Protein powder is generally used by athletes every day to gain muscle. Protein powder may not be safe for pregnant women because it contains a lot of artificial sweeteners like saccharine, which can harm the baby. A lot of branded protein powder contains ginger, fennel seeds, chamomile, and many more, which give energy but influence hormonal changes in the baby. During pregnancy, if you want to take protein powder as a supplement, you may do so after taking proper guidance from your doctor. There are 5 protein powder types, whey, casein, soy, pea, and hemp. A lot of protein powder for pregnant women contains organic proteins like whey, casein, and soy protein powder. Whey protein is good for your health. So if you are allergic to dairy products, you can use any of these protein powders during pregnancy, which are safe.
How Much Protein is Required During Pregnancy?
The daily protein requirement during pregnancy depends on the increasing weight of women as per advice.
The weight of a pregnant woman is multiplied by 1.2 to find out how many grams of protein a woman needs in the early days of pregnancy.
For example, if your weight is 60 kg in the initial days of pregnancy, then let us find out approximately how much protein you will need: 60 X 1.2 = 72 grams. That means you may need about 72 grams of protein daily. By the time you reach the third trimester of your pregnancy, you will need more protein daily. Your weight will then be multiplied by 1.5.
Which protein shakes are safe?
It is safe to drink good quality shakes in moderation during pregnancy. Some protein in protein shakes can also increase your calorie intake. In many cases each shake contains approximately 300 calories. Therefore, you should take only those shakes which have less or no protein powder calories.
Be careful, however, and avoid protein powders that contain artificial sweeteners, such as saccharin. You can make pregnancy protein shakes at home by mixing milk, nuts, peanut butter, avocado and other protein boosters.
Protein Powder Buying Tips
It is important for you to buy protein powder if the amount of protein in your regular diet is very low. While buying it, keep the things mentioned here in mind. Check For Protein Powder ingredients:
1.Caffeine and Vitamin Content
Many protein powders are labelled diet friendly or contain only vitamins and caffeine. During pregnancy, do not buy any brand which contains caffeine and vitamins. You may already be taking multivitamin supplements in your balanced diet. Therefore, using too many vitamins is useless and taking too many vitamins during pregnancy can sometimes be harmful. Caffeine should also be taken in small quantities during pregnancy and you can only take about 200 mg of caffeine a day regularly. But avoiding caffeine totally is more advisable.
2. Artificial Sweeteners
Some protein powders contain artificial sugar for flavour. It is not suitable for pregnant women as it can reach the placenta and affect the baby. However, saccharin-containing powder should not be used at all during this period.
Other powders that contain Xylitol, Sucralose and Stevia. It is not good to take powders rich in all these ingredients during this period. Apart from this, for protection, avoid taking artificial sweeteners and protein powders which contain it.
3. Taste Enhancers (Fillers and Flavoring Agent)
Fillers are also added to protein powder, due to which the shake becomes thick. It also provides texture and consistency to the drink, making the shake taste better. It contains some common fillers, such as xanthan gum, guar gum, palatinose, and other ingredients that may or may not have nutritional value. These shakes only provide empty calories, which, after drinking, make you feel full without actually eating anything.
Flavoring agents often contain no nutritional value and are sometimes not as natural as they say. It is used in chemicals and processing before mixing it into protein powder. Therefore, do not buy those powders that contain fillers and flavoring agents.
4. Source of Protein in Powder
Whatever you eat during pregnancy, it definitely reaches your baby in some way or the other. Therefore, it is very important that while buying protein powder, you should also pay attention to its source.
You must check the manufacturer of the powder, its production method, and also check whether pesticides, chemicals, and hormones have been used in it or not. The side effects of protein powder are that if you buy a dairy-based product like whey protein powder or casein powder, it often contains traces of hormones added to it, such as rBGH. (Bovine Growth Hormone), which is harmful for the baby in the womb. If the protein is plant-based organic, then it is very good, and a good brand can be traced back to its source. So check for sources of protein in protein powder.
5. Check Ingredients
If any ingredient is found in a product that can cause problems during pregnancy and breastfeeding, then a warning is written in its label itself. So make sure to check for protein powder ingredients. These powders often contain creatine, taurine, caffeine, beta-alanine, acetyl, L-carnitine, HCL, and some vitamins in excess of your diet.
These labels help you buy a safe powder, but keep in mind that sometimes not every label has ingredients written on it. Therefore, it is important that you check the ingredients written on the label and do not buy the powder if any of the ingredients are not right for you.
Pregnancy is a time when you have to choose your nutrition for yourself. If there is a lack of protein in your regular diet then taking protein powder benefits, you can also take protein supplements, but take it only after consulting a doctor. Only after the help of research and complete information by the doctor, can you possibly take a good protein powder so that you can fulfil your protein deficiency.
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Home-made Protein Powder
A homemade protein shake is the perfect energy drink for pregnant women who struggle to meet protein requirements. It is the best organic protein powder.
Ingredients:
- Chia Seeds - 0.25 cups
- Flax Seeds - 0.33 cups
- Pumpkin Seeds - 0.5 cups
- Almonds - 0.25 cups
- Chana Dal - 0.25 cups
- Sunflower Seeds - 0.33 cups
- Oats - 0.5 cups
Dry roast Chia seeds, Flax seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Almonds, Chana dal, Sunflower seeds, and Oats separately in a pan on low flame. Do not burn. After roasting let it cool down on an open surface. Combine all the ingredients in a blender jar, grind to get a fine powder. It is the best protein powder to boost energy. You can enjoy this homemade powder as per your convenience in any of your preferred food. You may also make a protein shake by mixing it with 200-300 ml of water or milk.
You can take one scoop/spoon each day in general. You may need less than 1 scoop per day depending on how much protein you get from your normal foods.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while protein powder is a way to supplement protein intake during pregnancy, it's important for expecting mothers to eat whole food sources. Consult with your doctor before including protein powder into your diet. Generally taking protein powder is considered safe in moderation, it's essential to be mindful of ingredients and potential contaminants. Ultimately, the health and well-being of both mother and baby should always be the top priority.
(Please note: We do not provide any protein powder brand name. We cannot give the brand name because it is better to follow doctor’s advice according to your body type and health conditions.)
Disclaimer: This blog is correct as per the writer's knowledge. This is not medical guidance. Follow as you are responsible for.
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