Everyday sources of protein:

Soya
Nuts
Beans
Cheese
Eggs
Cereals (e.g. wheat, rice)

How much protein do I need?

Women: 45g per day Men: 55g per day

Hints and tips

According to research, it is easy for vegetarians to get enough protein from lots of different types of foods. You can find protein in places you might not expect, such as bread, potatoes and green leafy vegetables. Remember to vary your proteins to ensure a balanced intake in your diet.

Everyday sources of calcium:

Kale
Oranges
Grains and breads
Broccoli
Dairy and alternatives
Pulses
Fortified breakfast cereal

How much calcium do I need?

Women: 700mg per day Men: 700mg per day

Hints and tips

Eat a wide variety of foods that contain calcium. If dairy alternatives are eaten, choose ones with added calcium, such as soya milk and soya yogurt. Vitamin D helps the body take in calcium, so it is vital to keep up vitamin D levels.

Everyday sources of iron:

Chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans and other pulses
Tofu
Sprouted beans and seeds
Breakfast cereals
Bread
Kale, cabbage and broccoli
Nuts
Dried fruits

How much iron do I need?

Women (age 19 to 50): 14.8mg per day Men (age 19 to 50): 8.7mg per day Men and women (age 50+): 8.7mg per day

Hints and tips

Vitamin C helps the body to take in iron. Drinking orange juice, alongside an iron-rich meal, can help you increase its benefits.

Everyday sources of vitamin D:

Egg yolk
Cereals
Soya milk
Mushrooms e.g. wild and light-cultivated mushrooms
Fat spreads
Supplements

How much vitamin D do I need?

Infants (less than 1 year): 8.5 to 10 μg per day Children (age 1 to 3): 10 μg per day People (age 4+): 10 μg per day [μg = micrograms]

The recommended dose for adults including pregnant and breastfeeding women is 10 micrograms.

Hints and tips

Vitamin D comes from sunlight and some foods. It is difficult to get enough vitamin D from a balanced diet. In the UK, it is recommended everyone consider taking a vitamin D supplement especially from October to late March. However, people whose skin has little or no exposure to the sun need to take a supplement throughout the year. Some vitamin D in foods and supplements is from non-vegetarian sources, so check the label.

Everyday sources of vitamin B12:

Milk
Cheese
Yogurt
Eggs
Yeast extracts with added B12
Breakfast cereals with added B12 (e.g. cornflakes)
Soya milk with added B12

How much vitamin B12 do I need?

Women: 1.5 μg per day Men: 1.5 μg per day [μg = micrograms]

Hints and tips

Dairy can be a main vegetarian source of vitamin B12. If using dairy-alternatives look for ones with added vitamin B12. Some health food products, such as seaweed and spirulina, stop the body taking in vitamin B12 effectively. Supplements can be an easy way to make sure you have enough vitamin B12.

Everyday sources of iodine:

Cheese
Yogurt
Seaweed
Eggs
Milk
Peanuts
Sea salt

How much iodine do I need?

Women: 140 μg per day Men: 140 μg per day [μg = micrograms]

Note: At the very early stages of pregnancy, often before it is confirmed, women have an increased iodine need.

Hints and tips

There is a lower level of iodine in organic milk. Kelp (a type of seaweed) supplements are not recommended, particularly when pregnant, because levels of iodine can be too high. Seaweed is safe to eat because levels of iodine become lower through production.

Everyday sources of zinc:

Eggs
Breakfast cereals
Cow's milk
Houmous
Nuts and seeds
Peas
Beans
Chickpeas
Bread
Cheese
Potatoes

How much zinc do I need?

Women: 7mg per day Men: 9.5mg per day

Hints and tips

It is easier for the body to take in zinc from peas, beans, lentils, and seeds that have been sprouted. These can be found in most supermarkets and wholefood shops.

Everyday sources of fats:

Saturated fats

Pies
Pastries
Butter and margarine
Cheese
Palm oil, coconut oil and coconut cream

Unsaturated fats including polyunsaturated oils:

Sunflower oil
Soya oil
Flaxseed oils
Linseeds
Walnuts
Soya beans

Monounsaturated oils:

Olive oil
Rapeseed oil
Avocados
Almonds
Brazil nuts
Peanuts

How much fat do I need?

Saturated fat adult daily intake (upper limit):

Women (age 19 to 64): 24g per day Women (age 65 to 74): 23g per day Women (75+): 23g per day Men (age 19 to 64): 31g per day Men (age 65 to 74): 29g per day Men (75+): 28g per day

Monounsaturated fat adult daily intake (upper limit):

Women (age 19 to 64): 29g per day Women (age 65 to 74): 28g per day Women (75+): 27g per day Men (age 19 to 64): 36g per day Men (age 65 to 74): 34g per day Men (75+): 33g per day

Hints and tips

It is important to have some healthy polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats in the diet, and avoid unhealthy saturated fats where possible. Saturated fat increases the harmful type of cholesterol called LDL.

Everyday sources of omega 3 and 6:

Omega 3

Flaxseeds (ground and oil)
Rapeseed/canola oil
Hempseed oil
Soya bean oil
Walnut oil
Algal oil

Omega 6

Corn oil
Grapeseed oil
Sunflower oil
Soya bean oil
Walnut oil
Wheatgerm oil
Walnuts
Soya beans

How much omega 3 and 6 do I need?

Omega 3 recommended adult daily intake (EPA plus DHA):

Women: 250mg per day Men: 250mg per day

Omega 6 recommended adult daily intake:

Women: 10g per day Men: 10g per day

Hints and tips

Omega 3 and 6 are very important polyunsaturated fats for our diet. Too much omega 6 stops omega 3 being used. It is important to stick to a ratio of 5:1 or lower. Dietary advice is to consume long-chain omega 3 as part of a healthy diet. As vegetarians do not each fish, algal oil is a long-chain omega 3 source.