Does a vegetarian have a high risk of nutritional deficiency?
From: Vegetarian Society of El Paso On the contrary. Any poorly planned diet can be deficient, but, in general, the risk of deficiency is lower with a vegetarian diet. True, vegetarians should supplement with vitamin B-12. True, less iron and zinc is absorbed from the average vegetarian diet as compared with the usual Western diet, although a well balanced vegetarian diet should supply adequate amounts of both. And although it is true that there is little vitamin D in unfortified vegetarian foods other than mushrooms, vitamin D is really a hormone best obtained by exposure of the skin to sunlight. On the other hand, vegetarian diets are much richer in vitamins C and E, both important antioxidants. They are also much richer in important minerals like magnesium and manganese, which are often lacking in Western diets. Sufficient magnesium may help prevent a whole range of illnesses, including osteoporosis, high blood pressure, adult-onset diabetes, kidney stones, and heart disease. Vegeta
