Always read the fine print.

Meat is not the problem. Your digestion and where you purchase your meat from are.

If you are thinking of going plant-based or vegan let’s talk about your goals first.

Most women that are pregnant and/or postpartum that are wanting to go plant-based do so for a few reasons.

• They are having aversions to meat
• They think meat is just protein and doesn’t know it contains lots of other amazing vitamins/minerals  
• They believe protein from plants is = to protein from animal protein
• They think dairy is bad for them

The truth is

• Aversions will pass…sometimes vitamin deficiencies such as B vitamins can be at play which are abundant in animal protein.
• Fish is filled with omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins such as D and B2 (riboflavin). Fish is rich in calcium and phosphorus and a great source of minerals, such as iron, zinc, iodine, magnesium, and potassium.
• Beef contains several essential nutrients including protein, iron, zinc, selenium, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, phosphorus, pantothenate, magnesium, and potassium.
• Protein from plants does NOT = Protein from animal protein- it is much more complicated than that and oftentimes must be combined in certain ways to achieve similar benefits
• Dairy isn’t bad for you–poor quality dairy is bad for you

The biggest issue I have with women going plant-based is that by going plant-based, you are missing out on key nutrients that allow your body to fully utilize the food. Most women are not intaking enough protein each day. Then, many replace animal protein with highly processed plant-based/vegan foods. I find this with people who go gluten and dairy-free, too. You can’t just remove the item and replace it with store-bought alternatives and call it good. Your body is made to be an omnivore. It is made to eat and digest a large variety of foods. MOST people, myself included, need to do a better job at getting more diverse nutrients onto their plates.

If you are struggling with health issues and want to try a plant-based/vegan diet, great. I wouldn’t recommend making any major dietary changes during pregnancy without working with a qualified provider. If you do make the switch, please do not simply replace animal protein with highly processed meat substitute products. One look at those ingredients should turn you off. The fewer ingredients the better. Do your research and pair your foods and take the necessary supplements.

Sneaky ways to get protein in-

• Less is better than none- Even a few bites can help you get the nutrients you need.
• Liver supplements- put into your cooked rice or pasta dish
• Collagen powder (marine or bovine)- add to smoothies
• Bone broth- Can be added to smoothies, cook your rice in, or stirfry your veggies in
• Cut up meat very small when eating with other foods such as salads, pastas, etc…

Head over to my amazon store for great supplement recommendations!

As a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and Restorative Wellness Solutions Practitioner, I have spent years looking into different diet styles. I have worked with women from all sorts of backgrounds. Instead of playing the dietary removal game, let’s try to see how we can get in more real whole foods.
Interested and what to talk further about this? Email me livingsatisfied@gmail.com I would be happy to meet with you.