The Importance of Proteins & the Risks of a Vegan Diet

Half of my DMs are something like, “what’s the #1 thing to do to optimize fertility?”… 

And while there is no magic trick, Mother Nature gave us a powerful fertility booster!

No, it’s not celery juice… 

The building block of your fertility is protein! 

Without adequate protein, we aren’t reaching nutrient needs for everyday health, let alone supporting egg and sperm quality.

And you guessed it... 

The vast majority of couples I work with are undereating protein by 30-50%!!!

Most women need at least 100 grams each day of good quality protein. And depending on your goals and activity level, it may be more (or sometimes a little less…though very rarely it's less)!

Spoiler alert: if you have consistent cravings for sugar or frequent headaches, you’re probably not getting enough protein either...

But why is protein so important?!

Protein is made up of amino acids. You may remember from middle school biology that amino acids are the building blocks of cells…..

This means they are essential for:

🌟Cell growth & repair

🌟Nutrient absorption

🌟Energy production

🌟Immune response

…and so much more!

All of these processes are super duper important for fertility. 

They are often the deciding factor between having a healthy baby and struggling to get or stay pregnant. 

So how can you increase your daily protein intake? Here are some suggestions! 

#1 Start with breakfast! 

Start your day on the right foot and aim to have 30+ grams of protein for breakfast! 

Yes, it is okay to have 3 eggs all at once… and you will find some ideas for high protein breakfast just at the bottom of this email :) 

#2 Increase portion sizes 

Try to get at least a palm-size portion (or deck of cards) of protein at each meal. And again, 3 eggs all at once = totally cool! 

#3 Smart snacks!

Instead of snacking on chips, crackers or Oreos, have high-protein options ready when you need something quick and easy to eat! Think sardines, smoked oysters, leftovers, beef sticks, hard-boiled eggs… 

#4 Boost your drinks

Add collagen to your coffee and tea and try to incorporate a protein powder in your smoothies. My favorite is Bone Broth Powder from Paleovalley. And yes, I’m part of their affiliate program, but only because their products are fantastic (plus you get 15% off any of your orders). 

#5 Bone broth for the win!

Speaking of bone broth… Try using bone broth instead of stock when making soups or grains. And make your quinoa as nutritious as ever! 

If you’re not a fan of animal protein and you want to prioritize what’s more beneficial, make sure you incorporate these: 

• Salmon and sardines (great source of omega-3s)

• Red meat (the most bioavailable source of iron and many minerals)

• Bone broth and slow-cooked meat (which contain high amounts of glycine)

And speaking of animal protein…

How does eliminating animal protein from our diet impact egg quality, hormone balance and the health of your future tiny human?

Undereating protein is a significant concern with a vegan diet, not to mention the challenge of getting many nutrients crucial for fertility.

If you’re thinking of getting the nutrients you are missing from pills instead of food, let me give you a reality check…

Supplements are NOT the same as food.

And please trust me, relying on prenatal vitamins and fortified foods is not enough. 

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that I recommend food-first for a few reasons, the biggest being that Mother Nature is smarter than we are — we don’t know all of the nutrient synergies that allow nutrients like B12 to carry out its job.

High-quality supplements in the right forms can help fill in the gaps. But they’re not going to fix any deficiency you have from a low-nutrient diet.

Unfortunately, there are a looot of nutrients lacking in a vegan diet! Some of them are crucial for your fertility, your reproductive health, and the health of your future baby! 

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 works with B6 and folate in the genetic programming — called methylation — of a maturing egg, sperm and embryo. 

Vitamin B12 plays an important role also in implantation, placenta formation and building a tiny human.

Without B12, the risk of miscarriage, neural tube defects, and preterm delivery increase because vitamin B12 is a required ingredient for gene expression, cell differentiation and building organs.

If you suffer from recurrent miscarriages I’m so sorry for your losses, and please make sure to check your B12 levels! 

And let me be clear…

Vitamin B12 is only found in animal foods. 

In fact, evidence shows that 62% of vegetarian women are deficient in vitamin B12 even when including eggs and dairy in their diet, compared to 3% of women including meat in their diet.

Being deficient in B12 during pregnancy and breastfeeding has IRREVERSIBLE effects on motor development & growth.

Choline

Choline is a newly hyped nutrient for good reason! 

Like B12, choline plays a vital role in methylation, turning on good genes and off not-so-good genes. 

During preconception, this genetic programming improves conception and the chance of having a healthy baby. 

During pregnancy, choline is essential for fetal brain development.

Retinol

Retinol is the active form of vitamin A, which is different from the carotenoids found in orange and red plant foods.

Retinol is essential for the development of the immune system, heart and eyes.

Zinc

Zinc is found in many plant foods, but it isn't absorbed well from plants because they are also high in things that inhibit zinc absorption like phytic acid. 

Zinc deficiency is correlated with increased miscarriage, preterm delivery, and neural tube defects.

And here’s the deal… 

Plants are a VERY important part of our diet, but eating only plants can come with risks just as eating only meat & grains comes with risk.

We need animal proteins to protect and improve our reproductive health, specifically because they contain large amounts of these fundamental nutrients.

What about red meat?

Red meat is another controversial food in the confusing world of nutrition & fertility. 

Why though?!

If we follow the evidence, we know that the most nutrient-dense proteins come from animal sources. 

We also know that the nutrients in these foods are essential for fertility….Mother Nature seriously knows what she’s doing!

Don’t get me wrong, I am a huge advocate for increasing plants in our diet!! 

But this doesn’t mean we have to eliminate animal protein. 

Nutrition influencers like to push extremes or all-or-nothing mindsets, which is a pretty big no-no when it comes to your fertility — and overall health — because it can lead to severe concerns like: 

• significant nutrient gaps

• hormone imbalance

• period problems

• decrease in egg quality

• increase risk for miscarriage

• pregnancy complications

Red meat often gets a bad rep for being the cause of heart diseases, high cholesterol and cancer…  

But it’s all based on old (and quite unreliable) research. 

One thing is crucial, though! 

What kind of red meat should you consume?... 

Pasture-raised, pasture-finished beef or meat coming from cows that never saw a grass leaf and have been pumped full of antibiotics all their (super short) lives? 

You already know the answer… 

And if you are thinking “animal protein isn’t sustainable” please check out the book Sacred Cow, The Case for (Better) Meat by Diana Rogers & Robb Wolf to get caught up on unbiased, evidence-based info. 

Moreover, legumes and grains — the staples of a vegan diet — make carbohydrate intake naturally higher, which can negatively impact blood sugar and hormone balance. 

And don’t even get me started on meat substitutes… They’re usually just high-processed, poor-nutrient options that will deplete the status of your nutrients in the long run! 

Your decision to include or eliminate meat may have been influenced by a variety of factors. I respect your values, but feel that you deserve to know what the evidence shows.