Pregnant and newly vegan - how much fat do I need to get? And where?

[Comtessa]

So I've been an ovo-lacto vegetarian for 15 years, but now with this pregnancy have developed gallbladder problems that are forcing me to cut out eggs and most dairy as well.  I tried switching to fat-free versions of dairy and they still cause problems.  *Sigh*  So now I'm trying to figure out how to eat vegan and also ensure good health to myself and the babe.

Here's my biggest trouble: since I started this new diet a couple of weeks ago, I am constantly craving fat.  The gallbladder diet is severely fat-restricted, since the gallbladder is what processes fat, but I can't go completely fat-free because I know I need some good fats for the baby (any my body is clearly telling me I need it).  Saturated fats seem to cause the most problems, but even plant fats like peanut butter cause trouble if I eat too much (i.e., more than 1-2 Tbsp in an afternoon). 

So, here are my questions:

1) Anybody know offhand how much fat is recommended for pregnancy? (I can look this up, of course)

2) What are good plant-based sources of fats that my body might be able to handle better than animal fats?  A variety is probably better than large amounts of one thing, based on my experience thus far. 

3) Anyone else have any experience with a vegan gallbladder diet and have any recommendations? 

4) Anybody have any ideas for good vegan menus for pregnancy?  And do you know any good websites or other resources for help with this? 

TIA!

[Cupressa]

I'm sorry you're suffering with this. 

Can you eat avocado? 

Supposedly the predominant fatty acids in coconut oil don't require emulsification by bile and be directly absorbed through the small intestine. Unfortunately, it didn't work for me. It may be worth a try though. 

I had gallbladder symptoms while pregnant, and I found that olive oil was fine and didn't cause any symptoms. I had been eating ghee and coconut oil when my symptoms developed. 

Beets are recommended for their ability to thin the bile which helps the gallbladder do it's job of bile secretion. The most valuable part is the area where the stems meet the root, including the top portion of the root and bottom of the stems. I like to add them to green smoothies and vegetable juice. I have seen these parts used to make lacto-fermented beet kvass, which is used as a liver tonic and digestive aid. 

I wonder if you can eat eggs? If you don't object to them, I would recommend it, because they have some cholesterol, which is a bile precursor, and lecithin, which is an emulsifier, and very helpful for liver and gallbladder function. Eggs have some DHA which may be difficult to manufacture while on a low-fat diet, especially when digesting fats is difficult.  

Pancreatic enzymes, especially lipase may be helpful. I've read that olive oil has lipase in it, and other raw, unprocessed oils should as well. One more reason to eat unrefined oils.

I hope some of that helps! 

[Sayward]

Coconut oil has saturated fat, so it may not be a good choice. Avocado is the same. 

First and foremost I would take an omega 3 DHA supplement, made from microalga. This is the fat that is so critical for brain development - every pregnant woman should be taking it. I'd also try adding some seeds, like flax seed meal in smoothies/oatmeal and hemp seeds sprinkled on salads. Olives and soy are also sources of natural, healthy fats.

[Montana Mom]

avocado, walnuts, pecans, sprouted almonds, olive oil, coconut oil.  Peanuts are not the best food to eat for various reasons, try almond butter instead.

HTH!!

[catnip]

I have gallbladder issues that started about 6 years ago. Before I cut eggs and dairy out of my diet, I had horrendous abdominal pain several nights a week and, was told by my doctor that I'd need surgery soon. After 6 weeks of a vegan diet, it was so much better. While I don't know how much fat one needs at a minimum during pregnancy, I can tell you that I personally can usually get away with about 30-40 grams a day before I start feeling symptoms as long as I stay away from hydrogenated oils, coconut oil, coconut milk and palm oil. I can eat half an avocado with no ill effects, or 1 serving of nut butter. I can handle one serving of coconut milk ice cream or a coconut milk curry if I'm really sparing with the fat for the rest of my day.

Here's what I ate yesterday. It was a fairly typical day's meals:

1 slice of ww toast topped with 1/2 tsp of EB, 1/4 package of tofu, thinly sliced and fried in 1/2 tsp of olive oil with salt, pepper and nutritional yeast, topped with spinach that I wilt in the pan and drizzle lemon juice all over, a pear, and coffee with 1 tsp of sugar and 1/3 cup soymilk

8 roasted almonds

Chickpea 'tuna' salad made with reduced fat veganaise, celery, diced apple, onion, and white balsamic vinegar on top of a big bowl of salad greens

Blood orange

2 burritos made with 1/2 cup black beans, 1 cup butternut squash, cubed and oven roasted with 2 tsps of olive oil (for a 4 pound squash, there will be leftovers), 1/2 cup quinoa, toasted pumpkin seeds and salsa on 2 sprouted wheat tortillas. Big salad with dressing made from pumpkin seeds, frozen mango, lime juice, white balsamic, garlic and a little olive oil, sprinkled with toasted pumpkin seeds.

2 oatmeal cranberry white chocolate chip cookies, tea with 1/3 cup soymilk

My biggest advice is to make the fats that you eat count - eat olive oil, nuts and seeds, try to stay away from things like Earth Balance and Vegenaise (do as I say, not as I do - though I stick to half portions when I use them. ;) ), I find that a curry dish made with LIGHT coconut milk doesn't make me sick like full fat ones do. Tossing veggies with a little bit of olive oil and oven roasting them coats them evenly and lets you use less oil than a saute does. I like to use seeds and nut butters in my salad dressings (throw them in a blender with the other ingredients and puree) rather than refined oils. Check out the Fat Free Vegan Kitchen blog for a bunch of lower fat recipes that you can use. Eat your oils WITH veggies, fat boosts absorbtion of lots of vitamins.

[Cupressa]

Originally Posted by Sayward 

Coconut oil has saturated fat, so it may not be a good choice. Avocado is the same. 

First and foremost I would take an omega 3 DHA supplement, made from microalga. This is the fat that is so critical for brain development - every pregnant woman should be taking it. I'd also try adding some seeds, like flax seed meal in smoothies/oatmeal and hemp seeds sprinkled on salads. Olives and soy are also sources of natural, healthy fats.

Actually, the fat in avocado is predominantly monounsaturated (over 1/2), with equal amounts of saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. 

The liver and gallbladder need to be supported for bile production so that longer chain fatty acids, such as DHA, can be digested and assimilated. Without enough bile, EFA deficiency can develop. This is why it is so important to keep our gallbladders.

Gallbladder issues can be caused by liver congestion, or insufficient good-quality fat intake (and a balance of all fatty acids is best, including some saturated fat, and strict avoidance of trans fats). Anything that promotes bile production (by improving liver function) or thins the bile (to allow the gallbladder to release it's stored bile) will help.  

[germin8]

A natural remedy (I heard) for gall bladder problems is first cold-pressed olive oil... a couple tablespoons. I can't remember if it's with fresh lemon juice or not. Check into that... and grapefruit!  Anyway, this would be a more "raw" fat. As CUPRESSA mentioned, it has lipase enzyme... raw fat contains lipase enzyme (not denatured). Eat living food... raw fat.

If you eat raw nuts, germinate them to remove enzyme inhibitors and to make the nuts easier to digest. Look into this... because once you germinate you need to handle the nuts differently as they will go rancid sooner! ...ahem, because the nut is no longer "dormant" with enzyme inhibitors... but rather, living! Living food goes bad pretty quickly.

Check out vegetariantimes.com and gonevegan.com for veg recipes and goneraw.com for germinating nuts and keeping them raw/living.

[Comtessa]

Wow, thank you all so much for your excellent advice!  I've already started adopting some of your suggestions, and I feel loads better.  My body really needed a bit of fat and I couldn't figure out how to get it without being in pain. 
 

Originally Posted by Sayward 

First and foremost I would take an omega 3 DHA supplement, made from microalga. This is the fat that is so critical for brain development - every pregnant woman should be taking it. I'd also try adding some seeds, like flax seed meal in smoothies/oatmeal and hemp seeds sprinkled on salads. Olives and soy are also sources of natural, healthy fats.

This is great advice, thanks.  I've always avoided all the DHA stuff because I assumed that the only source of it was fish oil.  If there's a vegan source, I'll definitely get my hands on it!  I'm heading to our local food co-op this afternoon to look for some.  And flax meal in my morning oatmeal would be easy-peasy.  Great idea!

Originally Posted by catnip 

I have gallbladder issues that started about 6 years ago. .. My biggest advice is to make the fats that you eat count - eat olive oil, nuts and seeds... Eat your oils WITH veggies, fat boosts absorbtion of lots of vitamins.

Catnip, thanks for the reams of experience, suggestions and menu ideas.  I went out and bought half a dozen avocados (which are holy expensive... ouch my pocketbook!) and have been experimenting with using them in place of butter on toast.  I even tried the raw choconana pudding recipe that appeared in Peggy's Kitchen recently and loved it. 
 

 Quote:

Originally Posted by germin8 

If you eat raw nuts, germinate them to remove enzyme inhibitors and to make the nuts easier to digest. Look into this... because once you germinate you need to handle the nuts differently as they will go rancid sooner! ...ahem, because the nut is no longer "dormant" with enzyme inhibitors... but rather, living! Living food goes bad pretty quickly.

Thanks for these suggestions, too.  I'm fairly certain I have a little jar somewhere specifically designed for sprouting things... I don't have any experience with it, but I can certainly try it.  I can totally see the benefits of raw/living foods on this diet!   

I am feeling hugely better and have tons more energy; thanks a million!  Now let's just pray that the ultrasound comes back negative for gallstones... blecch. 

[germin8]

I used NuTru's vegan Omega Zen DHA: http://www.nutru.com/our_products/omega.htm

Check out http://kristensraw.blogspot.com/ and search for "prenatals".

http://kristensraw.blogspot.com/2009/10/supplements-while-im-pregnant.html

Yes, the sprout jars are great, but you don't have to sprout a tail for the nuts/seeds. FYI.

[TrishWSU]

Do you know if you have gall stones? I read an article about how to dissolve gall stones and improve your gall bladder function by eating beans several times a day. I don't have the direct link, but you can find it on this site: www.karenhurd.com

I haven't tried it, but other than getting tired of eating beans it shouldn't have any negative effects.

[LionLady13]

Does anyone know if you one can go overboard on vegan sources of omega's while pregnant. I'm just curious.... For example could you take a vegan DHA and also have flax oil or meal everyday?

[Cupressa]

Originally Posted by LionLady13 

Does anyone know if you one can go overboard on vegan sources of omega's while pregnant. I'm just curious.... For example could you take a vegan DHA and also have flax oil or meal everyday?

You can get too much omega 3s, since both omega 3 & omega 6 fatty acids use the same enzymes pathways. Just make sure you are also getting good sources of omega 6. So if you are taking DHA and flax oil, maybe you would also include an evening primrose oil or borage oil supplement, or use a blend of omegas instead of flax oil. It's more about balance of fats than specific amounts. For instance, recommendations for the omega 6 to 3 ratio are between 1:1 and 4:1. I'm sure your body will tell you how much you need--follow your intuition!

[indignantgirl]

Originally Posted by Comtessa 

So I've been an ovo-lacto vegetarian for 15 years, but now with this pregnancy have developed gallbladder problems that are forcing me to cut out eggs and most dairy as well.  I tried switching to fat-free versions of dairy and they still cause problems.  *Sigh*  So now I'm trying to figure out how to eat vegan and also ensure good health to myself and the babe.

You should probably try taking lecithin.  I use a liquid sunflower lecithin (it tastes good, I eat it with a spoon) but soy lecithin is also readily available (and probably tastes better).  Lecithin naturally emulsifies fat and has been found to be helpful with gallbladder issues since it aids your body in digesting fat.  It's also a good source of choline (which can be lacking in a vegan diet; eggs are the best vegetarian source) and this is needed for proper brain development for the baby.

So given that you are having to cut out eggs and have trouble with other fats, lecithin might be just what you need.  I know that I always take a little (about a tsp) after a fatty meal just because it cuts out most digestive problems like heartburn, gas, bloating, etc.  And now that I'm pg I take it every day along with my DHA supplement.  I love it!

[Cupressa]

Indignantgirl, would you mind sharing the name of the sunflower lecithin and where you found it?

[indignantgirl]

Originally Posted by Cupressa 

Indignantgirl, would you mind sharing the name of the sunflower lecithin and where you found it?

I get mine from the Azure co-op; I think it was under $7 for a quart.  It's in their co-op brand packaging so I'm not sure if it's their own or a repackaged bulk product.  I know that a rawfoods online store, The Raw Food World, sells it as well, but it isn't as affordable.