Written by Meredith Binder while doing an internship with The Vegetarian Resource Group<\/p>\n
The simple answer to this question is no. The general consensus among experts in the field of nutrition is that it\u2019s much better, and healthier, for us to receive our nutrients from the foods that we eat rather than from a daily vitamin. This means that a balanced diet filled with vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, whole grains, and fortified foods will supply us with enough of the vitamins and minerals that our bodies need. Therefore, there\u2019s really not a need to spend money on multi-vitamins and minerals. However, for some situations, there may be a need to take supplements for one or more specific nutrients. This is discussed in more detail below as it pertains to a vegetarian or vegan diet. <\/p>\n
Foods that are fortified are those that have vitamins and minerals added to them, which are usually not found in these foods. Examples of plant-based foods that may be fortified are breads, cereals, juices, non-dairy milk beverages, and certain meat analogues. Since there are so many fortified foods available to us, there\u2019s actually the possibility of exceeding the amount of vitamins and minerals that our bodies need when taking a multi-vitamin in addition to eating regular meals. When this happens, the money we spent on multi-vitamins goes down the toilet, literally, as our body will excrete most vitamins (the ones that are water-soluble) when it\u2019s reached the amount that it needs. And although it is rare, the vitamins that our bodies do store (like vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin) can be harmful if you get too much of them. <\/p>\n
All of that being said, vegetarians and vegans do need to make sure that they receive enough of certain vitamins and minerals, just as someone on a meat-based diet does. Some of these that are especially important for teenagers include iron, calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12. <\/p>\n
Iron is very important during adolescence because it supports the growth spurts that occur during this period of life. Vegetarians and vegans actually need to consume more iron than omnivores because our bodies don\u2019t absorb as much iron from plant-based sources as they do from animal sources. Many vegetarian foods are good sources of iron. Male vegetarian teens should consume about 20 mg of iron per day and female vegetarian teens should consume 27 mg of iron per day. Click here for more information on iron and plant-based sources of this nutrient: http:\/\/www.vrg.org\/nutrition\/iron.php<\/a>. <\/p>\n Calcium is especially important for teenagers because not only do you grow a lot during this time but you also start accruing your peak bone mass. In fact, half of our maximum bone mass is accumulated during our teen years. Vitamin D is also important for healthy and strong bones. Teens need 1300 mg of calcium each day and 15 mcg (or 600 IU) of vitamin D each day. Click here for more information on calcium http:\/\/www.vrg.org\/nutrition\/calcium.php<\/a> and here for more information on vitamin D http:\/\/www.vrg.org\/journal\/vj2009issue2\/2009_issue2_vitamin_d.php<\/a>. <\/p>\n