What do pregnant women that are vegetarian eat?
Hip Hugger asked:
I was wondering what you eat if you’re pregnant and a vegetarian. I mean, don’t you need to eat meat to keep both you and the baby healthy? I was watching an old rerun of Friends when Phoebe was pregnant and she’s a vegetarian but she had cravings for meat and ended up eating it anyway. If you’re a pregnant vegetarian wouldn’t you become iron deficient anemic? Or can you just continue to eat vegetables and have some kind of iron supplement?
Barbara
I was wondering what you eat if you’re pregnant and a vegetarian. I mean, don’t you need to eat meat to keep both you and the baby healthy? I was watching an old rerun of Friends when Phoebe was pregnant and she’s a vegetarian but she had cravings for meat and ended up eating it anyway. If you’re a pregnant vegetarian wouldn’t you become iron deficient anemic? Or can you just continue to eat vegetables and have some kind of iron supplement?
Barbara
Tags: Pregnant Women, Vegetables, Vegetarian
January 10th, 2009 at 8:35 am
There are plenty of protein foods that are not meat. It’s actually pretty common for women to have a meat aversion during pregnancy, me and my mom both had issues with it. You get protein from milk, cheese, nuts, beans, some veggies, and even fruits.
January 11th, 2009 at 12:58 am
I love that episode anyway here are a couple of websites that I foundthat will answer your questions.
January 13th, 2009 at 1:55 am
Vegetarian women can have a pregnancy that is every bit as healthy as non-vegetarians. It’s important to work with your doctor closely and take a prenatal vitamin, but iron can be, and is, obtained from many sources other than meat. A balanced diet is important but it doesn’t have to include meat to be healthy.
January 13th, 2009 at 11:29 pm
I’m a pregnant vegetarian. I’m 40 weeks tomorrow and perfectly healthy. I eat the same things I did before I was pregnant because I had a healthy diet. I get protein from soy, beans, peanut butter, etc. I also take a gelatin-free prenatal vitamin. There are no special supplements that are given to pregnant vegetarians. My doctor told me that if they have a healthy diet, vegetarians are no more likely to become anemic than other women, I have not craved meat at all during my pregnancy. And…vegetarians don’t just eat fruits and veggies. I eat dairy and eggs. Vegans are the ones that don’t eat dairy or eggs.
January 16th, 2009 at 9:19 am
Get creative… Try going to the asian food store get soy beans, eat beans and any other food with protine. The doc will chech your iron, its also in your prenatals. I didnt eat meat. just reserch what foods are good for you while prego.