Given that the vegan diet excludes all animal products, it’s low in certain nutrients for pregnant women. Lack to proper supplementation for the following nutrients may have a negative impact on both your and your baby’s health. Preeclampsia (high blood pressure) and gestational diabetes are two pregnancy problems that may be avoided with a vegan diet rich in fruits and vegetables. A vegan diet includes essential pregnancy nutrients that lower your baby’s risk of developing conditions like diabetes, eczema, asthma, and even some types of cancer.
BENEFITS OF VEGAN DIET DURING PREGNANCY
A vegan diet containing essential pregnancy nutrients can help you and your unborn child in the following ways:
- Reduced risk of Preeclampsia – A nutritious vegan diet may prevent preeclampsia from occurring.
- Lower the chances of gestational diabetes: Vegan diets low in saturated fat and high in fibre from whole grains, fruits, and vegetables may lower the risk of excessive weight gain and gestational diabetes.
- Preventing neural tube abnormalities: Pregnant women who consume a lot of nitrates are more likely to get neural tube abnormalities, which are birth malformations of the brain, spine, or spinal cord.
ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS REQUIRED FOR VEGAN DIET DURING PREGNANCY
Pregnant women should follow a nutritious vegan diet. If not, it probably won’t have all the necessary pregnancy nutrients. nutrients including folate, protein, vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, DHA, and iron in vegan diets enhances the chance that your baby will be born underweight or with birth abnormalities.
Folic acid – Spina bifida and other birth abnormalities involving the brain and spine are prevented by folate. Thus, vegan pregnant women consume more folate. You can opt for Folic acid tablets for pregnancy to fulfil folic acid demand during pregnancy. One of the primary reasons folic acid tablets for pregnancy are highly recommended during pregnancy is its ability to prevent neural tube defects (NTDs) in infants. Folic acid tablets for pregnancy are also essential for the production of red blood cells.
Vitamin B12 – Lack of Vitamin B12 may increase your chances of miscarriage, gestational diabetes, premature birth, and abnormalities. For vegans, vitamin B12 pregnancy supplementation is very crucial.
Vitamin D- Despite eating a healthy diet, many pregnant women have low vitamin D levels. Preeclampsia, low birth weight, and miscarriage risk are all increased by deficiency of Vitamin D is easily obtained from pregnancy supplementation.
Iron- Non-heme iron from plant meals is not absorbed as well as heme iron from animal sources. Iron deficiency increases your chances of iron deficiency and its associated consequences, such as preterm birth and low birth weight. Beans, dark green vegetables, dried fruits, nuts, and seeds are a few examples of foods that are plant-based sources of iron. Also, an iron tablet for pregnancy is essential for sufficient intake of iron during pregnancy. Iron tablets for pregnancy are crucial for the healthy development of the baby. To meet the increased iron requirements during pregnancy, healthcare providers often recommend iron tablets for pregnancy.
Iodine- Vegan diets that don’t include seaweed, iodized salt, or iodine prenatal pills may be deficient in iodine. Poor iodine intakes can impair thyroid and mental health and cause poor newborn growth.
Calcium- The risk of preeclampsia, fractures, and bone disease for the mother can rise if she doesn’t get enough calcium throughout pregnancy.
Omega-3 fats / DHA- People on vegan diets tend to have low blood levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) — two omega-3s important for your baby’s eyes, brain, and nervous system. For a healthy pregnancy and birth, omega-3 fatty acids are essential. Omega-3s are abundant in flaxseed, flaxseed oil, hempseed, hempseed oil, leafy green vegetables, and walnuts.
Protein- Lack of protein intake may impede your baby’s growth and development. Vegan diets are high in protein, but because it’s harder to digest, your daily protein requirements go up by roughly 10%. During the second and third trimesters, pregnant women require about 70 grammes of protein each day. Beans, tofu, whole grains, and vegetables are examples of plant foods high in protein.
Zinc- Most pregnant women don’t receive enough zinc, which can lead to low birth weight, labour that lasts too long, and preterm birth. Zinc derived from plants is more difficult to absorb, increasing daily requirements for vegan women by 50%. Thus , a prenatal multivitamin containing zinc is must during pregnancy.
TIPS FOR HEALTHY PREGNANCY WITH VEGAN DIET
To ensure that your vegan diet is nutritious and will satisfy your pregnancy nutrients demands while you are pregnant, follow some tips:
- Avoid consuming more processed food. Add a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to your diet.
- Vitamin D cannot be obtained by diet; therefore, you need a prenatal tablet for Vitamin D. Nut, palm, and palm kernel oils, fruits, and whole grains are all examples of healthy foods.
- Since Vitamin B-12 is predominantly obtained from animal sources, you will need a pregnancy supplement on a regular basis.
WHY TRIMACARE PREGNANCY SUPPLEMENT IS THE FIRST CHOICE FOR THE PREGNANT WOMEN WITH VEGAN DIET
Trimacare Prenatal Vitamins were developed with Indian women’s dietary preferences in mind, and unlike some other pregnant multivitamins, do not contain animal ingredients. Trimacare Prenatal Vitamins are designed with the recommended daily allowances (RDAs) of nutrients for Indian mothers in mind. These vegetarian prenatal vitamin pills offer a greater absorption rate, superior sodium formulations, and are pleasant on the stomach. Folate, Omega 3s, Vitamin B6, Vitamin A, Vitamin B12, Iodine, Vitamin D, Iron, Vitamin C, Zinc, Vitamin K, Calcium, and Magnesium are all contained in one pill, making 20 Plus Nutrients the only prenatal supplement you’ll ever need. Since the Omega 3 in Trimacare is sourced from deep-sea algae, even vegans can consume it. Trimacare multivitamin’s exclusive trimester-based formula guarantees that you receive all the nutrients required for that trimester.
A vegan pregnancy can be a healthy and successful journey with careful attention to essential nutrients. By incorporating a variety of plant-based foods and considering pregnancy supplementation, when necessary, expectant vegan mothers can nurture both their own well-being and the healthy development of their precious baby.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. What are some important nutrients for vegan pregnant women?
Iron, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, omega-3 fatty acids, protein, folate, and iodine are all important nutrients for pregnant vegans.
2. How can vegan pregnant women ensure they get enough iron?
Iron-rich foods like lentils, beans, tofu, fortified cereals, spinach, and dried fruit can be eaten by vegan pregnant women. Matching these food varieties with L-ascorbic acid rich sources like citrus natural products or peppers can improve iron assimilation.
3. What sources of calcium are suitable for vegan pregnant women?
Fortified plant-based milk, calcium-set tofu, fortified orange juice, almonds, tahini, and leafy greens like kale and collard greens are all vegan sources of calcium for pregnant women.
4. How can vegan pregnant women obtain enough vitamin B12?
Vitamin B12 can be found in fortified foods like nutritional yeast, fortified plant-based milk, fortified cereals, and vitamin B12 supplements that are suggested by a medical professional for pregnant vegans.
5. What are some vegan sources of omega-3 fatty acids for pregnant women?
Vegetarian wellsprings of omega-3 unsaturated fats for pregnant ladies incorporate flaxseeds, chia seeds, pecans, hemp seeds, green growth oil, and green growth supplements explicitly intended for omega-3 admission.
