Protein Powder During Pregnancy: Is It Safe?

Whenever you are pregnant, proper nutrition must be your priority. Generally, you are recommended to have around 340 calories every day as you get into the second trimester. Moreover, you need to include other nutrients like iron, folic acid, DHA, vitamin D, calcium and iodine in your diet for better health.

Besides all the nutrients, try to include the best protein powder for pregnancy in your diet. For, sometimes the protein that you get from basic food is not sufficient to fulfil your protein requirements during pregnancy. It all depends on the type of food you consume at the time of pregnancy.

But is it safe to have protein powders during pregnancy? We’ll cover it in this post.

Protein Requirements of Women during Pregnancy

Here’s the standard protein requirement of women during different stages of their pregnancy:

• First Trimester: They need around 1-1.2g of protein/kg as per their ideal body weight.
• Second Trimester: Around 1.5-1.8g protein/kg as per the ideal body weight.
• Third Trimester: Approx. 1.8-2g protein/kg for the ideal body weight.

Is Protein Powder Safe During Pregnancy?

Well, all protein powders cannot be considered safe at the time of pregnancy, as some of them come with artificial sweeteners like sucralose. With these sweeteners being FDA approved and also generally recognised as safe (GRAS), it’s not proven whether they are safe for growing foetus. 

Besides, some protein powders include ingredients like caffeine and creatine that are also not considered good for the growth of a foetus.

If your doctor recommends a protein powder as a supplement at the time of pregnancy, have those with natural ingredients. Switching to organic protein powders is rather safe than having chemical-filled supplements, especially during pregnancy.

What to Consider When Buying Protein Powder?

You need to keep the given things in mind when having protein powder during pregnancy:

1. Avoid Those with Extra Caffeine and Vitamins

The protein powder brands that are labelled vegan or diet-friendly have extra doses of caffeine and vitamins. You need to avoid having such brands during pregnancy. You need to limit the caffeine intake during pregnancy to 200mg per day. 

2. Artificial Sweeteners

You also need to avoid protein powders with artificial sweeteners like sucralose, xylitol, maltitol, etc. It’s best to have a supplement with stevia, which is a plant-based sweetener.

3. Flavouring Agents and Fillers

Flavouring agents and fillers are often added to protein powders for making their consistency or texture thick. Some common fillers come with guar gum, xanthan gum, palatinose, etc. All these things have no or little nutritional value. So, avoid protein powders with such ingredients.

4. Ingredients

Many products these days are available with a warning label if they have ingredients that are not suitable at the time of pregnancy. Generally, these powders come with substances like caffeine, creatine, taurine, acetyl L-carnitine HCL, beta-alanine and excessive vitamins. So, avoid products with all these ingredients in more than recommended doses.

Conclusion

Pregnancy is a crucial time for any woman, so you need to make wise nutritional choices. If the food you have doesn’t meet your protein requirements, you may go for the best protein powder for pregnant women. 

However, keep the given things in mind when selecting them. Also, consult a doctor before you include any protein powder in your diet.

Also, Visit here: Can Kids Take Protein Powder?