- Vegetarianism and pregnancy are very compatible
Just like there is an erroneous perception in the Western society that vegetarian diets lack proteins, there’s also a perception that being vegetarian or vegan is not healthy during a pregnancy. In reality, sticking to a vegetarian diet while you are expecting can provide you will all the nutrients that you need and is very healthy. Vegetarian women all over the world have been having healthy babies for centuries.
Pregnancy is the perfect time to become proactive about your health whether you are a vegetarian or not. The advice about pregnancy is often similar for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. It has to do with limiting sweets and junk foods, getting physical activity, and drinking plenty of water.
Some pros to a vegetarian diet during pregnancy are that it generally promotes feelings of fullness without tons of calories, which helps to maintain your body weight while satisfying pregnancy cravings. Vegetarian women are also more likely to be eating more foods that contain folic acid. This is important because folic acid helps prevent neural tube defects.
Well-nourished women have strong immune systems and are less likely to get common illnesses including the flu, which is why you want to make sure that you are eating plenty of nutritious foods while pregnant. This means excluding junk foods and including more whole grains, fresh fruits, and vegetables—which are all part of a balanced vegetarian diet.
You’ll still want to ensure that you’re taking proper vitamins during pregnancy. This is especially important when it comes to iron because many women in North America go into pregnancy with low iron levels and find themselves deficient during pregnancy. Also, make sure to supplement your diet with vitamin B12. Check with your doctor to ensure you’re taking all the right vitamins for your diet and pregnancy.
You should be visiting your doctor regularly and follow all the advice, be it about taking multivitamins or adding folic acid to your diet.
