Is it Safe to Maintain a Vegetarian Diet During Pregnancy?
Going plant-based while expecting? Dietitian Julia Zumpano, RD, LD, shares her wisdom on nailing a veggie pregnancy. Filled with fiber, vitamins, and low on saturated fat, plant-based diets are a nutritional powerhouse. But, you need more protein during pregnancy, and that's where things get tricky.
Zumpano proposes that an average pregnant woman requires 71 to 75 grams of protein daily. This number may increase with certain factors, like carrying multiples. To satisfy your protein needs and still stick to your plant-based diet, consult a dietitian to assess your specific requirements, or consider protein supplements.
Vegetarianism during pregnancy leaves some wiggle room. You can opt for diets like ovo-lacto vegetarian (includes eggs and dairy), pescatarian (adds fish), or vegan. Zumpano recommends less restrictive diets during pregnancy due to easier nutritional requirements fulfillment. If you follow a vegan diet, opt for supplements or vegetarian products like tofu to meet your needs.
All pregnant women should take quality prenatal vitamins. Make sure your vitamin contains enough calcium, folate, and other essential nutrients. A high-variety diet is key to meeting your nutritional demands. Here's a quick run-down of essential nutrients for vegetarian pregnancy diets:
- Calcium: Needed for bone and teeth development; muscle and nerve function. Consume 1,000 mg daily. Choose dairy products, fortified soy or rice milk, soybeans, figs, or calcium-fortified products.
- Folate: Supports cell growth; reduces the likelihood of neural tube defects. Aim for 600 mcg daily. Eat dark leafy green vegetables, wheat germ, beans, orange juice, and fortified foods.
- Iron: Promotes tissue growth and improves blood supply. Get 48.6 mg daily. Eat beans, dark leafy greens, prunes, tofu, fortified cereals, best paired with vitamin C foods.
- Omega-3s (fatty acids): Necessary for nerve, brain, and visual development. Consume 200 mg of DHA (a type of omega-3) daily. Eat fish, flax seeds, chia seeds, or fortified foods.
- Protein: Needed for building tissues and repairing cells. Aim for 71 to 75 g daily. Eat beans or lentils, soy products, nuts or nut butters, eggs, and dairy products.
- Vitamin B12: Supports nerve cells and red blood cells. Consume 2.6 micrograms daily. Eat fortified cereals or soy milk, milk and yogurt, eggs, or fortified nutritional yeast.
- Vitamin D: Fetal bone development, along with calcium. Consume 600 IU daily. Eat cow's milk, eggs, and fortified cereals and soy milk.
- Zinc: Supports tissue growth and function. Get 11 mg daily. Eat beans, nuts, seeds, milk, some hard cheeses, and fortified cereals.
Avoid alcohol, caffeine, artificial sweeteners, raw or undercooked foods, and certain fish during pregnancy. If you need help sticking to a balanced vegetarian pregnancy diet, Zumpano suggests meal planning, focusing on juices, smoothies, snacks, and trickery (pureeing veggies and silken tofu in sauces). Overall, ensure a well-balanced vegetarian diet with a variety of protein-rich foods like legumes, soy products, nuts, whole grains, and dairy or dairy alternatives.
Incorporating a health-and-wellness approach, Julia Zumpano, RD, LD, suggests a nutrient-dense plant-based diet for pregnant women, emphasizing the importance of protein, which necessitates 71 to 75 grams daily, and may require supplements or modifications to meet needs, especially on a vegan diet. Engaging in proper nutrition during pregnancy, as Zumpano suggests, entails focusing on essential nutrients such as calcium, folate, iron, omega-3s, protein, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and zinc, found in a variety of foods including legumes, soy products, nuts, whole grains, and dairy or dairy alternatives, while avoiding certain substances like alcohol, caffeine, artificial sweeteners, raw or undercooked foods, and certain fish.
