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Nutrition and the Pregnant Vegetarian

What You Need to Know
-- By Karen Gardner, Parenting Writer

Like all expectant mothers, vegetarians need to pay close attention to the foods they eat and the nutrients those foods contain. This need is a constant, and does not change because of a lifestyle choice.

"What you consume when you are pregnant matters more because you are not only taking care of your own body, but you are starting the beginnings of a new one," says Dr. Amy Lanou, Nutritional Director for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. "The nutrients of special importance during pregnancy don't vary depending on what your diet is, they remain important."

Nutritional Considerations

Calcium is crucial to the development of bones and teeth. Even if a woman has an insufficient calcium intake, the baby will still get what it needs from the mother's body. Therefore to ensure her bone health, vegetarian and especially vegan women should be sure to consume calcium rich foods like kale, collards, broccoli, cabbage, legumes, enriched soy and rice milks, calcium fortified orange juice and breakfast cereals.

Folate or folic acid is instrumental in neural development. Vegetarians have a tendency to have a higher folate intake than do omnivorous people, because their diet often includes folate rich foods such as dark green leafy vegetables and legumes. If a woman is concerned about her folate consumption, she can always take a supplement.


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Member Comments About this Article
"Nice article to read. Every mom should take a realistic step and adapt it to their eating habits. I wish babyfit would include vegan/vegetarian products in the "My Nutrition" tool.
As a comment, I would like to point out that there is a picture of papaya. Papaya has an enzyme, papain, which is not advisable for women who are pregnant/trying-to-conceive. There are many articles supporting this." -- SHUBHASATISH
"thank you for the article. Now you need to revise the menu planner to offer opions like vegatarian, vegan, Kosher, ect menus." -- TANYASTEVE
"You might be able to make adjustments to fit your eating style to this plan to help with your planning. Weekly Meal Plan for the Busy Mom
" -- TANYA_BABYFIT
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About The Author
Karen Gardner
Karen has worked as a freelance writer for more than 20 years. Her work has appeared in a number of national, regional and local publications.
Karen Gardner

 


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