Protein is arguably the most important macro nutrient during pregnancy. We want a balanced diet, of course, but it’s def important for prego mamas to make an effort to eat plenty of protein throughout their pregnancy.
Why?
Because proteins are building blocks that enable our bodies to grow new cells. And what happens during pregnancy?— our bodies are creating HELLA new cells like alllll the time. Proteins are essential during pregnancy.
how much protein do you need during pregnancy
According to Lily Nichols RD (cofounder of the Women’s Health and Nutrition Academy and author or Real Food for Pregnancy), who is at the leading forefront on the matter, our protein requirements are actually higher than we previously thought.
A general number is 80g/day in early pregnancy and 100g/day in late pregnancy.
As a point of reference, the average non pregnant woman needs about 60g/day (according to RDA standards).
This may sound like a lot and can be genuinely challenging to achieve for strict plant based eaters. But an omnivorous diet with a focus on consuming real, whole foods makes it very possible.
How to increase your protein consumption
The easiest way to up your protein intake is simply to include ample animal products in your diet during pregnancy. This helps check the box for protein, usually fat, and micronutrients as well. It’s particularly important to focus on quality when choosing animal products (as often as you can) because animals accumulate toxins. If an animal wasn’t raised properly, it won’t yield healthy meat. And the energy of the food won’t be on point. That’s all there is to it. So look for organic, grass fed, pasture raised products whenever you can.
Everyone’s experience of pregnancy is different, but a lot of women do experience nausea and food aversions during the first trimester. Sometimes, meat can be extremely off putting. If this is the case, try including more dairy in your diet. I have my qualms with dairy for sure, but I think it can absolutely play a healthy role in our diets, particularly during pregnancy. Personally I had big time raw milk cravings during both of my pregnancies and as an intuitive eater, I followed my instincts! For a higher protein content specifically, try greek yogurt (choose an unsweetened option and enjoy it with berries if you want a little sweetness), cheese, or cottage cheese. Look for organic, grass fed or pastured, full fat products.
You can also eat more eggs at breakfast or even add eggs to dishes that you wouldn’t normally! For example, if you’re in the throws of first trimester woes and all you want is pasta or noodle stir fry, try cracking in an egg and stirring it up for a little protein boost without having to eat an egg straight up if this is sounding off putting to you. Just make sure to eat the yolk as that’s where most of the nutrients are!
Nuts and seeds also have a decent amount of protein and can be added to meals when meat doesn’t sound appealing. Try experimenting with new nuts for some variety (for example— try including pine nuts in your saute or pasta dish, they’re sweet and delicious!). Or get down on some brazil nuts for amazingly high amounts of selenium. You can also have a handful of nuts as a quick and easy protein and fat filled snack (keep some in your purse!— I tend to have macadamia nuts and grass fed meat sticks with me at all times).
Nutritional yeast is high in protein and B vitamins and can help spruce up a meal or snack. You can also sprinkle chia seeds and hemp seeds on your meals for a small boost. It’s not super substantial when it comes to meeting protein requirements, but every bit helps and these foods also contain lots of other nutrients important during pregnancy, so sprinkle away!
Lastly, one more easy way to add more protein is to use a protein powder. I don’t often recommend protein powder, but I think collagen protein can be a great thing to take during pregnancy and postpartum. My fav brand is Needed’s Prenatal Collagen Powder. This is a high quality option that’s fairly tasteless and blends nicely into other foods (use code “wildflower” for 20% off your entire first order! Personally, I get it auto-shipped so I always have it on hand and feel encouraged to use it regularly— also convenient during postpartum!). You can also find the brand Vital Proteins at Costco. I use collagen regularly by stirring it into homemade energy balls, oatmeal, and coffee. You can even just add it to a cup of tea if that’s all you can stomach at the moment! If you’re in a pinch and leaning on convenience foods like canned soup or frozen dinners, give them an upgrade by stirring in a few big scoops of collagen! Not only will this give you the protein boost that you and baby need, but collagen is also important for our stretching skin and expanding uterus, so this is a great choice if you want to try out a powder.
Do you have a favorite way of getting more protein in during pregnancy? Share below!
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