A power supply 100% vegetable during the pregnancy and breastfeeding is possible. Provided it is well planned, varied, balanced and that you pay particular attention to critical nutrients. It also supports it l’Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, which recently hosted an article written by, among others, by Dr. Luciana Baroni, specialist in Neurology and Geriatrics with an International Master in Nutrition and Dietetics, creator of the method Veg dish and co-author of the volume Il PiattoVeg_Mamy (Sonda), in which she explains everything you need to know to benefit from a 100% vegetable diet since conception, for the mother and her baby, for the entire duration of pregnancy up to 1 year of age.
“Although some studies suggest direct or indirect effects of the vegetable diet on the state of health and pregnancy outcomes of VEG mothers, the literature available to date on the specific topic it is still inconsistent and therefore not sufficient to provide evidence-based information and recommendations ”, the authors research. “To date, the available literature does not clearly support a negative impact on maternal health and pregnancy outcomes, but we expect that with the improvement of quality of studies you will get more information on the possible positive impact of well-planned VEG diets in pregnancy and breastfeeding, in agreement with the results in adults confirmed by some studies that could find a positive effect on body weight and on the risk of diabetes guided by a VEG diet: potentially, this result could also translate to pregnant women ”.
Therefore, it is important to contact a professional. Through the help of the PlateVeg even doctors and healthcare professionals who are not experts on the subject can easily advise their patients correctly; any professional (doctor, dietician, nutritionist), knowing the calorie requirement of the patient, can achieve an optimal plant-based diet in a few minutes.
Here, then, are the expert’s advice to avoid making mistakes.
Green light to proteins
The additional amount of proteins recommended in pregnancy, adjusted for a vegetarian diet, is about 9 grams per day in the 2nd trimester and of 29 g per day in the 3rd trimester, in addition to the daily requirement of 1 g per kg of ideal body weight recommended for non-pregnant vegetarian women. A 100% vegetable diet provides adequate quantities of good quality protein. Therefore, the introduction of indirect animal foods is not necessary to achieve the nutritional adequacy of the diet and, if you want to include them, it must be maintained. as low as possible. By consuming a good variety of whole grains, legumes, oil seeds, dried fruit and vegetables during the day you can introduce all the necessary amino acids, in the correct quantity, in order to satisfy the nutritional requirements of the organism, without having to do any sort of counting or “combination”.
Omega 3 fatty acids
The richest plant source of omega 3 is flaxseed oil (it is important that in the store it is taken from the refrigerator), followed by ground flax seeds and walnuts.
Limit your intake of saturated and hydrogenated fats
These, in fact, interfere with the conversion ofalpha-linolenic acid in DHA, an omega-3 derivative, essential for cardiovascular health and for the development of the eye and brain. In a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet the primary source of these harmful saturated fatty acids, according to the experts of the Scientific Society of Vegetarian Nutrition, they are eggs and dairy products, while in the vegan diet they are contained in vegetable fats added in baked goods or sweets. THE hydrogenated fats they are found in snacks, snacks, fast food foods.
Always limit your intake of oils containing omega 6
They are contained in all vegetable oils that are not indicated as a source of omega 3, with which they interfere.
On the contrary, it is good to introduce monounsaturated fats as main fat in the diet, replacing fat rich in omega 6. Monounsaturated fats play a neutral or positive role on health, and do not interfere with long-chain omega-3 synthesis. It is therefore recommended to use extra virgin olive oil and foods such as olives, hazelnuts, pistachios, almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts and pecans which are also a source of vitamins and minerals, phytochemicals and fibre.
Folic acid
Folic acid it is a vitamin necessary for proper cell division and multiplication. It is therefore crucial for fast growing tissues and for this reason the need has increased during pregnancy. Folate deficiency is associated with a greater risk of fetal malformations, especially in the nervous system and of the brain.
Therefore, in the course of the first quarter of pregnancy is recommended to take 400 mcg per day of folic acid through supplements and the consumption of foods rich in this vitamin. The main foods are green leafy vegetables, fruits, peanuts, yeast extract and whole grains. The vegetarian diet is rich in these foods, so there is less risk of developing deficiencies than an omnivorous diet.
Vitamin D
The recommended amount in pregnancy by the new LARNs is 15 mcg per day (600UI). However, food sources alone are unable to meet the needs of vitamin D of the organism (this in any type of diet, omnivorous or vegetarian). If this is not possible, then it will be essential to introduce fortified foods with vitamin D, such as some brands of soy milk and some fruit juices. There are also food supplements of vitamin D2 which, unlike D3, is not of animal origin. Skin exposure to sunlight, without sunscreens, for 10-15 minutes a day (or 20-30 minutes in a row twice a week) is the most effective way to activate vitamin D.
C vitamin
The recommended daily amount for adult women is 100 mg, which should be taken to 130 mg in pregnancy, easily achievable quantity for a vegetarian mom. The most generous food sources of vitamin C are those coming from the vegetable kingdom and in particular they are rich in it citrus fruits, kiwis, tomatoes, i peppers and green leafy vegetables. Vegetarian women consume large doses of these foods and are therefore not deficient in vitamin C, even during pregnancy.
Vitamin B12
The most convenient form of taking is that from supplement. Avoid multivitamins – it’s only the B12 you need, not other vitamins. Sublingual tablets are the most effective, even for people who have absorption problems.
Ferro
The need for ferro in pregnancy is of 27 mg per day, an amount difficult to achieve with the omnivorous diet. These quantities are, on the other hand, achievable with the vegetarian one, which may however also be insufficient, since it provides for an 80% increase in intakes.
It is essential to follow these recommendations:
- Eat foods rich in iron such as germ wheat, beans, lentils, green radicchio, pistachios, soy, cashews, lupins, rocket, broad beans, dark chocolate, peas …
- Include foods in your diet enriched with iron (e.g. enriched cereals).
- Add foods rich in vitamin C inside meals containing iron (e.g. lemon juice to dress salads, or in water).
- Eat leavened, sprouted, soaked, or food fermented.
- Use coffee, tea, cocoa and zinc supplements only between meals.
Football
During pregnancy, the baby draws calcium from maternal reserves. To avoid deficiencies in this mineral, it is important to pay attention to the intake of 6 servings a day of foods rich in calcium. Foods that come from the plant kingdom are a source of calcium highly assimilable, which makes the football balance “go positive”. In particular, low-content vegetables are rich in calcium oxalates (all leafy vegetables except spinach and chard, and cabbage), almonds, sesame seeds, whole grains, legumes.
Phosphorus
It is widespread in many foods; the vegetable ones are mainly i legumes, whole grains, the dried fruit. In the case of the lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet, it is also found in eggs and dairy products.
Iodine
Vegetarians can also ensure adequate iodine intake by consuming sale iodato. It is important not to exceed one teaspoon of salt per day, including that contained in ready-made foods (e.g. canned legumes).
Zinc
Plant sources of this mineral are nights, hazelnuts, legumes, cereals, dried fruit, tahini and pumpkin seeds.
The vegetable diet in pregnancy
In pregnancy, it is not necessary eat “for two”, but simply to improve quality by expanding the food choice. It is of the utmost importance to consume regularly 5 meals a day: breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, mid-afternoon snack and dinner. To meet the increased energy and nutrient needs, however, it may be useful to add 2 small snacks to the basic diet. Splitting meals can in fact be helpful in the first trimester of pregnancy, when the nausea it can make it difficult to complete the meal, and in the last few weeks, due to the compression of the fetus on the stomach. A snack also means just one soy yogurt, a packet of crackers or a piece of fruit.
But what to bring to the table in practice? Below, a typical menu kindly granted by the Scientific Society of Vegetarian Nutrition taken from “Simply Vegan”, 5th Edition by by Reed Mangels. However, it should be remembered that in the second and third quarters, the nutritional needs change and additional portions must be added which can be consulted on the website of the PiattoVeg project.
BREAKFAST: Half cup of oatmeal with maple syrup; 1 slice of wholemeal toast with fruit and margarine (or better, sesame tahini); 1 cup of soy milk; half a cup of orange juice fortified with calcium and vitamin D.
SNACK: Half a donut of whole wheat; banana
LUNCH: Veggie Burger in whole wheat bun with 3/4 cup mustard and ready-made tomato paste; 1 cup of steamed cabbage; 1 medium apple; 1 cup of soy milk
SNACK: Cereal with half a cup of blueberries; 1 cup of soy milk
PRICE: 3/4 cup stir-fried tofu with 1 cup of vegetables 1 cup of brown rice
1 medium orange
SNACK: Whole wheat crackers with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter
125 cc of apple juice
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