Menu helpers for vegetarian moms-to-be

June 20, 2000
Web posted at: 2:53 PM EDT (1853 GMT)

(WebMD) -- Whether you are a vegetarian (don't eat meat) or strict vegan (no dairy products or eggs either), a well-balanced diet during pregnancy can provide all the nutrients necessary for both you and your baby -- along with the extra 300 calories per day that the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) recommends for all pregnant women.

The following tips can help you plan your meals. They are provided by Michael Klaper, M.D., director of the Institute of Nutrition Education and Research in Manhattan Beach, Calif., and author of the book "Pregnancy, Children, and the Vegan Diet," and Virginia Messina, a registered dietician (R.D.) and co-author with Kenneth Burke, R.D., of the 1997 American Dietetics Association position paper on vegetarian diets.

This vitamin can be found in green leafy vegetables, grains, orange juice and fruits, and in fortified breads, cereals and pastas. (Folic acid is most helpful in the first three months of pregnancy, and doctors recommend that you begin increasing your intake several months BEFORE conception to help reduce the risk of neural tube defects.)

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RELATEDS AT :

Commonly asked questions about diet and pregnancy
Vegetarian diets and pregnancy

American Dietetic Association: Vegetarian diets
Vegetarian Resource Group

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