Iron

Now I may not have the same problem as a vegan mother when it comes to iron because I still choose to eat fish, but people still tend to worry over how much of it I'm getting. Before I continue, I'd like to say my iron levels are great, better than meat eating moms even.

That said, there are two key things to keep in mind when worrying about iron, iron, iron.

1. What are the iron rich foods?
2. What will help my body absorb the iron?

Have good iron levels or stores isn't just about how much of it your pumping into your body, it's also about what will help your body absorb it.

Iron Rich Foods:

• Beans and Lentils
• Soy products
• Spinach
• Quinoa

...are a few examples. A quick search will shower you with all the options you have to enhance your diet with more IRONNNNN.

You see, the problem isn't finding vegan sources of iron. The real problem is that iron from plant based sources isn't absorbed by the body as well as the iron found in meat. Which brings us to what we can do to help the body absorb it.

Iron's Best Friend:

Vitamin C

It's that simple. Coupling iron with vitamin C will allow your body to get the most of what you eat.

So, iron isn't this mystical, unobtainable mineral for vegans as people would like to think. Keep in mind, a lot of vegan products are fortified with iron, along with other vitamins and minerals that meat eaters think we're lacking in.

Everything Changes

I am almost 19 weeks weeks pregnant and I decided to do this blog about my vegan pregnancy. So far, I won't lie, I'm not doing too well with keeping track of what I eat and making sure I'm getting enough of everything. Which is important enough if you eat a regular diet let alone a vegan diet.

My nausea, heartburn, and miraculous taste bud revolution all are contributing to the hard time I'm having. I love broccoli and now the sight of it makes me green (pun intended), even tea gives me heartburn, when I eat I get sick, and when I don't eat I STILL get sick. So as excited as I was to have the freedom to eat as much as I wanted and what ever I wanted, I was sad to find out I don't like food very much right now.

I want to go back over the first bit of my pregnancy over the next little while to catch up to where I am now. I'll share tips and the things I learned to stay vegan safely during your pregnancy because it truly is a scary thing. All the things doctors throw into your face about calcium, iron, and protein doesn't help. My philosophy is, if this diet can sustain me and keep me healthy (healthier than when I'm not vegan), than I'm sure it can sustain the little one too.

I will say it is probably easier (maybe safer, I'm not a doctor or nutritionist) to drop the vegan thing while you're pregnant but for those who continue, I'm sure you all have good reasons. As I have mine.