Metabolizable energy from a predominantly vegetable diet consumed by Mexican rural lactating women.

Metabolizable energy from the habitual diet was measured in lactating women from a Mexican rural community. Food intake was estimated in 12 women, age 25 +/- 5 y, 2-6 m postpartum, body weight 48 +/- 4 kg and height 147 +/- 4 cm. Rural diet was predominantly from vegetable sources based on maize (to rtillas), beans, tomato, onion and chili. The group was studied in free con ditions with their habitual diet intake and in balance conditions consuming a controlled diet similar to their rural diet. Four women participated in a second balance with a modified diet, low in fiber and higher in protein a nd fat content in comparison with the habitual rural diet. Metabolizable en ergy was lower (P<0.05) by an average of 744 kJ/d in the rural diet than th e modified diet. Apparent digestibility of energy increased from 82% and 87 % with the free and controlled rural diets, respectively, to 93.4% with the modified diet. Digestibility for nitrogen and fat in the lactating women c onsuming the modified diet was higher (>22%) than with the rural diet. Meta bolizable energy from the rural diet by the lactating women group was lower (8.1 MJ/d) than the energy recommended allowances during lactation. Nutrie nt digestibility from the rural diet was similar to those found in populati ons with intake of predominantly vegetable diets with high dietary fiber co ntent. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Inc.