Many good sources of iron are available to vegetarians such as iron enriched cereals and grain products, legumes, dried fruit, pasta, and spinach . A primary source for zinc among vegetarians is fortified cereal followed by beans, nuts , eggs, soy foods , and dairy products. Diets that are very high in fiber may decrease zinc absorption and so fortified foods or zinc supplements must be consumed when fiber intake is high. Calcium Adolescence is an important time for the development of bones. In fact, calcium retention in bones is at an all time high during this period.
Most adolescent girls consume far less than the recommended amount of calcium.
The most common calcium sources are dairy products, but vegans must consume other calcium rich sources such as dark green leafy vegetables and calcium fortified foods and juices such as orange juice, cereal and soy products . Teach your teen to read labels to make sure a food is a calcium rich product. Vitamin D To properly utilize calcium, an adequate intake of vitamin D is necessary. The primary source of Vitamin D is also found in dairy products. Vegans must consume foods supplemented with vitamin D such as soy milk or cereals and get exposure to sun light in order to obtain this vitamin.