I'm vegan & pregnant. I'm feeling too full trying to eat enough protein?

Question

I'm 4 wks pregnant. I'm vegan and my doctor told me to eat at least 70 grams of protein per day. I have no problem finding foods that contain ample amounts of protein. However, I'm having trouble eating SO much food each day to accomplish the 70 grams of protein. I feel stuffed all the time and I don't like the feeling. Is this normal? I tend to just eat when I'm not hungry in order to get the appropriate amount, but I'm worried because I don't want my weight to be too much too soon.

Just wondering how other women go about this?

Answer 1

Hi there!! I am a vegetarian and 27 weeks pregnant. I know having a vegan diet makes it a little harder to get more protein but I eat a lot of tofu, I use soy milk in my cereal, I make smoothies with it. Soy milk, fruit and ice and that helps. My doc never gave me a specific amount of protein to eat but just told me to eat the way that I always eat and I will be fine and so will the baby. Just make sure you take your vitamins. My doc checks me every visit for my iron levels and they are fine. I am sure your doc will do the same. There are books out there that will help you with your dietary needs being a vegan and pregnant. Go to the bookstore or look on line. Good luck to you!

If you have questions or if I can help in anyway... email me.... [e-mail]

Answer 2

Reading through some of these answers.....While many of them are great. Vegans don't eat whey (this is a milk product!) Furthermore it would be comepletely up the her if she wants to eat meat... however meat is not the healthiest form of protein especially with all the drugs pumped into the animals. Legumes, soy, soymilk etc...Also she seems to have a problem with her appetite..not what she's eating. I think the advise about eating 6 small meals rather than 3 large is great. That's what I was told to do also. There are many books on the market. Pegnancy, children and the vegan diet by michael klaper (not on the market anymore-I purchased it second hand) also recommended veg pregnancy...and I have a book Raising vegan children in a non-vegan world. (For when you have the baby) If you would like to chat further regarding our vegan pregnancy you can email me at [e-mail]

Answer 3

Hi there, I'm a clinical dietetician, and I have some info that may be of value to you.
Instead of trying to cram in as much protein as possible from food when you aren't hungry, I would recommend using a mix of several "micro-proteins", such as goat whey (it is cleaner/more easily assimilated than whey from cows), spirulina (also an excellent trace mineral source), nutritional/brewer's yeast, alfalfa, wheat and barleygrass.
1 tsp spirulina= 2g protein.
Green Magic is a good brand, as it contains many of the above, with no yucky aftertaste.
As a vegan, you probably already know that if you combine any bean/legume with any whole grain or seed, you will have a complete protein, as well as healthy fats and fiber.
Also, as another poster mentioned, it is a good idea to have 5-6 small meals throughout the day to keep your metabolism and energy up.
*Be aware that soymilk has been found to pose serious health risks for pregant women, babies, and the general popluation- Avoid processed soy, and go for fermented soy products, such as tofu, miso, tempeh, etc. in moderation.
For more info on the dangers of soy infant formula, just in case you or another parent may want to know more, here is a great article: http://www.westonaprice.org/soy/infant.html

Hope that something I've mentioned helps- good luck!

Answer 4

70 grams is a bit much.

Check out this similarly bad advice:

"Question: Is it safe to continue my vegetarian diet during pregnancy?

Answer: Many pregnant vegetarians — especially vegans, who don't eat any animal products, including dairy — worry that they're not getting enough protein. In fact, you can get the 71 grams of protein you need each day during pregnancy by having three cups of milk or soy milk, one cup of tofu, four cups of brown rice, and a cup of yogurt."

http://www.babycenter.com/expert/2286.html

That works out to *1,576* calories. Leaving very little room for _everything_ else; clearly over-the-top...

More reasonable:

"Current recommendations suggest an increase in protein of 10 grams more than the non-pregnant state for adult women."

http://www.andrews.edu/NUFS/Vegetarian%20Diets%20During%20Pregnancy.html

Perhaps talk to a dietician in lieu of a doctor? If your diet is properly balanced, don't worry too much.

I'm a vegetarian, but loathe most vegan protein sources, so have no idea what to tell you vis-a-vis what to eat. Asking in the "Vegetarian & Vegan" section here would probably get some decent recommendations, though.

Answer 5

Maybe try getting some whey powder & mixing it in with what your eating/drinking. It has about 20g of protein per serving. My mom mixes it in with a smoothie she makes.

1/4 pkg tofu
frozen fruit
banana
splash of OJ
and some ice

I'm not very familar w/ the vegan diet, but I think you can eat all of that. Good luck!

Answer 6

try boost, there is one for protein. Im not sure if you will be able to drink it because of being a vegan but thats what I drink because I don't eat a lot of meat.

Answer 7

Even though I am a man, might I be so bold as to suggest adding
Soy milk (if you aren't already using it.) 2 cups would be about 25% of the necessary protien for the day.

Answer 8

i agree with the first answer.
i was a vegeterian for 13 years so believe me i know what thats like.
just eat a little meat each day or try taking fish oil as gross as it may sound. once you have the baby you can go back but it is very important to eat right when you are pregnant so do it not only for yourself but for the baby too
ps: my mom did that when she was pregnant and me, my brother and my sister are all very healthy.
pps: congratulations on the baby!!!!

Answer 9

try spread your meals out more, eat 5-6 small meals instead of 3 big ones. also speak to your dr about prenatal vitamins

Answer 10

I had a friend that, for the health of her baby, decided to give up the Vegan way for the pregnancy & went back to her way of life after.