Pregnant ladies should get enough protein and other essential nutrients from pregnancy-safe sources to have a healthy pregnancy and give birth to a healthier baby. Consuming protein shake for pregnancy can help you meet your body’s protein need. As the variety of protein shake is endless, it may seem confusing to choose the best protein shakes for pregnancy.
In this article on Hipregnancy, we will cover all you need to learn about consuming protein shake during pregnancy. Read on to understand what you should do for protein shake cravings.
Also Read: can you eat protein bars while pregnant?
Is it safe to drink protein shake for pregnancy?
Pregnancy is a time when you should take care of yourself much more than before getting pregnant. Why? Because you are responsible for the life of the unborn baby growing in you. Hence, you should get enough nutrients to meet your body and your baby’s requirement. (Read more on; What can pregnant woman eat)
Protein shakes are designed to help a group of pregnant ladies who are underweight, suffering from nausea and morning sickness, and unable to meet their nutritional requirements, especially protein, through food sources alone. There are different types of protein shake for pregnancy that you can enjoy whenever crave for it. The basis of these shakes are similar, including protein, minerals, vitamins, carbs, a little fiber, fat, and flavorings.
Although protein shake for pregnancy has safe core ingredients, it might be harmful to you and your baby. Let us explain it more! Some brands add sugar and caffeine into their protein shakes, which make their product a harmful choice for the health of both mom and the baby.
In addition, most pregnant ladies get enough protein through their food and don’t need protein shakes to meet their need. Consuming protein shake for pregnancy puts those who have already protein in their diet, at the risk of gestational diabetes and slows down their baby’s growth.
Furthermore, some protein shakes for pregnancy are loaded with vitamins and minerals that may already be in your diet if you consumed prenatal vitamins before pregnancy.
Protein shake intake in such condition will harm you and your baby, as you get more vitamins and minerals than you need. For example, getting high amounts of vitamin A can higher the risk of birth defects, including heart problems, clubfoot, spina bifida, down syndrome, etc.
Protein powders are other supplements to help you meet your protein need during pregnancy. Hipregnancy recommends you read our article titled the best protein powder for pregnancy if you want to include these beneficial powder into your meal plan while pregnant.
Best protein shakes for pregnancy
This part provides what most of you need to know while shopping protein shake for pregnancy. Hipregnancy recommends you consult your doctor before taking these protein shakes, even the pregnancy-safe ones, and if your health provide agrees, include them in your diet.
Here are the best pre-made protein shakes for pregnancy that you can enjoy without facing any complications;
- Premier
Most pregnant ladies have this question in their mind; “Are premier protein shakes safe during pregnancy?” the answer to this question is yes, premier protein shakes are pregnancy-safe options.
These protein shakes are high in protein but low in calorie, presented with flavors, including coffee, and salted caramel.
Remember that coffee flavor shakes should not be consumed in excess, as their caffeine level is similar to a cup of coffee. Consider the effects of caffeine on pregnancy while consuming caffeinated beverages like premier shake and avoid over eat them.
- Orgain
These shakes are great options for pregnant ladies with gluten and soy allergies. Orgain shakes provide organic whey and vegan shakes, containing a blend of fruit and vegetable. It is worth to mention that consuming whey protein during pregnancy offers all nine essential amino acids your body needs to support a healthy pregnancy.
- Pure
Pure protein shake pregnancy is similar to premier shake, as both are high in protein but low in carbs. Consuming pure protein shake during pregnancy beside a balanced diet and exercise has a positive impact on strengthening your muscles.
- Evolve
Like orgain protein shakes, evolve shakes are suitable for pregnant women with gluten and soy allergies, as they are free of these two proteins. This plant based protein shake is a great option for vegetarians to enjoy and offers fun flavors, including vanilla, chocolate, and mocha.
- Vega
Vega is another best protein shake for pregnancy, which offers hemp, pea, and pumpkin protein. This vegan protein shake is a great source of vegetable powders, sweetened with a natural sweetener named stevia.
- Boost
Boost protein shakes comes in different varieties, including high-protein, high-calorie, high-vitamin, low-sugar, and lactose-free. This protein shake can be a suitable choice for those don’t eat their regular meals enough.
Note: There are many other protein shake for pregnancy available on the markets which are safe to consume while pregnant, but the above-mentioned types are medically confirmed ones, popular among pregnant ladies.
Precautions to take for drinking protein shake pregnancy
Knowing the best types of protein shakes is not enough to support a healthy pregnancy. You need to know more information the precautions should be taken for drinking protein shakes during pregnancy. Let’s see what you should consider;
- To be on the safe side, limit your intake of protein shakes containing artificial sweeteners, as they might increase the risk of DNA damage or brain tumors. Consuming protein shake for pregnancy containing natural sweeteners containing stevia, fructose, and lactose like vega protein shake, ensures you get protein through the safe sources.
- Read on the label of the pre-make protein shakes to understand their calorie levels. Or if you make protein shakes at home, check the used protein powder’s calorie level. It is vital to count the calories, as some protein shakes are high in calorie. Hence, you may get more calories than you need, which is not good at all. Check out our article titled how many calories to eat during pregnancy to help you manage your calorie intake.
Can I drink premier protein shakes while breastfeeding?
Generally speaking, protein is vital for the production of breast milk. As a result, nursing mothers should include an adequate amount of protein in their postpartum diet to support the healthy growth of their newborns.
Premier protein shakes are a quick and healthy way to add protein to your breastfeeding diet. Why premier protein shakes? Because you should opt for shakes containing low calorie levels and premier protein shake is high in protein but low in calories. Therefore, it is safe to have while breastfeeding as long as you drink this protein shake in moderation.
How to choose the best protein shakes while pregnant?
Since there are several varieties of protein shakes, it may seem confusing to opt for the best protein shake for pregnancy. If you don’t know which one to choose while purchasing protein shakes during pregnancy, pay attention to the ingredient list. Check the safety of the ingredients for pregnancy.
Moreover, pay attention to the sugar content of the protein shake and opt for those with low sugar content.
The other factor you should check is choosing the brands with no or low caffeine content. Those protein shake brands with high levels of caffeine should be avoided during pregnancy to minimize the risks associated with having too much caffeine while pregnant.
Protein shakes to avoid during pregnancy
On the whole, it is safe to drink protein shakes in moderate quantities when pregnant; however, some varieties should be avoided during pregnancy.
Hipregnancy recommends avoiding protein shakes with too much added sugar, caffeine, artificial proteins, excessive vitamin A, artificial sweeteners, fillers, artificial flavors, and ingredient you are allergic to.
You can check the ingredient list of the protein shake to find out whether it is safe for you or falls into the category of an unhealthy protein shake for pregnancy. Checking with your health provider is another way to ensure you choose a safe product.
Conclusion
Expecting mothers should be aware of things not to eat while pregnant, as well as pregnancy-safe foods. Having a balanced diet will help them to have a healthier pregnancy and reduce the risk of pregnancy complications.
In this article on Hipregnancy, we covered the myths and facts about protein shake for pregnancy, as a safe drink for pregnant women.
Now, you know what you can consume when it comes to protein shakes. Are there any other points or myths you want to mention related to these tasty drinks? If yes, do share your points with us and other moms-to-be.
FAQs
1. Are premier protein shakes safe during pregnancy?
Yes, it is considered safe to have premier protein shakes while pregnant if taken in moderate quantities. It is good to know that there is a good relationship between premier protein shake and gestational diabetes since consuming moderate amounts of premier protein shakes helps maintain good blood glucose levels.
2. What are the best pre made protein shakes for pregnancy?
There are several pre made protein shakes available on the market, but premier, orgain, pure, evolve, vega, and boost are the 6 best pre made protein shakes for pregnant. Consult your doctor regarding having these shakes to choose the one that suits you.
