When you're pregnant, you'll need more nutrition for your health. However, you only need approximately 300 more calories than normal during this time, so it's imperative that you make wise food choices and eat nutrient-dense food.
A good start is to ensure that you're eating plenty of protein. Your need for protein increases about 30 percent during pregnancy, but most vegetarian women eat more than enough protein in their regular diets. Soy products, beans, and legumes are good sources of proteins, especially for vegetarians.
Your calcium requirement also increases. Each day you need to be eating at least four servings of calcium-rich foods like broccoli, calcium-fortified soy milk, tofu, and dark green leafy vegetables.
You should have enough sun exposure a day, because sunlight encourages vitamin D production in your body. You should expose your face and hand for about twenty minutes in weak sunlight about two to three times a week. If you can't get sun exposure, then take supplements or foods rich in vitamin D.
Iron is very important during pregnancy. Iron can be found in beans, nuts and seeds, dark green leafy vegetables, and fortified breads and cereals. You might also want to consider supplementing to ensure you get the required amount.
Vitamin B12 is also a much needed nutrient for pregnant women, but it isn't easy to get from vegetarian foods. Select fortified cereals or soy milk, brewer's yeast, and consider a multivitamin with an adequate level to ensure your body gets the amount it needs.
Zinc is another nutrient that is hard to come by for vegetarians, and there is increased need for it during pregnancy. Whole grains and legumes are sources of zinc, but you can also take supplements just to be sure.
As long as you eat a good variety of nutritious foods that provide the right amount of calories for a healthy weight gain, you should have no problem getting the vitamins and minerals your body needs at this marvellous time. And though many women do choose to take a prenatal vitamin daily, they should not be a substitute for good nutrition. You should let it be known to your physician that you are a vegetarian so that you can understand and help each other during your pregnancy.
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