This Just In: Preggers and Vegan?

Hey I know you, you have adopted a plant-based diet to help save the animals, the planet and yourself. But now you’re knocked up–congrats! And you’re wondering, could a vegan diet be detrimental to your unborn child? New research claims that consuming milk and eggs during pregnancy can lower your baby’s risk of developing a stress-related illness as an adult.

I’m no doctor, and this is just a side note but: No matter who you are, as long as you have bills, deadlines and relationships… you’re going to be stressed. I do understand that stress-related illnesses are serious and prevention is important; especially when it comes to your own child.

Pregnant women who eat foods that are high in choline (meat and eggs) have babies with lower levels of cortisol which is a hormone that affects the response to stress in the body. Apparently, Natalie Portman tweaked her vegan diet and consumed dairy and eggs to provide this nourishment to her son. After she gave birth, she ditched the dairy.

On the other hand, according to the American Dietetic Association, a plant-based diet planned in accord with current dietary recommendations can easily meet the nutritional needs of pregnancy.

This photo is from my sister-in-law’s baby shower [she's in the pink & blue]. All the dishes in the photo are veg-friendly! 

Pregnancy is definitely a period of time in a woman’s life when nutritional needs increase. Obviously, as for pretty much every food known to man there are alternatives. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, the richest vegetarian source of choline is toasted wheat germ. Other sources include Brussels sprouts and broccoli. Peanut butter can do the trick as well.

If it makes you feel better, in a Q&A, Alicia Silverstone said that all of the vegan pregnancies she had witnessed have been way smoother than those of her non-vegan friends.  

Vegan or not, the diet you chose to stick to during pregnancy is probably the first of many decisions you will make as a parent. Make it easier on yourself, do the research to ensure that you provide your baby proper nourishment throughout your pregnancy as well as the rest your child’s life.

Comments? Share your thoughts, stories or experiences in a comment!

Check out the original post on iEatGrass! LOVE my internship!

Hamburgers & Hot Dogs

At work on Wednesday, I overheard a mother asking her son what he would like for lunch (I work at a gym, mind you.) She suggested a hamburger. The conversation went a little like this:


Mom: Do you want a hamburger?
Son: A hamburger and a hot dog.
Mom: How about a hamburger now and a hot dog for dinner?
Son: Hamburger AND hot dog!!

Alright little boy... calm down. You'll most likely get your happy meal on the way home. If you decide you're still hungry by the time you get to the house... you might get your hot dog too. If not, hot dog for dinner -- guaranteed.

Okay, here goes the break down (assuming a stop at McDonald's took place on the way home):

According to McDonald's: A Happy Meal is a juicy hamburger with kids sized world famous fries, apple slices and your choice of fat free chocolate milk, low fat white milk or apple juice.

According to real life: Happy meals and the like are HUGE contributors to child obesity. Any combination of a Happy Meal whether it's fries and nuggets, burger and apple dippers -- whatever -- the caloric intake will almost always be over 50% of a child's daily caloric needs.

According to Skinny Bitch: about 99 percent of the meat in our country comes from factory farms. We already know that the animals in these farms are raised in confined, cramped quarters. In order to prevent disease and promote growth, the animals are given hormones, steroids, pesticides, and antibiotics. After this process, we feed the animals to our children in the form of Happy Meals. Our children, in turn, ingest this junk. In addition, the saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium and all that other gross stuff just speaks for itself.

I don't even really want to get into what hot dogs are made of. I mean, who does?

Obesity is a huge deal. It is a disease that leads to other diseases and can be fatal.

I guess I was just disgusted to hear this conversation. Think, people! Is this what we want our children to grow up eating? Do we want them to think it's OK to eat this garbage?

ABSOLUTELY NOT! You are what you eat. Remember that.