A vegetarian pregnant patient is concerned about meeting iron and zinc RDAs. Which combined strategy best synthesizes dietary and supplement recommendations to meet these micronutrient needs?

• A. Recommend high-dose zinc supplementation alone because zinc corrects all micronutrient deficits in vegetarian diets without the need for iron monitoring
• B. Advise only increasing dairy and avoiding legumes, because animal-based iron sources are the only effective option and supplements are unnecessary
• C. Encourage iron-rich plant foods (legumes, fortified cereals, leafy greens), pair them with vitamin C sources to enhance non-heme iron absorption, and consider a prenatal supplement containing iron and zinc after discussing with her provider and monitoring labs
• D. Suggest eliminating fortified foods because synthetic nutrients interfere with natural absorption and relying solely on cravings to guide intake

Answer: (C)