Vegetarians are often concerned with their chosen diet when they get pregnant. During pregnancy, a woman's diet requires a 30% increase in protein intake and some vegetarians think that their diet is not enough for their baby's development. Aside from protein, calcium intake is also a big concern for vegetarians, especially among vegan vegetarians who completely exclude dairy produce in their diet which are a primary source of calcium. The purpose of this article is to identify the foods to eat when pregnant for vegetarians who wish to continue their healthy vegetarian diet.

As mentioned above, protein is very important during pregnancy as protein helps in building human cells and for the fetus inside the womb, cells multiply rapidly. Thus, adequate supply of protein is needed to keep up with the fast cell production of the baby. Aside from animal sources, vegetarians can get their protein from plant sources like soya, tofu, beans, lentils, tempeh, legumes and chicken peas. For lacto-ovo vegetarians, pregnant women can get protein from eggs.

If pregnant vegetarians are concerned that their alternative protein sources are not enough, they can combine their protein intake with foods rich in amino acids which also helps in cell generation. Foods rich in amino acids that also comply with the vegetarian diet are grains and brown rice.

Calcium is also essential when pregnant. This mineral is important for the baby's bone and teeth development and for the mother to prevent osteoporosis. A pregnant woman must consume 4 portions of foods rich in calcium a day. Calcium intake is not a big issue among many types of vegetarians since most of them include dairy products in their diet. However it is a concern for vegetarians that exclude diary products.

Foods to eat when pregnant that are good sources of calcium are yoghurt, dried fruits, nuts, seeds and dark green vegetables like broccoli and spinach. Vegetarians can also get calcium from soya drinks and margarine fortified with Vitamin D. All vegetarians can supplement their calcium intake by sun exposure during the early morning and late afternoon.

Another nutrient that is important for pregnancy and for vegetarians is Vitamin B12. This vitamin is needed for the baby's cell and tissue production and for mothers who wants to breastfeed their baby. Vegetarians can get this vitamin from cereals and vitamin B12-enriched soya milk.

In conclusion, pregnancy should not stop a vegetarian from their healthy diet as being vegetarian can help in producing a very healthy baby and having a trouble-free pregnancy. Consult your doctor for the daily recommended allowance of the foods to eat when pregnant for vegetarians, as well as other supplements to achieve enough protein, calcium and Vitamin B12 nutritional requirements.