My midwife is always saying to me - "EAT MORE PROTEIN AND SALT!!!"
I am a vegetarian. And believe it or not, by eating more greens, nuts, seeds and less of the fillers like sugar, flour, breads and cereals, the protein really adds up. More protein doesn't mean more meat.
Fruit, vegetables, whole grains, greens, nuts, seeds, legumes, sea vegetables, young coconuts, nut butters, tofu, and nut milks all examples of safe vegan protein sources during pregnancy. If you eat some vegetables one day, sure, that won't cover your protein needs. However, by eating an array of these vegetarian sources and less of the fillers you will be on your way to getting adequate protein.
Some of my favorite high protein recipes:
- Protein balls
- Pistachio lemon date bars
- Pumfu Bacon (a great snack food)
Eat fewer filler foods - like crackers and cereal - more fresh produce and you'll naturally be getting more protein.
Of course, there are those vegetarians who eat mainly pasta, rice, crackers, cereal, and bread. Those people will be very deficient in protein. It's all about the types of foods you're choosing to eat.
Even meat-eaters, they need to make the right food choices, too. People who eat meat may get a lot of protein from the meat sources, but the other foods in their diet might be pasta and bread, and cereal - all filler those foods that lack other crucial nutrients like vitamins, enzymes, and minerals (protein) that help a baby develop and grow. Instead of these foods choose greens, zucchini squash, sprouted grains, etc. It's just a different way of looking at food.
A lot of people, for example, are shocked to find out that a bag of kale chips contains as much protein as a hard-boiled egg!!! Who would have thought - you can eat kale chips as a protein supplement!
Once you change your eating habits to consume more of the nutrient-rich foods you'll find you crave less meat and feel completely satisfied.
Leave a Reply