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Your vegetarian convictions or preferences don’t have to limit your diet, even in pregnancy. While proteins are crucial for a healthy mom and baby, they come naturally in a number of vegetarian options. Consult with your doctor and your local produce department for healthful, delicious options, in pregnancy and beyond.

Getting sufficient iron in your diet when you’re pregnant helps prevent iron-deficiency anemia. Pregnant women use up all the nutrients from the foods that they eat very efficiently to provide nutrition to their babies, and iron is no exception. Iron helps carry oxygen throughout your body and to your baby. If you are taking a prenatal vitamin, it probably contains at least 27 mg of iron, which is the daily amount recommended by the National Institutes of Health for pregnant women. It’s also important to eat foods high in iron, since the mineral is more easily absorbed from food. Eat your iron-rich foods with a food source of vitamin C, such as citrus juices, broccoli, bell peppers and cabbage. Several studies, including “The Role of Vitamin C in Iron Absorption” by Hallberg et al. in the “Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research,” have shown that ascorbic acid (vitamin C) helps you absorb iron. And when you eat foods high in iron, avoid eating coffee, tea, dairy or soy products at the same time, as these foods are high in minerals and other substances that block the absorption of iron. Also talk to your doctor about the upper and lower limits of iron intake from food and supplement sources that are best for you.