Are you vegan and are you planning to have a baby? Then you may have already asked yourself whether you can continue your vegan lifestyle during pregnancy. You certainly want to remain true to your ethical attitudes during this time of life. However, expectant parents often face criticism from those around them when they reveal that they want to live a vegan lifestyle during pregnancy. The concern is usually that there will be a lack of nutrients and serious consequences for the unborn child. But is that really the case? In our new blog post, we want to explain to you why a vegan diet also makes sense during pregnancy.

A vegan diet during pregnancy may be a little off-putting for some people. This is because many people believe that animal products are healthy and that a vegan diet is bound to cause vitamin deficiencies. But a plant-based diet actually scores highly in terms of health. So let's take a look at why it can be beneficial to eat vegan foods during pregnancy.

Unfortunately, vegans are often assumed to be suffering from a nutrient deficiency. But it is actually the case that people who live a vegan lifestyle think much more carefully about their diet than those who eat animal products. This also applies to pregnant women. Here you can see a very clear advantage: Because vegan pregnant women take a particularly close look at their diet, they are naturally better supplied with nutrients.

But that's not all. Did you know that with a wholesome vegan diet you can achieve Risk reduction for a whole range of diseases? These include obesity, diabetes, gout and even cancer. You may have also heard that a vegan diet means you absorb almost no cholesterol. This is also a clear advantage, because cholesterol is a known culprit for the development of cardiovascular and vascular diseases. Speaking of cholesterol: In 2010, a study by the Robert Koch Institute found that more than 50 percent of all adults in Germany have high cholesterol levels.

By the way: Your diet not only influences your pregnancy, but also your period. If you want to learn more about how you can combat abdominal pain and impure skin with the right diet, then you should definitely take a look here.  

In short: No! With a balanced vegan diet, you will get the nutrients you need for your health even during pregnancy. It is therefore important that you eat all plant-based food groups. These are the following:

Legumes (lentils, beans, peas)

Whole grain products (oat flakes, brown rice and pasta)

Vegetables

Fruit

Nuts and seeds

A balanced vegan diet is a great help in reducing the risk of Gestational diabetes Sugar-free and wholesome is the motto here. So keep your hands off foods rich in sugar, ready meals and cooking fats. You can find out more about gestational diabetes here.

People often worry that giving up meat could lead to a protein deficiency. However, a wholesome vegan diet does not lack protein or iron. Animal protein even has some disadvantages, as it causes the stress hormone Cortisol is driven up quite a bit. If animal protein is consumed during pregnancy, the child may even suffer from high blood pressure and obesity over the course of its life.

Are you already taking B12 and are wondering whether you need to take a different dosage during pregnancy? Don't worry, because the dosage does not change during pregnancy or breastfeeding. So you can remember that a daily intake of 50 micrograms should be taken by adults.

Have you ever wondered why people often talk about taking vitamin B12 in connection with a vegan diet? This is because vitamin B12 can no longer be absorbed through unwashed plants. Firstly, there is a risk of ingesting pesticides and secondly, the soil flora is destroyed by modern industrial agriculture. It is therefore important that vitamin B12 is supplemented. This is often used as an argument against people who live a vegan lifestyle, although it is probably not known that vitamin B12 is also added to animals. Because of their limited freedom of movement and the food they are given, they also receive artificially added B12, as they would otherwise be deficient in this vitamin.

So you can simply take vitamin B12 directly instead of taking the detour and absorbing it through the animals' bodies. After all, they also get artificially added B12. This also avoids immense suffering, mistreatment and the cruel killing of animals. 

Did you know that the list of foods that should be avoided during pregnancy is particularly animal-based? You can start with dairy products. Raw milk and products made from it, such as cheese, are an absolute no-go. The key word here is quite clear: Listeriosis , an infectious disease caused by so-called listeria, i.e. bacteria that can be found in dairy products, among other things. Listeriosis is particularly dangerous during pregnancy and can even lead to the stillbirth of the baby.

Anyone who is vegan is definitely on the safe side, because listeriosis is usually caused by animal products. In addition to raw milk, raw meat and fish, as well as the rind of red smear cheeses, can also be mentioned. Speaking of fish: not only raw, but also smoked fish are dangerous during pregnancy due to the risk of listeriosis. But did you know that fish can even contain mercury and metal contamination? That sounds anything but appetizing and healthy. Did you also know that eating fish can have negative effects on the child's brain development? That's why it's not only advisable to avoid eating fish during pregnancy, but also for some time beforehand.

Of course, you should also make sure that you wash your vegetables thoroughly before eating them. You can buy fresh fruit and salad and avoid the pre-prepared and packaged version, as listeria can also spread during processing and storage.

Listeriosis is just one of the diseases that can be caused by raw meat. Raw meat, cured meat products and sausages can also Toxoplasmosis trigger.This is an infection that is harmless to the pregnant person's body, but can be dangerous to the baby's brain development. Have you ever heard that liver in the first trimester of pregnancy can harm the fetus? This is because it contains so much vitamin A.

Let's move from raw meat to raw eggs. Tiramisu, soft ice cream and mayonnaise are absolutely taboo during pregnancy. This can lead to salmonella poisoning, which is unhealthy not only for the pregnant person but also for the baby. However, the risk of salmonella can be avoided not only during pregnancy but in general. So opt for vegan options and your health will thank you. 

Oat milk is allowed during pregnancy and is clearly convincing because it is not a raw milk product. Did you know that oat milk can even regulate blood sugar levels? This is according to Beta-glucan to blame for the oatmeal contained in this plant-based drink. The perfect help for the next craving. Another advantage of the vegan drink is that, unlike cow's milk, it has a calming effect on the stomach and intestines. Have you ever heard that oat milk is rich in fiber? You are definitely doing something good for your body. 

Not only during the period, but also in the Postpartum period Taynie is at your side. Washable nursing pads and Period panties for the postpartum period are your loyal companions here. So how about doing something good for yourself and equipping yourself with our Taynie Gamechangers?  We recommend our Taynie Mom Box, for example, which you can take a look at for yourself here.