Eating Well Without Meat and Meeting Your Needs on a Vegan Diet

In the early weeks of pregnancy, the embryo’s neural tube, spine and nervous system are beginning to develop and low levels of folic acid can lead to severe birth defects causing problems with the brain or spinal cord which includes spina bifida. Fortunately, ample folic acid before pregnancy as well as the early days of pregnancy can prevent many neural tube defects. In fact, folic acid can reduce the risk of the baby developing neural tube defects by up to 70%!

Folic acid from a supplement is absorbed more than 1.7 times greater than folate found in foods.

Ideally you should take a folic acid supplement containing 400 micrograms per day of folic acid until you are 12 weeks pregnant. Some women may require a higher dose of folic acid but this is something your health care provider can discuss with you.

Foods rich in folate (approximate micrograms per serving)

Nutritional Yeast- 5g serving- 220 mcg

Soya Beans, edamame, 70g- 218mcg

Asparagus, boiled, 125g- 216mcg 

Spinach, cooked, 90g- 82mcg 

Kale, boiled, 95g- 82mcg

Tempeh- fermented soya beans (100g)- 76mcg

Because the body cannot produce its own iron, it needs to be supplied from the food that we eat.

Iron can be found in lots of different foods, but the rate it’s absorbed in our bodies can vary. Iron can be found in two different forms: heme and non-heme. Heme is found in animal products and is typically absorbed better than the non-heme version found in plant-based foods. This means that iron levels should be closely monitored when vegan. This is simple to do when you are aware of the foods that are especially high in iron along with a helpful dose of vitamin C! By pairing iron rich foods with vitamin C, the absorption of non-heme iron is increased by about six-fold! 

Foods rich in iron (approximate mg per serving)

Breakfast cereals, fortified with 100% of DV for iron per serving- 18mg

White beans, canned, 1 cup- 8mg

Chocolate, dark, 45%-69% cacao solids, 3 ounces- 7mg

Lentils, boiled and drained, ½ cup- 3mg

Tofu, ½ cup- 3mg

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential right from the early stages of pregnancy, so it's a good idea to regularly include rich sources of these healthy fats in your diet. Foods like avocados, chia seeds, flaxseeds, hemp seeds, and walnuts are all great options. If you're looking for a supplement, a vegan DHA supplement (which stands for docosahexaenoic acid) derived from algae can be a good choice. Just be sure to check the label to ensure it doesn't contain vitamin A. Incorporating these sources will help top off your essential fatty acid stores during this important time.

At the time of conception, iodine plays an important role in healthy cell division, cell metabolism, growth, development, and normal foetal brain development. If iodine levels are severely low, it can harm the fetus by causing stunted growth, intellectual disability and even delayed sexual development. 

Even a small deficiency in pregnant women can increase the risk for lower IQ and reduced brain function. 

The recommended allowance at the preconception stage and throughout pregnancy is 150 micrograms per day. Because milk and dairy products are the main sources of iodine for most people, being vegan can put you at a higher risk of iodine deficiency. However, you can easily increase your iodine levels by consuming iodized salt, potato skins, prunes and sea vegetables like kelp and nori. If you are not meeting the recommended allowance, iodine supplementation should be considered. 

Whilst seaweed can easily provide you with the recommended iodine allowance, having too much can be dangerous and lead to abnormal thyroid metabolism and an enlarged thyroid gland. To avoid going over the upper limit of approximately 1,100mcg of iodine, use seaweed sparingly and refer to the nutritional information provided on the packing for guidance. 

Foods rich in iodine (approximate mcg per serving)

Dried seaweed can give you anywhere between 16 to 2,984mcg per serving (1g)

Iodized salt, 1.5g (around ¼ tsp)- 71mcg

Fortified Bread, 2 Slices- 45mcg

Prunes, 5 dried- 13mcg

Lima Beans, boiled, ½ cup- 8mcg

Choline is a nutrient that has captured scientists' attention in recent years. Now the ‘brain-building’ nutrient is given special attention by paediatricians and health practitioners alike in order to ensure that pregnant women are getting enough of it. During pregnancy, choline is vital for tissue expansion and has a protective role in the development of the fetal brain.   

In the UK, choline is not yet included in the food composition database and this means that there are no official recommendations. The European Food Safety Authority suggests that anywhere between 400 mg-480 mg per day is adequate for pregnant women. 

Since our liver can only make a small amount of this nutrient, it’s important to get choline from your diet to avoid a deficiency. Choline rich foods typically consist of meat and dairy milk, however you can still find a healthy amount in nuts, soybeans, whole grains and cruciferous vegetables. 

Foods rich in choline

Soybeans, roasted, ½ cup- 107mg per serving

Potatoes, red, baked, including skin- 1 large potato- 57mg per serving

Wheat germ, toasted, 1 ounce- 51mg per serving 

Kidney Beans, canned, ½ cup- 45mg per serving

Quinoa, cooked, 1 cup- 43mg per serving 

Brussels Sprouts, boiled, ½ cup- 32mg per serving

Broccoli, boiled, ½ cup- 31mg

Mushrooms, shiitake, cooked, ½ cup- 27mg per serving

Peanuts, dry roasted, ¼ cup- 24mg per serving 

Cauliflower- ½ cup 24mg per serving

Peas, green, boiled, ½ cup- 24 mg per serving

Rice, brown, long grain, cooked, 1 cup- 19mg per serving

Carrots, raw, chopped, ½ cup- 6mg per serving

If there isn’t enough calcium in the diet, the developing fetus absorbs the calcium straight from the mother's skeleton and this can put women at a higher risk for developing bone disorders like osteoporosis later in life. You want to aim to get around 700 mg-1,000 mg of calcium per day. Getting this amount on a vegan diet is simple if you are eating plenty of leafy greens, vegetables, beans, tofu, fortified soya milks and nuts- basically all the good stuff!

Foods rich in calcium

Tofu, uncooked, 100g- 350mg

Fortified bread, 2 slices- 242mg

Fortified Plant Based Milk, 200ml- 240mg

Kale, cooked, 80g- 185mg

Spinach, cooked, 80g- 120mg

Fortified Soya Yoghurt, 125g- 150mg

Vegan Sausages, 100g- 136mg (on average, depending on the brand)

Cooked kale, 80g- 120mg

Dried Figs, 30g- 75mg

Almonds, 30g- 72mg 

Chia Seeds, 1tbsp- 69mg 

This vitamin is necessary for normal growth and development of bones and teeth. A deficiency in vitamin D during pregnancy can lead to deformed teeth and bones and other problems in newborns. It can be challenging to get enough vitamin D when eating vegan as many of the foods containing the highest amounts of vitamin D are far from vegan! While you can get your daily dose of vitamin D through sun exposure and fortified foods, fortified plant based milks and mushrooms, taking a supplement will ensure you’re getting at least the recommended 10 micrograms per day (400 International Units). 

I have no doubt that you were expecting to see the famous B12 on the list. Vegan diets are naturally devoid of vitamin B12 as this vitamin is made by micro-organisms (not by plants). In regards to pregnancy, low concentrations of vitamin B12 during the first trimester is a risk factor for neural tube defects. To ensure you get at least the recommended allowance of 1.5 micrograms, increase your intake of vitamin B12 fortified vegan foods (like cereals, vegan spreads and nutritional yeast flakes) and fortified plant based milks. If you are unable to meet the requirements through fortified foods, you will need to add a vitamin B12 supplement to your routine.

Vitamin B12 supplements are made from either cyanocobalamin or methylcobalamin. Look out for the cyanocobalamin based supplement as studies suggest that your body will absorb it better than methylcobalamin. 

In order for healthy cell growth and development to occur in your baby’s growing body, you need to get plenty of zinc! Low zinc concentrations could lead to prolonged labour, preterm labour, stillbirth and post-term deliveries. 

Since your baby relies on this mineral to support its growth, a healthy intake of zinc derived from your diet is essential. Women of childbearing age are recommended to take at least 7 mg of zinc per day. However, for those following a vegan diet, you should ensure that you are consuming plenty of zinc-rich food. This is because plant-based foods such as legumes, unrefined cereals, seeds and nuts contain phytates, which reduce the absorption of zinc. But this issue can be overcome by food-processing techniques such as soaking and sprouting, as well as eating plenty of zinc rich foods. With good planning, you can get enough zinc from plant-based foods thereby reducing any risks of deficiency during pregnancy. 

Foods rich in zinc

Brown rice, cooked, 1 cup - 1.9 mg

Tofu, firm, 100 g - 1.7 mg

Cashews, 30 g - 1.7 mg

Lentils, 3/4 cup - 1.6 mg

Soybeans, cooked/canned (1/2 cup) - 1.3 mg

Pumpkin seeds, 1 tablespoon (15 g) - 1.2 mg