To begin with, vegan diets are not ingrained in our culture or historically embraced. They stem from Western influence, perpetuating the notion that abstaining from animal-based products is essential, with a focus on animal cruelty as a significant factor. Despite this influence, it’s crucial to acknowledge that animal-based food has played a pivotal role in our daily lives and growth for many decades and centuries. Our genetic adaptation reflects an era where our ancestors, as hunters and gatherers, consumed whatever resources they found, including fruits, vegetables, flesh, and meat. This genetic adaptation underscores the body’s need for the associated nutrients, micronutrients, and macronutrients to maintain nutritional fitness.
Vegan Diets
In contemporary times, some individuals adopt a strict vegan diet, abstaining not only from flesh but also from other animal-produced items like dairy products. The drawback of eliminating these from the diet can result in various nutritional deficiencies, including B12, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, and good-quality protein. Such deficiencies pose risks, particularly for pregnant women, impacting both maternal and foetal development. It can adversely affect the foetus’s growth, directly influencing weight and overall development during pregnancy.
Plant-based sources of key nutrients
in a vegan diet
Discussing excessively processed meals, if someone’s diet revolves around packaged items and lacks real food, or if there’s an overindulgence in processed, frozen, and stale fatty meats along with an excessive intake of sugary foods, transitioning to a vegetarian or whole-food-based diet becomes a healthy choice. It’s important to note, however, that this doesn’t imply a complete abandonment of animal-based foods. Opting for a vegetarian diet doesn’t necessitate becoming a non-vegetarian. Vegetarian foods offer a plethora of nutrients, contributing to overall health. Striking the right balance in the consumption of animal-based products is key, avoiding both total exclusion and excessive intake. The goal is to achieve a harmonious and well-rounded approach to dietary choices.
Aarti Babhoota, Founder of Yukah and Community Director at Vaatalya, explains in a quick chat with The Pioneer, “When I emphasise a wholesome, non-processed meal for a pregnant woman, it implies a thoughtful combination of vegetarian elements—vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, appropriate oils, grains, legumes, and seasonal vegetables. Additionally, incorporating dairy or animal-based produce like fresh, unprocessed milk, butter, and ghee, along with homemade, non-processed curd and buttermilk, forms a supportive foundation for women aspiring to conceive or already in pregnancy. For non-vegetarian women, integrating fresh seafood, fatty fish, and a balanced mix of non-fatty fish with high-quality eggs or organic eggs can be beneficial.”
Common challenges faced by
women during prenatal and
pregnancy on a vegan diet
Now, delving into the risks a pregnant woman might face on a vegan diet, both physically and emotionally, is crucial. Deficiencies in omega-3 and zinc may contribute to depression and anxiety. There’s a vulnerability to hypothyroidism due to iodine deficiency, and protein, zinc, and iron deficiencies may lead to issues like hair loss, skin problems, anaemia, and even osteoporosis. While a vegetarian diet is acceptable, opting for a vegan diet poses challenges. Green leafy vegetables and soy products can be included, but certain vital deficiencies, such as calcium and iron, especially when no other animal dairy product is used, cannot be adequately addressed. Vitamin B12, crucial for red blood cell formation and neurological functioning, requires supplementation in a vegan diet to prevent potential long-lasting damage to the child’s nervous system.
The dilemma intensifies as the vegan industry, promoting ethical consumption, ironically leads consumers into a maze of confusion. On one hand, we are urged to avoid harming animals and consuming animal products, yet on the other, a booming vegan market suggests supplements to counter deficiencies resulting from a vegan diet.
Opting for clean, natural, and unprocessed sources of animal produce is advisable. Iron deficiency, a significant concern for a vegan mother, raises the risk of anaemia, low haemoglobin levels, and, consequently, low birth weight or preterm delivery. Striking a balance and making informed choices is paramount amid the varied dietary options available.
Also, the consumption of a balanced, wholesome meal, which is non-processed and non-packaged and is made out of real foods, ensures that women do not face challenges typically associated with pregnancy, such as morning sickness, nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhoea, or IBS. All of these issues can be well managed by maintaining proper nutrition and adopting the right food and eating patterns during pregnancy.
Creating well-rounded and nutritious meal plans for each trimester can suggest one dish that is the most nutritious.
1. First Trimester: Incorporating beetroot into the diet is highly beneficial. Beetroot is rich in phytonutrients, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory properties. It aids in detoxification and provides essential nutrients like folic acid, magnesium, manganese, copper, B6, and vitamin C. Additionally, it supports overall joint health and can be consumed in various forms, including steamed, cooked, added to rice or khichdi, or even as a beetroot raita with curd.
2. Throughout pregnancy: Ghee stands out as a crucial food item. It possesses anti-inflammatory properties, aids in nutrient absorption, and contributes to overall bodily balance—especially vital during pregnancy. Ghee also supports gut bacteria, enhances intestinal function, and helps regulate sugar levels, insulin, and thyroid hormones. Opting for ghee from desi or local cows, avoiding mass production, and ensuring it is unadulterated are essential.
3. Second Trimester: Maintaining blood sugar levels, promoting healthy bone joints, and ensuring the right amino acids are present can be achieved by consuming foxtail millet. This locally available millet can be included in the diet once or twice a week, aiding in controlling blood sugar and enhancing HDL levels. Women are encouraged to incorporate various millets into their pregnancy diet, consuming them according to the season and avoiding mixed-grain or multi-millet products. Planning the week to include rice, wheat, jowar, bajra, ragi, or foxtail millet based on weather conditions is recommended.
4. General Pregnancy Diet: Drumsticks and moringa leaves are valuable additions. Drumsticks can be prepared and consumed to alleviate acidity and bloating, addressing common pregnancy symptoms. Moringa leaves can be utilised to create different powders, following cultural traditions from different states.
5. Third Trimester: Moong dal is an easily digestible option. Rich in vitamin B6, folic acids, minerals, and proteins, it is gentle on the stomach, making it suitable for times when appetite may be reduced. Moong dal can be consumed in various forms, such as pancakes, sprouts, or as dal with rice or khichdi.
