Vegetarian

Legumes such as lentils, chickpeas, and black beans provide 15–18 g of protein per cooked cup, while tofu, tempeh, and seitan deliver 15–25 g per serving. Dairy products like Greek yogurt and cottage cheese, plus eggs, contribute high-quality complete proteins with all essential amino acids. Combining grains with legumes across the day covers the full amino acid profile, and nuts and seeds add another 5–8 g per ounce.

Vitamin B12 is found almost exclusively in animal products, so lacto-ovo vegetarians can get some from dairy and eggs, but intake is often below the 2.4 mcg daily recommendation. Many fortified foods like plant milks, nutritional yeast, and breakfast cereals provide B12, and a supplement of 25–100 mcg daily or 1000 mcg weekly is a common safeguard. A blood test for serum B12 or methylmalonic acid can confirm status if you're unsure.

It tends to be higher in carbohydrates than omnivorous diets because grains, legumes, fruits, and starchy vegetables play a larger role. However, the carbs from beans, lentils, oats, and whole fruits come bundled with fiber, which lowers their glycemic index and slows glucose absorption. Vegetarians watching carbs can prioritize tofu, tempeh, eggs, dairy, nuts, and non-starchy vegetables while keeping refined grains and sugars in check.

Plant foods contain non-heme iron, which is absorbed at roughly 2–20 percent compared to 15–35 percent for heme iron from meat. Pairing iron-rich foods like lentils, spinach, tofu, and fortified cereals with vitamin C sources such as bell peppers, citrus, strawberries, or tomatoes can increase absorption several-fold. Avoid drinking coffee or tea with meals, since polyphenols and tannins inhibit non-heme iron uptake by 50–60 percent.