A vegetarian diet is healthy if it is carefully planned. If a
vegetarian diet is too restricted, it may be unhealthy. Certain
essential nutrients are harder for vegetarians to find in plant
foods. Vegetarians may need to make a special effort to get enough
calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin D, and vitamin B-12. It also can be
difficult to get an adequate amount of the healthy omega-3 fatty
acids. This is especially true if NO animal products (not even
dairy products or eggs) are included in the diet.
Amounts of Some Essential Nutrients Needed Each Day
Calcium
MG CALCIUM/DAY
Adults 19 to 50 1000
Adults over 50 1200
Iron
MG IRON/DAY
Men 19 and older 8
Women 19 to 50 18
Pregnant women 27
Breast-feeding women 9
Women over 50 8
Zinc
MG ZINC/DAY
Men 19 and older 11
Women 19 and older 12
Pregnant women 15
Breast-feeding women 19
Vitamin B-12
MCG VITAMIN B-12/DAY
Pregnant and breast-feeding women 2.6 to 2.8
All other adults 2.4
Vitamin D *
MG OR IU VITAMIN D/DAY
Adults up to 50 years old 5 to 10 mcg or 200 to 400* IU
Adults 51 to 70 10 mcg or 400 IU
Adults 71 and over 15 mcg or 600 IU
Pregnant women 10 mcg or 400 IU
Breast-feeding women 10 mcg or 400 IU
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* Although the Recommended Daily Intake (DRI)
recommendations for Vitamin D have not been updated
yet, new clinical research shows the need for 400 mg
for infancy through adulthood. After the age of 50
years, some health conditions may increase the
recommendation up to 800 mg/day. Ask your healthcare
provider how much vitamin D you and your children
should take.
Sources of Some Nutrients for Vegetarians
CALCIUM mg per serving
------------------------------------------------------
Legumes (1/2 cup cooked)
Navy beans 60
Black beans 46
Vegetarian baked beans 64
Soy foods (1/2 cup)
Cultured soy yogurt, fortified 367
Tofu 120 to 430
Soy milk, calcium fortified 100 to 159
Soy nuts 120
Nuts and seeds
Almonds, 1/4 cup 88
Almond butter, 2 tablespoons 86
Vegetables (1 cup cooked)
Broccoli 79
Collard greens 239
Turnip greens 208
Fruits
Dried figs, 5 137
Calcium-fortified orange juice, 1 cup 300
Dairy
Cow's milk, 1/2 cup 137 to 158
Cheddar cheese, 1/4 oz 153
Yogurt, plain, 1/2 cup 137 to 230
Yogurt, flavored, 1 cup 280 to 300
IRON mg per serving
------------------------------------------------------
Breads, cereals, and grains
Whole wheat bread, 1 slice 0.9
Cereal, fortified, 1 cup 2.1 to 18
Oatmeal, instant, 1/2 cup 1.6
Vegetables (1/2 cup)
Broccoli 0.9
Bok choy 0.7
Tomato juice, 1 cup 0.7
Turnip greens 0.6
Legumes (1/2 cup cooked)
Baked beans, vegetarian 1.7
Black beans 1.8
Navy beans 2.3
Soy foods (1/2 cup)
Soybeans, cooked 4.4
Tofu 6.6
Soy milk 0.4 to 1.0
Nuts/seeds (1/4 cup)
Cashews 1.5
Pumpkin seeds 5.2
Sunflower seeds 2.3
Other foods
Blackstrap molasses, 1 tablespoon 3.5
ZINC mg per serving
------------------------------------------------------
Breads, grains, and cereals
Cereal, fortified 1 oz 0.7 to 15
Wheat germ, 2 tablespoons 1.8
Legumes (1/2 cup cooked)
Adzuki beans 2.0
Baked beans, canned 1.8
Lima beans 0.9
Lentils 1.2
Soy foods (1/2 cup cooked)
Soybeans 1.0
Tofu 1.0
Veggie meats, 1 oz 1.2 to 2.3
Vegetables (1/2 cup cooked)
Peas 1.0
Mushrooms 0.7
VITAMIN D mcg per serving
--------------------------------------------------------
Cereals, fortified, 1 oz 0.5 to 1
Egg yolk, large, 1 0.6
Cow's milk, fortified 1.2 to 1.3
Soy milk, fortified, 1/2 cup 0.5 to 1.5
RIBOFLAVIN mg per serving
--------------------------------------------------------
Almonds, 1/4 cup 0.3
Cereal, fortified, 1 oz 0.2 to 1.7
Cow's milk, 1/2 cup 0.2
Yogurt, 1/2 cup 0.3
Egg, large, 1 0.6
Mushrooms, cooked, 1/2 cup 0.2
Nutritional yeast miniflakes, 1 tablespoon 1.9
Soy milk, fortified, 1/2 cup 0.2
VITAMIN B-12 mcg per serving
---------------------------------------------------------
Cereals, fortified, 1 oz 0.6 to 6.0
Cow's milk, 1/2 cup 0.4 to 0.5
Egg, large, 1 0.5
Nutritional yeast miniflakes, 1 tablespoon 1.5
Soy milk, fortified, 1/2 cup 0.4 to 1.6
Veggie "meats," fortified, 1 oz 0.5 to 1.2
LINOLENIC ACID (OMEGA-3 FATTY-ACIDS) grams per serving
-----------------------------------------------------------
Canola oil, 1 tablespoon 1.3 to 1.6
Flaxseed, ground, 1 tablespoon 1.9 to 2.2
Flaxseed oil, 1 teaspoon 2.7
Soybean oil, 1 tablespoon 0.9
Soybeans, cooked, 1/2 cup 1.0
Tofu, 1/2 cup 0.7
Walnuts, 1/4 cup 2.7
Walnut oil, 1 tablespoon 1.4 to 1.7
This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to
change as new health information becomes available. The
information is intended to inform and educate and is not a
replacement for medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or
treatment by a healthcare professional.
© 2009 RelayHealth and/or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.
