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Zuletzt aktualisiert am 29.08.2025
Vegetarian diet = nutrient deficiency? What you often hear is not necessarily true. A vegetarian diet does not automatically mean poor nutrient intake. Instead, you simply need to pay a bit more attention to getting enough of certain vitamins and minerals.
That’s why in a vegetarian diet, supplements can help provide your body with the nutrients it needs. Which supplements you really need and how to find the perfect products for you will be explained in the next few minutes.
Your knowledge to go: Vegetarian diet supplements
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In a vegetarian diet, supplements can help supply your body with nutrients.
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Often no supplements are necessary, as a lot can be achieved with a balanced diet.
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Critical nutrients in a vegetarian diet include vitamin B12, vitamin D, iron, omega-3 fatty acids, iodine, and zinc.
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Supplementing vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids is beneficial for many.
What is a vegetarian diet?
To make sure we’re all on the same page: the typical vegetarian diet is actually called the ovo-lacto-vegetarian diet and means that you eat neither meat nor fish. Eggs and dairy (products) are still consumed – so you don’t have to give up your soft-boiled egg in the morning.
There are also other forms of the vegetarian diet, such as ovo-vegetarian, in which eggs are eaten but dairy is avoided, or lacto-vegetarian, in which eggs are a no-go but milk is consumed.
In this article, however, we will focus only on the most well-known form: the ovo-lacto-vegetarian diet.
Enough of ovo and lacto – back to the topic of vegetarian diet and supplements.
Critical nutrients
When you give up meat and fish, you may end up consuming less of certain nutrients.
Which nutrients are critical in a vegetarian diet?
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is known as a vitamin found in meat. It contributes to a normal energy metabolism and can help you feel less tired. I think I need a whole bucket of vitamin B12.
Vitamin D
Probably no surprise, right? Vitamin D is a critical nutrient for almost everyone in Germany. The body produces vitamin D when you are exposed to sunlight. However, since in Germany we often need an umbrella more than a sunshade, vitamin D levels are often not ideal. In a vegetarian diet, the nutrient becomes even more critical because one of the few sources of vitamin D (fatty fish) is eliminated.
Iron
Iron is often obtained from animal products, and animal protein is generally more bioavailable than plant-based protein. But: there are good plant-based sources of iron. We’ll get to those later.
Omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are commonly found in fish. But what happens if fish is removed from the diet? EPA and DHA (two fatty acids) contribute to normal heart function – so it’s important to get enough of them.
Iodine
As with all our supplement articles, iodine also gets its place. It is generally a critical nutrient. In Germany, it is recommended to use iodized table salt and to consume products made with iodized salt. In a vegetarian diet, one important source of iodine (fish) is eliminated, so it’s particularly important to monitor iodine intake.
Zinc
Similar to iron, plant-based zinc is not as easily absorbed as animal-based zinc. Therefore, intake must be monitored to support, for example, the normal function of the immune system.
Very important: if you do not eat a balanced diet or if you eat vegan, it can also happen that you do not get enough of other nutrients such as vitamin B2 or calcium.
What to do?
Have you already filled your shopping cart with vitamins and minerals? Then hold on just a moment! Supplementation is not always necessary. Following the motto: food SUPPLEMENT instead of food REPLACEMENT, we should always first try to get our nutrients through our diet. Many deficiencies can be balanced out with a balanced diet and a bit of know-how. Only when that doesn’t work should we turn to supplements.
What else can we do besides taking supplements?
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Regularly include foods rich in a critical nutrient in your diet! Legumes give you an extra dose of zinc and flaxseeds provide omega-3 fatty acids.
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Use tips and tricks: Plant-based iron, for example, is better absorbed when combined with something high in vitamin C, such as bell peppers or lemon.
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Fortified foods: This is the middle ground between a natural diet and supplementation. Some foods are fortified with vitamin D, for example.
Let’s go through each nutrient so you know exactly whether you need supplements in your vegetarian diet.
Vegetarian diet: Supplements or balanced diet?
Vitamin B12
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Supplementation can be useful if you don’t consume enough eggs and dairy products!
Vitamin B12 is found in some animal products such as eggs or milk. Make sure you eat enough of these foods. For example, one egg already covers a quarter of your daily requirement, and 250 ml of cow’s milk covers another quarter.
The best sources for you:
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Eggs
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Milk and dairy products (e.g. cheese, yogurt)
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Fortified foods
Vitamin D
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Supplementation is useful for many!
Here, supplementation is often essential, especially in winter.
The best sources for you – besides sunbathing:
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Egg yolk
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Butter and high-fat dairy products (note: low content)
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Fortified products
Iron
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Supplementation only after medical consultation!
Many foods are rich in iron and can help you meet your iron needs in a vegetarian diet without supplements. Very important: always combine plant-based iron sources with vitamin C so your body can absorb them better.
Too complicated and you just want to supplement? Then be careful: iron supplementation should never be done on your own, but always together with professionals after determining a deficiency or insufficient levels.
The best sources for you:
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Legumes (e.g. lentils, chickpeas)
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Whole grain products
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Eggs
Omega-3 fatty acids
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Supplementation is useful for many!
Foods like flaxseeds or chia seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. However, it can be difficult in everyday life to consume enough of them. After all, you don’t eat a chia pudding or porridge with flaxseeds every day. Vegetarian supplements from algae oil can therefore be helpful.
The best sources for you:
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Flaxseeds (preferably freshly ground) & flaxseed oil
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Chia seeds
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Walnuts
Iodine
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Supplementation only recommended for certain groups (e.g. pregnant women)!
Regular iodized table salt is completely sufficient for most people. Additional supplementation is only recommended for certain groups.
The best sources for you:
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Iodized table salt
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Milk & dairy products
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Seaweed (caution: overdose possible!)
Zinc
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Supplementation usually not necessary!
Although there are many vegetarian sources of zinc, there’s a catch: zinc from plant sources like whole grains or legumes is often not as well absorbed by the body. The reason? Phytates. These are substances found in plant-based zinc sources that bind zinc, making it harder for the body to absorb.
The best sources for you:
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Cheese (e.g. Emmental)
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Whole grains & legumes
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Nuts & seeds
Is supplementation necessary for vegetarians?
Cut to the chase… or rather, cut to the broccoli. Do vegetarians need supplements? How important are supplements in a vegetarian diet?
Well, that depends. Supplementation of certain vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients is generally recommended by experts. These include, for example, vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids.
For other nutrients, it very much depends on your diet. So, keep track of your diet for a few days and use apps to track how much of which micronutrients you’re consuming. Not getting enough of something? Then add a bit more of foods rich in that nutrient. If that still isn’t enough, supplementation might be a good idea for you.
Very important: All information in this article is intended for healthy adults with a balanced diet.
Vegetarian diet in sports
Vegetarian diet and sports – how does that fit together? While many critics claim you absolutely need meat to be successful in sports, vegetarian or even vegan top athletes show that it is entirely possible to succeed in sports with a vegetarian diet. Oops.
Good news for us!
Just make sure you provide your body with enough nutrients. Protein in particular is incredibly important in sports. In addition to eggs, plant-based protein sources such as legumes can help you stay well supplied with protein.
Our tip: Protein products are, in a way, also considered supplements in a vegetarian diet. For example, plant-based protein powders can help with protein intake!
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Find your supplements
You now know which supplements you need and why supplements are important in a vegetarian diet. But how do you find good supplements?
Here’s your guide: Supplements for vegetarians
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What do you really need? Find out which nutrients are important for you. Important: there are special supplements for vegetarians, but they often contain a wild mix of nutrients, some of which you probably don’t need at all.
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Check if the product is vegetarian or vegan. Usually you’ll find this on the packaging. Otherwise, go through the ingredient list or ask the manufacturer.
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Check if the composition makes sense. Many products contain a lot of fillers or additives that your body doesn’t need, or they contain too much or too little of certain nutrients.
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Research the company. Look into how they operate and what their values are. Especially if you care about the environment, pay attention to which companies are just greenwashing and which ones truly care about sustainability.
Finding good supplements for a vegetarian diet can be challenging. We want to support you in this, which is why we have set ourselves the goal of producing clean and high-quality supplements for everyone.
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Conclusion: What should vegetarians supplement?
In a vegetarian diet, supplements can be very important and help you take good care of yourself and your body. However, a balanced diet can often already achieve a lot – and it’s easier on your wallet!
So, get informed about your needs and get to know your current diet: Do you eat a lot of fruits and vegetables? How about legumes? And are nuts and seeds a daily part of your meals or rather a stranger to your plate? The better you know yourself and your diet, the better you will understand which supplements you need.
References & sources
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Bollhöfer, M. (2012). Vegetarismus (Teil 1). Bedeutung und Definition des Vegetarismus. In: Ernährungs Umschau, 58(2).
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Bollhöfer, M. (2012). Vegetarismus (Teil 2). Bedeutung, Formen und ernährungsphysiologische Beurteilung. In: Ernährungs Umschau, 58(4).
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Mensink, G.B.M.; Lage Barbosa, C. & Brettschneider, A.-K. (2016). Verbreitung der vegetarischen Ernährungsweise in Deutschland. In: Journal Of Health Monitoring, 1(2).
Do you have questions? Then feel free to email me – I look forward to hearing from you! :)
The information shared in this article does not replace individual medical or nutritional advice.
