Artificial Sweeteners.
If you are pregnant and consuming alcoholic drinks, be wary that your baby might grow premature or be very low in weight upon delivery. Also, your baby’s growth might be affected with too much consumption of coffee, tea, soda and other carbonated drinks with caffeine. You can still have coffee but limit it with no more than 300 mg. a day.
Content in non-nutritive artificial sweeteners called saccharin is not acceptable during pregnancy because it can cross your placenta and might remain in fetal tissues. So avoid those food; better be safe than sorry.
8. Limit your intake of salty food.
No matter how much you crave on eating salty food, refrain from them. Although there is no documented risk to mother or baby, salt causes your body to retain water and this will make you feel overly bloated.
9. Pass up on fat and cholesterol.
Do not constrict your diet during pregnancy but also do not take fatty food and food high in cholesterol. Both you and your baby need the proper nutrients in order to be healthy. But fat should be 30 percent of less than that of your total daily supply of calories. You need good cholesterol as well but try to limit your intake to about 300 mg. or less per day.
10. Boost up on omega 3.
Omega 3 is good for your heart, and it can be mostly taken from fish. If you don't eat fish, you can your omega-3s naturally from food like flax seed, walnuts, dark leafy green vegetables, kidney and pinto beans, squash, canola oil, broccoli, cauliflower and papaya. In addition, you can check the labels of food fortified with algae-based for omega-3 DHA content. These include food such as eggs, margarine, milk, bread and cereals. For drinks, you can have soy beverages, pure orange juice and yogurt.
There is no general rule in diet as there are a lot of vegetarian meal plans. But you should follow good eating habits during pregnancy. Find them here:
1. Always stock up proteins in your diet.
If you're a vegan or a vegetarian who does not eat fish, eggs, poultry and dairy products, your best sources of protein are nuts, legumes, peanut butter, quinoa, tofu and soy products.
2. Eat food high in fiber and starch.
Fiber-rich food includes whole-grain and wheat bread, cereals, pasta, brown rice, fruits and leafy green vegetables. Note though that starch is high in calories. Maintain calorie intake of less than 300 your daily typical meal in your last six months of pregnancy to help your baby grow healthier. When in doubt, just be careful not to eat way more than you can handle.
3. Load your body and bones with calcium!
You know that pregnant women are often associated with having osteoporosis because of the lack of calcium. To deviate from the deadly sickness, consume at least four servings of food rich in calcium daily. This will help to ensure that you are getting 1200 mg. of calcium in your diet per day. You can get calcium from dairy products, seafood, dried beans or peas, tofu and again, leafy green vegetables.
4. Get daily dose of iron.
If you feel lethargic, anemic and out of energy, you must be deficient in iron. To feel normal and more energetic, eat at least three servings of iron-rich food daily. This should consist of about 27 mg. of iron in your daily diet. Sources of iron are rice and grains, raisins and prunes, eggs, leafy green vegetables, dried beans and peas, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes and peanuts.
5. Include Vitamin A, B12, C and D into your daily diet.
Choose at least one source of vitamin A every other day. Common sources consist of the yellow and orange food such as carrot, pumpkin/squash, sweet potato and apricot. If you want green food, you can be nourished with Vitamin A by consuming cantaloupe, spinach, turnip greens and beet greens.
As a vegetarian, never go without taking B12 as part of your diet. If you’re not eating eggs, dairy products, fish and shellfish, consult a dietician for a good B12 supplementation.
For Vitamin C, choose to eat at least one of the following: orange, grapefruit, strawberries, honeydew, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, green peppers, tomatoes and mustard greens.
To aid your body absorb calcium, you need adequate amounts of Vitamin D. You can do this by exposing yourself to direct sunlight for about 15 minutes thrice a week. For meals, take on food like fortified milk, eggs, and fish or consult your health care provider for the right Vitamin D food supplement.
6. Say yes to folic acid.
You need at least one source of folic acid every day. You can choose from dark, green, leafy vegetables, and legumes such as lima beans, black beans, black-eyed peas and chickpeas.
7. No Alcohol. No Caffeine. No Artificial Sweeteners.
If you are pregnant and consuming alcoholic drinks, be wary that your baby might grow premature or be very low in weight upon delivery. Also, your baby’s growth might be affected with too much consumption of coffee, tea, soda and other carbonated drinks with caffeine. You can still have coffee but limit it with no more than 300 mg. a day.
Content in non-nutritive artificial sweeteners called saccharin is not acceptable during pregnancy because it can cross your placenta and might remain in fetal tissues. So avoid those food; better be safe than sorry.
8. Limit your intake of salty food.
No matter how much you crave on eating salty food, refrain from them. Although there is no documented risk to mother or baby, salt causes your body to retain water and this will make you feel overly bloated.
9. Pass up on fat and cholesterol.
Do not constrict your diet during pregnancy but also do not take fatty food and food high in cholesterol. Both you and your baby need the proper nutrients in order to be healthy. But fat should be 30 percent of less than that of your total daily supply of calories. You need good cholesterol as well but try to limit your intake to about 300 mg. or less per day.
10. Boost up on omega 3.
Omega 3 is good for your heart, and it can be mostly taken from fish. If you don't eat fish, you can your omega-3s naturally from food like flax seed, walnuts, dark leafy green vegetables, kidney and pinto beans, squash, canola oil, broccoli, cauliflower and papaya. In addition, you can check the labels of food fortified with algae-based for omega-3 DHA content. These include food such as eggs, margarine, milk, bread and cereals. For drinks, you can have soy beverages, pure orange juice and yogurt.
I guess if you have to be a vegetarian while being pregnant, you should replace/substitute with the right vitamins.
ReplyDeleteThese are really helpful. Especially that my sister now is pregnant. Thanks for sharing! :)
ReplyDeleteI really have no plans of getting pregnant anytime soon. But these are very essential things to remember. And despite not being vegan, I'm sure all of your health tips will still prove useless to non-vegans like me.
ReplyDeleteFor me as said in the Bible.
ReplyDeleteKING JAMES VERSION
I TIMOTHY 4:4-5
For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
The verse is pertaining to food, Vegetable should not be refused as well as meat, being vegan is somehow not Biblical for me. Although its good to each vegetables but meat should not be refused somehow our body has need that is coming from meat
When I was pregnant with my kids, I just ate whatever I want but in moderation... Meat and vegies were included in my meals. Anyways, thanks for these health tips.
ReplyDeleteI always believe that you should forget for a while what you want, instead focus on what you and the baby need. That may be a tall order but it is for the best. :)
ReplyDeletei haven't yet in a stage of a woman like this. hahahha yet what are mentioned above are pretty sure important. .
ReplyDeleteFor me, the most important is avoiding salty foods! Yun din talaga ang concern ko :) It's a big no-do for a healthy me!
ReplyDeleteGood suggestions, I will recommend it to my preggy friends.
ReplyDeleteEating veggies have their advantages so does eating meat. For pregnant women I guess it is safe to say, just eat all healthy foods (veggies and meat alike) but in moderation.
ReplyDeleteOur neighbor is a true blue vegetarian, we were amazed when she gave birth to a very healthy baby boy.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing, I am guilty of eating salty foods and if ever I'll get pregnant, it would be a very hard adjustment on my part, but I would do it for my baby.
ReplyDeletevegan or not, there are supplements that are required for pregnant women. There's always protein on some wood without eating some meat.
ReplyDeletePhew! Being vegan is pretty hard. Add pregnancy and it's waaay harder >.< I don't think I can be a true blue vegan.
ReplyDelete:) Erika
http://erikarodica.com
I super love the tips! I'm going to print this and post on my bedroom wall! ;)
ReplyDeleteThough I'm far from pregnant! Hehe :)
DeleteThese tips are very useful for the would be mothers and baby's health...thnx for sharing this post..
ReplyDeletediet during pregnancy
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete