During pregnancy, while your baby is developing, protein plays a crucial role in your diet. Most prenatal caregivers and nutritionists recommend that you include 3 servings of protein per day in your diet, for a total of about 75 grams. If you are a vegetarian you know that finding enough protein rich foods can sometimes be a bit of a challenge. Being a pregnant vegetarian it becomes all the more important to find those protein rich foods.

Here are a few foods to consider including in your diet to help ensure you are getting enough protein. Talk to your prenatal caregiver if you have questions about your diet and what foods you should include and avoid.

Dairy:

  • Milk. About 3 8oz glasses of milk per day will give you 25 grams of protein.
  • Cottage Cheese. 1 cup will provide 25 grams of protein.
  • Cheese. 3 oz of cheese will provide 25 grams of protein.
  • Yogurt. 2 cups of yogurt will give you 25 grams of protein.

Legumes:

  • Beans. 3/4 of a cup of beans, lentils, or peas will give you about 15 grams of protein.
  • Tofu. 4 oz of tofu will provide about 15 grams of protein.
  • Soy dairy. 1.5 cups of soy milk or 3 oz of soy cheese will provide about 15 grams of protein.
  • Vegetarian “meat” including garden burgers, hot dogs, or chicken. Read the label for the protein content.

Grains:

  • Whole wheat pasta. 3 oz will provide about 15 grams of protein.
  • Whole grain cereal. About 2 cups will provide 15 grams of protein.
  • Whole grain bread. 4 slices will give you about 15 grams of protein.
  • Couscous, bulgur, buckwheat, quinoa. 1/2 a cup will provide 15 grams of protein.

Nuts and Seeds:

  • Nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds, etc). 3 oz will provide about 15 grams of protein.
  • Seeds (sesame, sunflower, pumkin, etc). 2 oz will give you about 15 grams of protein.
  • Flaxseed. 1/2 cup will provide about 15 grams of protein.

By including a few of these great protein options per meal you can ensure you meet the recommended daily intake of protein. Always read the labels so you know what contains protein and what does not. If you are worried that you may not be getting enough protein talk to your doctor.

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