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Pregnancy Today's Advisory Panel Answers:
I am curious to know whether it's advisable to take a protein
supplement
if I'm finding most forms of protein unpalatable.
by Alison Gamble
Nutritionist/Diet Technician
Highland Park Hospital, Illinois
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Question
Hi! I am curious to know whether it’s advisable to take a protein
supplement if I ‘m finding most forms of protein unpalatable. Meat,
eggs, and cottage cheese just don’t go down ( the smell alone scares
me off). So far yogurt is the only thing I can still eat that has a lot of
protein in it. Are protein supplements safe? What are the advantages and
disadvantages? Thank you for any information you can share with me.
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Answer
Food aversions are normal, and hopefully this too shall pass. But if it
hasn’t...I agree yogurt is an excellent source of protein, you just
don’t want to over do it because then it will end up on your list of
unpalatable proteins. So, I say add peanut butter, soy products (tofu), and
legumes to your diet. (Quick refresher: Legumes are beans, dried peas, and
lentils). Check out some vegetarian cook books for ideas for recipes. If
you aren’t thrilled by those suggestions, here are some reasons I
choose real food over protein supplements.
- The protein powders are expensive.
- You are limited in the variety you get. At least with food you can
switch around the type of protein you want to include in your meal.
- You will get a more rounded-out variety of nutrients from the
different foods you eat. You will also be getting more fiber--pregnancy
can constipate you, so fiber could be a good friend.
- Protein supplements can be a big supplier of excess calories.
Remember all you need is an extra 300 calories during the second and
third trimester. If you are not exercising on a regular basis you may
add additional unwanted calories.
On the other hand, protein supplements are not horrible, they do offer
easy access nutrition. I say if you are really interested, go to a health
food store and sample a shake. (Most health food stores make protein shakes
for you to take with you.) So before you get talked into buying a huge
container of powder for $40, you can at least see if you like it or not.
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