A nurse is providing prenatal teaching about iron to a client who follows a vegetarian diet. The nurse should recommend that the client consume which of the following foods to enhance the absorption of nonheme iron?

Rationale: A. Boiled eggs: While eggs contain some iron, the type is nonheme, and their consumption alone does not significantly enhance absorption. Eggs lack the vitamin C necessary to improve nonheme iron absorption from plant-based foods. B. Cheddar cheese: Cheese contains minimal iron and is low in vitamin C. It does not aid in the absorption of nonheme iron and may actually inhibit iron absorption when consumed with iron-rich plant foods due to its high calcium content. C. Mixed nuts: Nuts provide some nonheme iron, but they do not contain vitamin C to enhance absorption. Consuming nuts alone will not improve bioavailability of iron in a vegetarian diet. D. Orange slices: Vitamin C in oranges significantly enhances the absorption of nonheme iron from plant-based foods by converting it into a more absorbable form. Including vitamin C-rich foods like oranges with meals helps increase iron uptake, which is particularly important for clients following vegetarian diets.