People.com Celebrity Parents Emily Deschanel's Vegan Pregnancy Diet Dietician Ashley Koff shares some of the star's quick fixes By Staff Author Published on July 11, 2011 10:00 AM Share Tweet Pin Email Following a vegan or vegetarian diet can be difficult on its own, but how about when you’re eating for two? Dietician Ashley Koff (below, left), who appeared on The CW’s Shedding for the Wedding, helps her clients, including expectant actress Emily Deschanel, learn what kind of food and beverages best help the body get its necessary nutrients. “What we want to do is give the body just enough energy so that it performs well,” she told PEOPLE. For example, many vegetarians love the combination of pita and hummus. But while pita is easily recognized as a carbohydrate, hummus is actually both a protein and a carbohydrate, “so you’re getting too many carbohydrates at one time,” she said. “So we switch it up and replace the pita with vegetables instead.” With Deschanel, a longtime vegan, Koff worked to create an eating timetable for the actress to follow while shooting her FOX show, Bones. “Energy is a really significant issue for her,” she said. “What has probably been a challenge for her is making sure that she has nutrient-dense food that she’s able to have every three hours.” So, Koff introduced healthy snacking items, such as hemp, into Deschanel’s diet for the star to munch on in a pinch. “She loves nut butters,” she said. “And sometimes we’ll do fun smoothies, especially if she’s at work. We’ll take coconut water, nut butter, and berries and make a smoothie so she’s got something to sustain her energy in a liquid form.” But regardless of the diet, Koff’s most important rule is to eat as naturally as possible. “Whether you’re eating a plant- or animal-based diet, you want to eat food in the form closest to nature,” she said. “You want to avoid the highly-processed foods, and that’s especially true whether you’re pregnant or a not.” — Kiran Hefa Related Articles 13 Editor-Loved Healthy Meal Delivery Services Worth Trying in 2022 Are Smoothie Bowls Healthy? Plus: Five More Trendy Foods and Whether They're Actually Good for You 28 Stars You Might Not Have Guessed Are Vegan Rosario Dawson Says Father's Cancer Diagnosis Inspired Her to Eat a Gut-Health Diet 5 Ways to Eat Healthy While You're Pregnant All of the Pumpkin-Flavored Foods & Drinks Available This Fall Rosario Dawson — and Boyfriend Cory Booker — Stay Full and 'Energized' on a Raw Vegan Diet A Crash Course in Crash Dieting From Celeb Trainer Harley Pasternak Hollywood's Hottest Diets: Which Would 'You' Try? A Crash Course in Crash Dieting From Celeb Trainer Harley Pasternak Celeb Trainer Harley Pasternak Clears Up Your Confusion About Healthy Foods Harley Pasternak: The Latest 'Moos' About Milk Marla Maples' Diet Is Packed with Organic Vegetables and Lots of Water: What She Eats in a Day Lizzo Details Everything She Eats in a Day on Her New Vegan Diet: 'I Feel Very Lit' Harley Pasternak Blogs: The Top 5 Myths About Diet and Nutrition Gisele Bündchen and Tom Brady's Personal Chef Reveals Their Health-Conscious Vacation Diet Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies