Minerals for Vegetarians and Vegans: Iron, Zinc, Calcium, Iodine and Selenium

Seek care first

• Lack of energy or shortness of breath are listed by MedlinePlus among symptoms of long-term low iron, but many conditions cause them. [1] See a clinician for tests rather than self-treating.
• If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, planning a pregnancy, or feeding a child a vegan diet, ask a clinician or registered dietitian before relying on supplements. See Minerals in pregnancy.
• If anyone may have swallowed iron tablets, call 911 or Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 (US). [2]

The short answer

The NHS says that with good planning a vegan diet can supply all the nutrients the body needs, but without planning you could miss calcium, iron, vitamin B12, iodine and selenium. [3] It suggests fortified foods or supplements for the nutrients that are harder to get, including vitamin D, B12, iodine, selenium and calcium. [3] A systematic review of 141 studies found that intake and status of iron, zinc, iodine and calcium were generally lower in plant-based patterns, vegans had the lowest iodine and calcium intakes, and inadequacies existed in meat-eating diets too. [4]

This page is information only. For vitamins and omega-3 see Supplements in vegetarian and vegan diets.

Official intake levels (UK adults)

These are NHS figures, which come from UK government advice. Other countries differ. The sources we read give vegetarian-specific figures only for zinc, in EFSA's phytate-based values below.

[2] [5] [6] [7]

EFSA's reference values for zinc rise with phytate in the diet (phytate is a plant compound that binds zinc). For non-pregnant adult women EFSA lists 9.3, 11.0 and 12.7 mg a day at phytate intakes of 600, 900 and 1,200 mg a day. [8] How label amounts relate to these figures is on Understanding minerals.

What the research found

Evidence labels: observational means status was compared between diet groups, not tested in a supplement trial; limited means small studies.

Foods and habits the NHS describes

• Calcium: green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and okra (not spinach), fortified unsweetened soya, pea and oat drinks, calcium-set tofu, sesame seeds and tahini, and bread (calcium is added to UK white and brown flour by law). [3]
• Iron: pulses, wholemeal bread, fortified cereals and dark green leafy vegetables; the NHS says plant iron is absorbed less well than iron from meat, so have vitamin C foods with meals and avoid tea or coffee with or just after them. [3]
• Iodine: a strict vegan who eats no fish, eggs or dairy may want iodine-fortified foods or a supplement after advice from a professional; some soya and oat drinks are fortified, so check labels. [7]
• Selenium: the NHS lists Brazil nuts, fish, meat and eggs as sources. [5] For upper limits see Selenium toxicity, Brazil nuts and upper limits.
• Zinc: the NHS lists meat, shellfish, dairy and bread or cereal products; MedlinePlus says vegetarian diets tend to be low in zinc because plant zinc is less available. [5] [13]