You must be careful to eat well-rounded meals to get enough calories and other nutrients. Whether you are a vegetarian or not, you might have difficulty getting the recommended amount of iron. Without meat and eggs, women during the child bearing years may not get enough iron. Dark green leafy vegetables, dried fruits, legumes, and whole and enriched grain foods help furnish iron. Iron-fortified cereals also supply additional iron.
Supplemental iron is sometimes beneficial.
Although the body needs only a small amount of vitamin B12, there is no vitamin B12 in any food grown in the soil. Vitamin B12 is found only in animal sources. In general, vegetarian diets that include dairy products are likely to furnish the body with adequate amounts of vitamin B12. The risk of developing a vitamin B12 deficiency is a concern for vegans and other types of vegetarians who don't consume adequate amounts of dairy products. These persons should supplement their diets with a source of vitamin B12 such as a cobalamin supplement.