Raw Vegan and Pregnant

[J3ssika]

I have been raw for about 3 years, before that, I ate a pretty macro vegan diet, sometimes not so vegan (honey), but always vegetarian. I am almost 18 weeks pregnant and I want a burger. I haven't had one in atleast 15 years, but here I am craving it. I haven't had one, I did eat some chciken - I want to listen to my body, but what do you guys do? Because I will not eat a burger.

[mommy212]

Why eat chicken and not a hamburger? If it is good, local, humanely raised meat I don't understand why eat one and not the other? Maybe try a veggie burger or a ground chicken or turkey burger if you don't want a beef hamburger.

[HollyBearsMom]

agree with other poster, why eat one but not the other? Buy a really good piece of beef and ask the butcher to grind it for you.

If you don't want eat beef then do the same with some really good organic/free range chicken and have the butcher grind you a mix of dark and light meat. Yummy.

Or maybe your craving will be satisfied with a meaty portobello/black bean burger. 

[J3ssika]

I was going to eat one tonight, then the thought of biting into it made me sick. I was raised a vegetarian, but my family also rescues horses, most of whom are going to slaughter. The thought of eating something with hooves, welp, I can't even put it into words.

[SundayCrepes]

Somewhere in this forum someone posted a link to a thread about how bad a raw vegan diet is for children. I am concerned the same would be true during pregnancy. Perhaps if you expanded your diet a bit you would lose the cravings for meat. (I know nothing about raw vegan diets, I am only responding to a disturbing article I read.) I think if your body is craving something while you are pregnant you should give your body the nourishment it is asking for (however, you answer the calling.)

[J3ssika]

The baby will not be raw or vegan. My Partner is neither, but she doesn't eat meat.

[SundayCrepes]

Originally Posted by J3ssika 

The baby will not be raw or vegan. My Partner is neither, but she doesn't eat meat.

If you are raw and vegan during pregnancy, the baby is raw and vegan during pregnancy. Is there enough protein and fat in your diet to grow a healthy baby and especially grow a healthy brain? (There may be, but it definitely something to examine.)

[*green*faery*]

Hi, I have been a vegetarian for 17y. I do eat some dairy and eggs from our chickens. I have had periods of being vegan and short periods of eating raw.

Do you think you are eating enough? Do you think you are eating enough fats (avocado, nuts)? I know when I didn't eat enough while trying to eat raw I would crave cheese like crazy. I would make sure to increase green consumtion if you aren't eating them daily. Are you completely raw now? Dark leafy greens can be really helpful for some cravings (raw, in a smoothie, lightly steamed, etc)

When I was pregnant with my 2nd child I began to crave meat. The though of actually eating it made me want to barf, but I still craved it. My dh (who does all the shopping) started bring home a lot more 'meat subsitutes" II don't always eat. like fakin bacon (yum) , tempeh, veggie burgers etc. Eating more of this really helped and the craving completely stopped. I think my body just wanted more protein and once it got it the craving completely stopped. I also tryed to make green juice when possible.

Maybe start with examining what you are eating  now and trying to broaden your diet...

[amethyst1111]

Have some EGGS!  These have been my veg pregnancy staple and they keep away any nasty burger cravings!  Now is the time to REALLY listen to your body and TRUST that it knows what it wants.  MANY vegans find they can not maintain the diet during pregnancy.  Don't feel bad if you need some dairy, eggs, and even some meat.  Now is the time for a BUILDING diet, not a CLEANSING diet.  Big difference!

[Alenushka]

You ate some chicken but you will not eat burger? Where is logic in it. Listen to your body. Get some grass fed organically raised beef and eat what your body tell you to eat.

[Alenushka]

I hearded cows and raised chickens. I think chickens are cuter and smarter than cows....but you know what? It is all anthropomorphic BS.  Have you doctor check your iron levels

[xzaviers_mama]

I've been vegan for 3 years now, and during this pregnancy and my last, I craved..... McDonalds chicken nuggets.    So freaking gross!  Needless to say, I did not give in to my cravings.  DH made us some amazing veggie burgers on the grill this weekend.  Really gave me that good ol' burger feeling.  

[wombjuice]

Oh c'mon, mamas, really?  I am the first one to tell pregnant mamas to listen to their bodies, but sometimes we crave things that are not necessarily good for us.  I crave salt and vinegar potato chips and cheesecake every time I have PMS...does that mean my body needs it?  No.  Now, I am not saying this mama does not need beef...only she can make that decision.  But just because we are "craving" something doesn't mean our bodies really need it.  What is a craving, anyway?  Is it a signal from the body-in-need or a desire-for-pleasure from the brain?  When we crave a burger, are we craving a lump of meat, unseasoned, lying on a plate...or are we craving the combination of the burger bun with the cheese and the mustard and pickles and the salt and pepper and...etc.?

To the OP, if you are truly interested in maintaining a healthy raw vegan diet during pregnancy (which, contrary to popular belief, can be a BUILDING diet if done well and if consuming enough calories--mainly through fruit with some greens and some overt fats thrown in there), I recommend you check out the book, "Creating Healthy Children" by Karen Ranzi (and if even more interested, "The 80-10-10 Diet" by Dr. Douglas Graham).  Raw is the natural diet of all the great apes, including humans.  We are the only species on the planet that cooks our food.  And we are the only species (with the exception of domesticated animals now, who also eat cooked foods) with degenerative disease.  Raw makes sense.  But don't believe me...do your own research so you can make an informed decision regarding the best foods for you and your little one in-utero.

I wish you many blessings for a beautiful pregnancy and birth!

[wrymother]

I'm 6 months pregnant, I've been vegan for nine years, vegetarian for 20, and this is my second pregnancy.  I too have been craving cheeseburgers, I made a big batch of nut based veggie burgers, served it up with pickles and all the fixings with fries on the side.  I couldn't  get it in my mouth fast enough. 

I say, eat all the fat you can get your hands on, nuts and avocados, and see if your body is still looking for burgers after that.  I would guess not.

Congratulations and good luck!

Linda,

mom to a very healthy 6-yr-old vegan boy with another on the way

[ahimsamom]

I had a raw vegan pregnancy, and I would agree with some of the advice above. I loved the Karen Ranzi book. Also check out Gabriel Cousens "Conscious Eating". He has a whole section on raw pregnancy (including the interesting fact that meat contains 14 times more pesticides than plant food, and dairy contains 5 1/2 times more and these pesticides harm your babies growing brain and nervous system)... I felt the best when I ate foods high in fat--avocado, olives, etc. Also, vegfamily.com has lots of great advice for staying vegan while pregnant, and fighting those non vegan cravings.

Raw veganism IS a lot of work, and if you aren't seeing to your daily needs, you definitely will fall short nutritionally and will find yourself craving things your body really doesn't need/want.

Regarding the comment about raw vegan ism being unhealthy, I would challenge you to do the research yourself. There have been many studies on the raw vegan diet and it's safety for adults (pregnant or not), children and infants alike. There are even videos on youtube posted by Dr. Gabriel Cousens about how high raw (80% or more) babies are way ahead of SAD diet babies in height and weight. 

Remember that what you eat during pregnancy affects the babies dietary patterns later in life. I personally wanted my baby to have the healthiest, most humane and compassionate head start, and so that's what kept me on track with veganism during my pregnancy.

[CapoeiraCristao]

Originally Posted by wombjuice 

Oh c'mon, mamas, really?  I am the first one to tell pregnant mamas to listen to their bodies, but sometimes we crave things that are not necessarily good for us.  I crave salt and vinegar potato chips and cheesecake every time I have PMS...does that mean my body needs it?  No.  Now, I am not saying this mama does not need beef...only she can make that decision.  But just because we are "craving" something doesn't mean our bodies really need it.  What is a craving, anyway?  Is it a signal from the body-in-need or a desire-for-pleasure from the brain?  When we crave a burger, are we craving a lump of meat, unseasoned, lying on a plate...or are we craving the combination of the burger bun with the cheese and the mustard and pickles and the salt and pepper and...etc.?

To the OP, if you are truly interested in maintaining a healthy raw vegan diet during pregnancy (which, contrary to popular belief, can be a BUILDING diet if done well and if consuming enough calories--mainly through fruit with some greens and some overt fats thrown in there), I recommend you check out the book, "Creating Healthy Children" by Karen Ranzi (and if even more interested, "The 80-10-10 Diet" by Dr. Douglas Graham).  Raw is the natural diet of all the great apes, including humans.  We are the only species on the planet that cooks our food.  And we are the only species (with the exception of domesticated animals now, who also eat cooked foods) with degenerative disease.  Raw makes sense.  But don't believe me...do your own research so you can make an informed decision regarding the best foods for you and your little one in-utero.

I wish you many blessings for a beautiful pregnancy and birth!

Yikes mammas - I agree with Wombjuice WHOLE heartedly.  You're already raw - the thought of eating a carcass understandably makes you feel sick.  So look for help staying raw.  Actually, maybe that's my tip for you - if you want help on enjoying a raw pregnancy, you may want to try posting in a (helpful) raw forum like http://forum.foodnsport.com/ or http://www.vegsource.com/talk/raw/index.html or even http://30bananasaday.com .  Asking for raw advice from carnivores is like asking for natural birthing advice from a surgeon - he's trained to automatically tell you to cut it out like a diseased limb.

Here are some threads that could prove helpful:

http://forum.foodnsport.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=119&p=375&hilit=pregnancy#p375

http://forum.foodnsport.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=130&p=289&hilit=pregnancy#p289

http://www.vegsource.com/talk/raw/messages/100028063.html

http://www.vegsource.com/talk/raw/messages/100030781.html

http://www.30bananasaday.com/group/pregnantnfruity/forum/topics/pregnant-and-fruity-are-you

http://www.30bananasaday.com/forum/topics/hcrv-and-pregnancy

http://www.30bananasaday.com/forum/topics/breastfeeding-pregnant

http://www.30bananasaday.com/group/peacefulparenting/forum/topics/my-fave-parenting-books

http://www.30bananasaday.com/forum/topics/any-fruity-mothersfamilies-out

http://www.30bananasaday.com/forum/topics/if-youre-pregnant

http://www.30bananasaday.com/forum/topics/babies-1

But yea, there are tons of raw parents out there that can help you.  If you post on the FoodnSport board, you can get help from raw parents like Kevin Rogers, Dr. Douglas Graham and Rozalind Graham on their experiences being raw during pregnancy and/or raising a raw baby (Dr. & Professor Graham and their 6 year old daughter are all raw, Kevin and his two year old are raw and his wife/partner is cooked vegan).

I recommend these three sites because they advocate living a LOW fat raw vegan lifestyle - rather than trying to convince your body that 60-70% fat is actually HEALTHY for you as long as it isnt cooked.  High fruit raw is much more fitting for the human body. 

Other GREAT resources -

Primal Mothering in a Modern World by Hygeia Halfmoon - tho she does seem to be a bit anti-men so... (http://www.amazon.com/Primal-Mothering-Modern-Hygeia-Halfmoon/dp/0965353346)

80/10/10 by Dr. Graham (http://foodnsport.com/shop/books/the-80-10-10-diet.html)

Nurturing Peace by Professor Rozalind Graham (http://www.foodnsport.com/shop/audio/nurturing-peace.php)

I'm sure that there's more

Anyway, check em out n let me know how it goes :) 

Much love to you and I wish you a blessed, wonderful pregnancy!

[ngaburon]

I was vegetarian for many years and go thru periods where I do eat meat.  I dont try to be vegetarian anymore because I see that sometimes my body just wants to eat meat.  Having said that I will share an interesting experience.  Seventeen years ago when I was pregnant with my first daughter, newly pregnant, had had a false negative test and not yet gotten the real positive test.  I was out taking anight time class for a few evenings and when it ended, I was starving.  Three nights in a row, I ate a beef hamburger and it tasted so good.  It was very odd, as even now when I crave meat, I do not crave beef.  Fast forward, my daughter is two years old and my husband brings home lunch meat.  I walk in the door that day and see he is not only eating it, but he is giving it to her.  Understand , she just had lunch.  I question my husband, who says he is tired of eating peanut butter and jelly for lunch for the last few years andhe wanted meat.  I say, okay, but why are you giving it to her.  And he says, "Look at her eat it, she is eating like she has never been fed before."  And she was.  Fast forward, 17year old daughter would love to be a vegetarian, but she is an "O" blood type and in the past has had low iron.  All the supplements, food based, blah, blah, blah, dont fix it.  What we knew about her from the time she was conceived was confirmed by a holistic practitioner who is the most accurate kinesiologist out there.  Her body wants it from meat.  On top of that, I will from time to time, perhaps a growth spurt or something, seen her eat almost two pounds of organic beef in one sitting and she will say, I need beef.  While no one can decide what is right for others, please bear in mind, that some bodies really benefit from meat.  This is a kid who eats quite healthy.  In fact for breakfast , she will eat sauteed kale, with toasted pine nuts and raw parmesean cheese.  My  response may not be well received here, but I too have struggled with the moral, ethical, spiritual aspect of eating meat and I thought it was important to share. 

[CatsCradle]

Originally Posted by ahimsamom 

Raw veganism IS a lot of work, and if you aren't seeing to your daily needs, you definitely will fall short nutritionally and will find yourself craving things your body really doesn't need/want.

Agreed, and I would say this about veganism and vegetarianism in general.  I've been about 80 percent raw for the last two years, although I've been a vegetarian (part time vegan) for over 20 years.  Creating and maintaining a healthy and nutritionally dense diet has been a lot of work (but worth it for me).  If you're craving certain foods it is probably because you are nutritionally deficient in something.  You can't be deficient in meat but you can be deficient in protein.  I personally would have found it difficult to be raw and vegan during pregnancy.  I craved rich comfort foods (like mac cheese; bean burritos). 

Maybe you could give us an example of what you eat on a daily basis and we could offer some suggestions on how to supplement or change your intake to satisfy certain cravings?

[mrscookie]

I totally agree. With all the so-called food products that are designed to make us crave them with salt layered on sugar, layered on fat, foods that numb us out and put us in a food coma, at least for myself, I don't believe that when I crave something it's that I need some nutrition that that food contains. You can cover all your nutritional needs with a raw vegan diet, as long as you are eating enough calories and enough greens. Make a green smoothie with a pound of spinach blended in, and that covers a ton of nutrients right there. Then add some celery for sodium and just one brazil nut should a day or every few days will be more than enough to get you enough selenium. Our culture is obsessed with protein and people think that since it is a required input for buildling tissue, the more the better. But look at the protein content in breastmilk, which is just 6%, and babies double their size in a short amount of time drinking only that. If you want more information, you can also try checking out 30bananasaday.com. There are some women there in the forums that have had raw vegan pregnancies. I don't agree with everything on that site, but there is a wealth of information there. You can also use cronometer.com for tracking your nutrition (not just calories, carbs, fat and protein but all the nutrients). 30bananasaday.com has recommendations for how to adjust the targets if you are following a low fat / no added salt raw vegan diet, or you can just use the 30bananasaday.com mode on cronometer. 

I just found out this morning that I'm apparently pregnant with my second, and I plan to be raw vegan during the pregnancy and to just increase my green smoothie intake, because greens are just so damn high in nutrition, and perhaps make sure to also have some flax seed from time to time. 

[Goddess3_2005]

I am so excited to see this thread. I went raw vegan to help cure my diabetes, and I am newly pregnant. I am struggling with tring to get my fasting numbers down so I can avoid insulin. its not working though. Despite what I eat. ;(