Once you get pregnant, especially for the first time, you’ll find yourself questioning even the smallest everyday decisions. That’s completely normal. Being completely aware of what you do, and especially what you eat and drink, is crucial for yours and your baby’s well being.
You’ll start thinking if your usual diet before you were expecting is good. Or maybe you should make some changes to make sure your baby is getting all important nutrients.
An expectant woman requires more protein in pregnancy. At this point, you might be considering taking protein powders or over the counter prenatal vitamins.
Keep reading for everything you need to know on taking these protein powders when expecting. I’ll talk about the recommended intake, some ingredients you might want to avoid and the top 3 natural choices.
Table of Content
Recommended Protein Intake For Pregnancy
Proteins are really important when you’re expecting and crucial for your and the health of your child. According to the World Health Organization, a pregnant woman’s diet should include at least 75 grams.
When it comes to preferred sources, doctors agree that trying to consume natural protein-rich food is always better. This means that an expectant woman should try to regularly consume meat, fish, eggs, cheese and beans, which are all amazing sources.
Of course, it’s not always easy to receive the recommended dosage solely from the food you’re eating. Hence, many expectant women decide to take supplements.
Can I Take Protein Powders When Expecting?
The answer is – it depends. Of course, the first thing is if your doctor agrees that you need supplements. Secondly, what type and quality is the supplement you’re considering.
You should know that not all protein supplements on the market are equally good and safe for expectant women. Some of them come with artificial agents and additives that expectant women should avoid (more about this below).
It’s not only the ingredients. Some supplements might recommend a dose that is too big for everyone (when the excess normally would get expelled from the body). When you’re pregnant, an overdose on protein might have a negative affect.
One more issue you should be careful with is if you’re lactose intolerant. In this case, you might want to look for plant-based ones. The very good plant-based ones on the market also contain all 9 essential aminos.
3 Best Natural Protein Powders for Pregnancy
Bodylogix
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Тhis highly absorbable natural whey powder helps you supplement your diet with much-needed protein. The whey they use is sourced from grass-fed cows and the powder contains no artificial ingredients, colors or flavors. It is naturally sweetened with Stevia and is available in a formula suitable for vegetarians. Definitely one of my top choices for best natural protein powders for pregnancy.
Why It’s So Popular:
– Whey sourced from grass-fed cows
– No artificial ingredients, colors or flavors
– Tastes really nice
– Made of only like 5 ingredients
– Has half of the amount of cholesterol content compared to standard powders
Keep In Mind:
– Does not blend well when stirred or shaken
Optimal Prenatal
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This is a comprehensive prenatal formula with a unique blend of amino acids, chelated minerals, and vitamins designed to meet the high nutritional needs of women who are expecting or preparing for pregnancy. While this nutrient blend is specifically formulated to support healthy fetal development and prenatal nutrition, it may also be taken whenever you have the need for supplemental protein.
Why It’s So Popular:
– High-quality vegetarian protein and amino acids
– Comes with active folates to help support healthy fetal development
– Very easy on the stomach – includes active B6 and ginger to support digestive comfort
– Great, pleasant taste
– Great for nausea and morning sickness
Keep In Mind:
– Some people find it too sweet
– Doesn’t dissolve really well into water / milk
Life Stage Shake
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This is an organic certified and patented plant-based protein that absorbs better over time than animal based whey protein, and provides complete amino acid profile. It can be used as a meal or healthy snack. It contains 120 calories and 22 vitamins and minerals, antioxidants and Omega-3. It is water soluble and has no preservatives.
Why It’s So Popular:
– Organic certified plant-based protein: no soy, gluten-free and dairy free
– Contains Vitamin B6 and Omega-3
– Packs a total of 22 vitamins and minerals
– Easily dissolves in water / milk
– Comes with a pleasant vanilla taste
Keep In Mind:
– Doesn’t work very well with morning sickness
Ingredients To Avoid
Some powders, which would still be a safe choice if you weren’t expecting, might come with ingredients potentially harmful to you and your baby. Some of those ingredients you should avoid are:
- Heavy Metals: Some heavy metals, such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury, can be found in protein mixes. Those are very bad for you and should be avoided since it has been shown that exposure to heavy metals during pregnancy can lead to low birth weight and affect fetal neurological development.
- Soy protein or Soy Protein Isolate: Those are usually made using processed GMO soy, they can affect your body’s ability to absorb minerals such as zinc and iron and increase estrogen levels in expectant women.
- Maltodextrin: This is a low-quality, low-cost sweetener that is usually produced with GMO corn and can increase the risk of developing some inflammatory-related digestive disorders.
- Caffeine: The recommended intake of caffeine during pregnancy is 200-300 mg a day, and any additional intake might put your and your baby’s health in danger and should be avoided.
- Artificial sweeteners: Those should be avoided even if you’re not expecting. Because of lack of research, it’s difficult to say which ones should, so try to keep everything as natural as possible.
Conclusion
If you decide to take the best protein powders for pregnancy, please make sure you do a thorough research and carefully read about all the risks and possible side effects of different ingredients. It goes without saying: always consult your doctor to see what and how much exactly you need. All bodies and all pregnancies are different.
