A Vegan Pregnancy - Is It Safe
Being a vegan is appropriate during all stages of life
. In fact, the ADA (American Dietetic Association) as well as countless well-respected medical professionals concur. In the J Am Diet Assoc. 2009; 109:1266-1282..... the ADA stated that, Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the lifecycle, including pregnancy, [and] lactation....
Thousands of women, myself included, observe this type of diet during pregnancy all the time and birth beautiful, healthy babies. The main thing that expectant mothers must focus on, whether vegan or non-vegan, is that she is eating enough of the foods that have the vitamins, minerals and nutrients that the baby needs. Ironically, a vegan diet naturally accommodates this. By eating lots of green, leafy, low-oxalate vegetables such as collard greens, bok choy, broccoli, Chinese cabbage and kale an expectant mother will get all the calcium that she and the baby need. Nutritional yeast, fortified cereal, fortified soy milk, tempeh, miso, and other plant foods will provide a good source of Vitamin B-12. Meanwhile, grain foods, nuts, beans and tofu, just to name a few, are all rich sources of protein. Finally, natural iron and folic acid can be found in lentils, beans, spinach, leafy greens, and citrus fruits.
Contrary to popular belief, a vegan expectant mother is at no greater risk than a non-vegan expectant mother of failing to consume an adequate amount of vitamins and minerals. All expectant mothers must take care to strategically plan out their meals. However, a pregnant vegan mother may be at a slight advantage over a non-vegan pregnant mother in that her lifestyle alone exposes her to a wider range of nutrient-rich foods which the body readily and easily absorbs and which meet the demands of pregnancy.
Being a vegan expectant mother can be a liberating and awesome experience. You have the comfort of knowing that what you are eating is directly benefiting your baby. You also know that you are taking an extra step in ensuring that you both have a better chance at optimal health. So enjoy and focus less on the insecurities of others regarding your choice of diet and more on staying healthy, meeting the nutritional needs of your baby and enjoying the blissful experience of having a life grow inside of you. Take advantage of this time to make the act of eating enjoyable and maybe even foster better eating habits that you maintain well beyond the pregnancy.
by: Amirah Bellamy
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