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.
Calcium
1 to 3 years..............500 milligrams (mg)
4 to 8 years..............800 mg
9 to 18 years............1300 mg
Iron
1 to 3 years..............7 milligrams (mg)
4 to 8 years..............10 mg
9 to 13 years..............8 mg
14 to 18 years............11 mg (boys), 15 mg (girls)
Zinc
7 months to 3 years........3 milligrams (mg)
4 to 8 years...............5 mg
9 to 13 years..............8 mg
14 to 18 years............11 mg (boys), 9 mg (girls)
Vitamin D
0 to 13 years..............5 micrograms (mcg)
14 to 18 years.............5 mcg
Vitamin B-12
1 to 3 years...............0.9 mcg
4 to 8 years...............1.2 mcg
9 to 13 years..............1.8 mcg
14 to 18 years.............2.4 mcg
CALCIUM mg per serving ------------------------------------------------------ Legumes (1/2 C cooked) Navy beans 60 Black beans 46 Vegetarian baked beans 64 Soyfoods (1/2 C) Cultured soy yogurt, fortified 367 Tofu 120-430 Soymilk, calcium fortified 100-159 Soy nuts 120 Nuts and seeds Almonds, 1/4 C 88 Almond butter, 2 Tbsp 86 Vegetables (1 C cooked) Broccoli 79 Collard greens 239 Turnip greens 208 Fruits Dried figs, 5 137 Calcium-fortified orange juice, 1 C 300 Dairy Cow's milk, 1/2 C 137-158 Cheddar cheese, 1/4 oz 153 Yogurt, plain 1/2 C 137-230 IRON mg per serving ------------------------------------------------------ Breads, cereals, and grains Whole wheat bread, 1 slice 0.9 Cereal, fortified, 1 C 2.1 to 18 Oatmeal, instant, 1/2 cup 1.6 Vegetables (1/2 C) Broccoli 0.9 Bok choy 0.7 Tomato juice, 1 C 0.7 Turnip greens 0.6 Legumes (1/2 C cooked) Baked beans, vegetarian 1.7 Black beans 1.8 Navy beans 2.3 Soyfoods (1/2 C) Soybeans, cooked 4.4 Tofu 6.6 Soymilk 0.4-1.0 Nuts/seeds (1/4 C) 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. 0.7-15 Wheat germ, 2 tablespoons 1.8 Legumes (1/2 C cooked) Adzuki beans 2.0 Baked beans, canned 1.8 Lima beans 0.9 Lentils 1.2 Soyfoods (1/2 C cooked) Soybeans 1.0 Tofu 1.0 Veggie meats, 1 oz. 1.2-2.3 Vegetables (1/2 C cooked) Peas 1.0 Mushrooms 0.7 VITAMIN D mcg per serving -------------------------------------------------------- Cereals, fortified, 1 oz 0.5-1 Egg yolk, large, 1 0.6 Cow's milk, fortified 1.2-1.3 Soymilk, fortified, 1/2 c 0.5-1.5 RIBOFLAVIN mg per serving -------------------------------------------------------- Almonds, 1/4 c 0.3 Cereal, fortified, 1 oz 0.2-1.7 Cow's milk, 1/2 c 0.2 Yogurt, 1/2 c 0.3 Egg, large, 1 0.6 Mushrooms, cooked, 1/2 c 0.2 Nutritional yeast miniflakes, 1 tbsp 1.9 Soymilk, fortified, 1/2 c 0.2 VITAMIN B-12 mcg per serving --------------------------------------------------------- Cereals, fortified, 1 oz 0.6-6.0 Cow's milk, 1/2 c 0.4-0.5 Egg, large, 1 0.5 Nutritional yeast miniflakes, 1 tbsp 1.5 Soymilk, fortified, 1/2 c 0.4-1.6 Veggie "meats," fortified, 1 oz 0.5-1.2 LINOLENIC ACID (OMEGA-3 FATTY-ACIDS) grams per serving ----------------------------------------------------------- Canola oil, 1 tbsp 1.3-1.6 Flaxseed, ground, 1 tbsp 1.9-2.2 Flaxseed oil, 1 tsp 2.7 Soybean oil, 1 tbsp 0.9 Soybeans, cooked, 1/2 c 1.0 Tofu, 1/2 c 0.7 Walnuts, 1/4 c 2.7 Walnut oil, 1 tbsp 1.4-1.7
