Pickled cucumbers with peanut butter, potato chips & chocolate chip ice cream
Yup! That sure is plant based and sounds like the typical midnight snack of a pregnant woman. But as with anything in life, to stop, think and act is the best approach to a healthy diet during these very important nine months! Keep in mind that whatever finds the way into your digestive system also finds its way to the smaller version of yourself. With this thought in mind just imagine giving your six-week-old child a glass of diet cola and a quarter pounder with cheese. Sounds crazy and extremely irresponsible, right? And – by the way – going crazy with the stuff you munch during your pregnancy is so completely out of style.
So, let’s focus on what to eat. If you tell the older generation that you’ll only stick to vegies, fruits, and do so during your pregnancy, you’ll probably hear things like: “You’ll have to eat for two now, darling! What about the proteins and the calcium? Vegetables won’t give you that!”
Relax … they’re wrong! A plant based diet will give you and your baby more than enough of everything and even reduce some unpleasant effects like constipation and morning sickness. Plus, living on a plant based diet during your pregnancy will make it so much easier to get back into shape after the baby is born. So, the idea of having the body of a top escort only weeks after giving life to your little sunshine is not farfetched!
What’s on the menu?
Are you ready to dive into the diversity of your new plant based pantry? The fundaments of your plant based diet are whole grains, beans, legumes, fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. With these ingredients, you can be sure to enjoy the perfect nutrition to guarantee a very healthy, balanced and tasty diet during your pregnancy.
Whole grains are great! Don’t let yourself be fooled by comments about the “bad” carbs that will make you fat. Quite the contrary! Whole grains are a great source of energy, and the fibres in these grains will do wonders for your digestion. Just keep away from all refined and enriched flours and stick to the motto: “If it’s fine and white, it’s not for me!”
Beans are another very diverse part of your diet. There are countless recipes for amazing bean dishes which are easily prepared and really yummy! Beans are a fantasist source of proteins and fibre, and thus a perfect substitute for meat and dairy products.
Veggies – especially the leafy green ones – are Mother Nature’s gift to pregnant women. They are rich on folic acids which are essential to the development of your baby’s body. Veggies in general are vital – no matter the colour! Vitamins, fibres, anti-oxidants … you name it and the vegetable will deliver it! A great way to increase your intake of fresh vegetables is juicing! You’ll be amazed about how much of these goodies you’ll devour with just one glass of freshly pressed juice.
Fruits are just as important in your daily plant based diet! They are the ideal snack for in-between the main dishes of the day. And don’t juice them, as the natural sugar of the fruits need to be digested properly, which will not happen if you drink them. The rule “juice your veggies and eat your fruits” is a sound advice.
Nuts and seeds are the icing on your plant based diet! They are a great source of healthy fats and make a great substitute for cheese. But keep it natural! Nothing too salty and most definitely nothing deep fried. And last but not least:
Drink plenty of water (minimum 10 glasses per day) and when you’re done, drink some more!
