Vegan Diet during Pregnancy
From LoveToKnow Pregnancy
Although following a vegan diet during pregnancy can be complicated, it is one choice that some women make.
What is a Vegan?
Many people have heard this term and immediately assume that being a "vegan" or eating a vegan diet is the same as being a vegetarian. This is not always the case, because there are various types of vegetarianism and vegan is just one of them.
A vegan does not eat any animal products, whatsoever. Vegans rely upon plant matter solely for their nutrients. They will not consume items that have been augmented with or have even come in contact with animal matter. This includes:
- Eggs (some vegetarians will eat eggs, but vegans will not)
- Dairy (from any animal)
- Honey (this comes from insects, and vegans will not eat that)
- Gelatin (comes from cow's hooves)
- Rennet-based cheeses and sour cream (made from the stomach lining of cows)
- Some vitamins and minerals (vitamins B-12 and E often come from animal sources, as do other nutrients in the form of fish oils)
Many vegans are very outspoken about their beliefs. They are not willing to compromise by eating anything animal related, even during their pregnancy. This does not make their diet unhealthy, but it does make it harder to manage nutrient intake.
Following a Vegan Diet During Pregnancy
Women who choose to eat in a vegan way while pregnant may find little support from doctors and midwives. Most medical professionals still believe that the best diet for a mom-to-be is one that is balanced and contains food from all of the basic groups. This includes the meat and dairy groups, something vegans avoid.
Hard to Find Nutrients
There are some nutrients that are harder to find in a vegan diet, but are needed for adequate nutrition while pregnant. These include:
- Iron (which is often consumed in red meat, but can also be found in leafy greens like spinach)
- Calcium (most often consumed in dairy products, but can also be found in enriched soy milk and vitamin supplements)
- Vitamin B-12 (for this vitamin, you will probably need a supplement)
A good prenatal vitamin can solve many of the nutrient issues that a vegan mom faces. However, you will need to look for an animal-free version. The Deva Vegan Prenatal vitamin offers all of the nutrients needed for a healthy pregnancy with no animal products.
Online Vegan Support
While finding support for your vegan diet during pregnancy can be tough, there are many resources on the Internet that offer support and friendly advice to vegan moms. The Vegetarian Resource Group has a doctor-written page about vegan pregnancy, and VegFamily also offers a collection of articles for the vegan mom.
Some sites also offer forums and message boards where you can ask other vegan moms about their experiences and read vegan-friendly birth stories. Through these resources, a vegan mom can often find the support she needs for her dietary choice.
Learn More
This page has been accessed 631 times. This page was last modified 03:20, 1 January 2007.
© 2006-2008 LoveToKnow Corp.
