Food Guide. Vegetarian Pregnancy Food Pyramid.

I found this easy to read guide on this BLOG. Enjoy!

"Here are the important nutrients needed during pregnancy... 
(the guide was written by Christine Creighton, MS, RD) "

Protein (71grams) 
Builds new tissue and repairs cells 

-Dried beans 
-Soy products 
-Lentils 
-Nuts and nut butters 
-Eggs (my tip: There is a TON of research out on the benefits of choline in the diet, which can be found in high quantity in egg yokes. As far as the current research goes, eggs, alone, are not the culprit to high cholesterol) 
-Soymilk 
-Whole-grains 
-Dairy products 

Omega-3 Fatty Acid DHA 
Develops nerve and visual function 

-Eggs from chickens fed a DHA rich diet 
-Foods fortified with microalgae-derived DHA 
(on pg. 13 of my newsletter there is a short article on a vegetarian omega-3 supplement which provides 600mg of EPA from yeast. You can find it on NewHarvest.com and search Vegetarian EPA) 

Iron (48.6 mg) 
Promotes tissue growth and increases blood supply 

-Fortified cereals and breads: whole-grains 
-Dark leafy greens 
-Dried fruit 
-Prunes and prune juice 
-Tofu 
*Include a source of vitamin C (ex. bell peppers, tomatoes, citrus fruits) with meals to increase iron absorption. Avoid milk, tea and coffee with iron-rich foods, which may decrease absorption. 

Folate (600 mcg) 
Produce and maintain new cells, reduce the risk of neural tube defects 

-Dark green leafy veggies 
-Orange juice 
-Wheat germ 
-Enriched or whole-grain breads 
-Enriched cereals 
-Dried beans 
-Supplements or fortified foods 
*A daily intake of folate rich foods should be combined with 400µg of folic acid from supplements or fortified foods. 

Zinc (11mg) 
Tissue growth and function 

-Beans 
-Nuts 
-Seeds 
-Fortified cereals 
-Wheat germ 
-Milk 
-Hard cheeses (ex. parmesan, asiago) 

Iodine (220 mcg) 
Hormone production 

-Iodized salt 

Calcium (1000 mg) 
Build strong bones and teeth, help muscle and nerve function 

-Fortified soymilk or rice milk 
-Dairy products 
-Some dark green leafy veggies (ex. broccoli, kale, collard greens, bok choy) 
-Calcium-set tofu 
-Soybeans 
-Almonds 
-Figs 
-Fortified orange juice 

Vitamin B12 (2.6 mcg) 
Helps maintain healthy nerve cells and red blood cells 

-Fortified cereals 
-Fortified soymillk 
-Vitamin B12-fortified nutritional yeast 
-Milk and yogurt 
-Eggs 

Vitamin D (200 IU) 
Help body use calcium to form fetal bones 

-Cow's milk 
-Fortified cereals 
-Eggs 
-Vitamin D-fortified soymilk 
-Skin exposure to sunlight 

"As you can see, it doesn't take a lot of effort to nourish a vegetarian pregnancy. Meat-eater or not, it is important to prioritize a plant-based diet in order to provide the body with a variety of vitamins and minerals to encourage longevity, immune system support and energy. 

If you are interested in raising vegetarian or vegan children, check out http://www.bostonveg.org/vegan_kids.html"

Comments

[coco]

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[Tubal Ligation Reversal]

nice and great information about vegetarian food specially for pregnant women..
Thanks for sharing.

[Reversal of Tubal Ligation]

nice to be here...
really awesome comments and discussion...
i love it

[Ana]

nice!

[Pregnancy Miracle]

A pregnant woman must always eat balanced and healthy foods to strengthen the baby inside her womb. What a mother eats will also be the food for her baby.

Pregnancy Miracle