When people worry about vegetarian teens, they usually worry about protein. But if you ask a dietitian, two nutrients deserve at least as much attention during your teen years: calcium and vitamin D. Together they build the bones you will rely on for the rest of your life, and your teens are prime time for that building project. Here is how to cover both on a vegetarian or vegan diet.
Why calcium and vitamin D matter now
Bones are living tissue. During childhood and especially adolescence, your body adds bone faster than it breaks it down. Most of your adult bone mass is built by your late teens and early twenties. The stronger your bones are when you hit that peak, the better protected you are against weak bones and fractures later in life.
Calcium is the main mineral in bone. Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium from food and keep the right amount in your blood. If you are low on vitamin D, even a calcium-rich diet does not work as well. Calcium also helps your muscles contract, your nerves send signals and your heart keep its rhythm, so your body treats it as a top priority.
How much do teens need?
- Calcium: 1,300 milligrams a day for everyone ages 9 to 18. That is higher than the 1,000 milligrams most adults need, because bones are growing so quickly.
- Vitamin D: 600 IU (15 micrograms) a day for teens.
Many teens, vegetarian or not, fall short on calcium, especially girls. So this is not a “vegetarian problem” as much as a “teen problem” that vegetarians can solve with a little planning.
Vegetarian and vegan sources of calcium
Amounts are approximate and vary by brand, so check labels, especially on fortified foods.
If you eat dairy
- Yogurt, 1 cup: about 300 to 450 milligrams
- Milk, 1 cup: about 300 milligrams
- Cheddar or mozzarella cheese, 1½ ounces: about 300 milligrams
Plant-based sources
- Fortified soy, almond or oat milk, 1 cup: often about 300 milligrams (shake the carton, because the added calcium settles at the bottom)
- Calcium-set tofu, ½ cup: roughly 250 to 400 milligrams. Look for “calcium sulfate” in the ingredient list.
- Fortified orange juice, 1 cup: about 300 to 350 milligrams
- Collard greens, 1 cup cooked: about 250 to 270 milligrams
- Bok choy or kale, 1 cup cooked: about 100 to 180 milligrams
- Chia seeds, 2 tablespoons: about 150 to 180 milligrams
- White beans, 1 cup cooked: about 160 milligrams
- Tahini, 2 tablespoons: about 120 to 130 milligrams
- Almonds, 1 ounce: about 75 milligrams
What about spinach? It does contain calcium, but it also contains oxalates that bind most of it, so your body absorbs very little. Enjoy spinach for its other nutrients, but do not count on it for calcium. Low-oxalate greens like kale, collards and bok choy are much better choices.
Not sure which plant milk to pick? Our guide Do You Do Nondairy Milk? compares the options. And chia fans can get a calcium bonus from our silky chocolate chia pudding.
Getting enough vitamin D
Vitamin D is tricky because very few foods contain it naturally. Your skin makes vitamin D when it is exposed to sunlight, but how much depends on where you live, the season, your skin tone, how much time you spend outside and whether you wear sunscreen (which you should, for other good reasons).
Vegetarian food sources include:
- Fortified milk and plant milks, which often contain about 100 to 120 IU per cup
- Fortified cereals and some fortified orange juices
- Egg yolks, which contain a small amount
- Mushrooms exposed to UV light, labeled as such on the package
Because it is hard to reach 600 IU from food alone, many people use a vitamin D supplement. Vitamin D3 is often made from sheep's wool lanolin, so vegans may prefer D2 or a lichen-based D3. Talk with your doctor before starting any supplement; they can tell you whether you need one and how much, and can check your levels if needed.
A calcium-smart day: two examples
Lacto-ovo vegetarian
- Breakfast: overnight oats with 1 cup milk and 1 tablespoon chia seeds (about 400 mg)
- Lunch: grilled cheese on whole wheat with a side of tomato soup (about 350 mg)
- Snack: yogurt parfait (about 300 mg)
- Dinner: stir-fry with tofu and bok choy (about 300 mg)
Vegan
- Breakfast: cereal with 1 cup fortified soy milk and a glass of fortified orange juice (about 600 mg)
- Lunch: white bean and kale soup with a hummus wrap (about 250 mg)
- Snack: a handful of almonds and dried figs (about 150 mg)
- Dinner: calcium-set tofu curry over rice (about 300 mg)
Both days land at or near 1,300 milligrams. The secret is spreading calcium out over the day, because your body absorbs it best in smaller doses rather than all at once.
Habits that help your bones
- Move your body. Weight-bearing exercise like running, dancing, jumping rope and strength training tells your bones to get stronger.
- Swap some soda for milk or fortified plant milk. Drinks that replace calcium-rich ones mean you miss out.
- Eat enough overall. Under-eating and missed periods can harm bone health. If your period stops or becomes irregular, talk to a doctor.
- Get your other nutrients too. Protein, vitamin K (leafy greens), magnesium and potassium (fruits, veggies, beans) all support bone health. See our guide to protein for vegetarian teens.
Should you take a calcium supplement?
Food first is the best approach, because calcium-rich foods bring other nutrients along with them. But if you do not eat dairy and do not regularly drink fortified plant milk or eat calcium-set tofu, it can be hard to reach 1,300 milligrams. A doctor or registered dietitian can look at what you eat and decide whether a supplement makes sense for you. Too much supplemental calcium is not helpful either, so do not guess.
The bottom line
Your teen years are a once-in-a-lifetime window for building strong bones. Aim for 1,300 milligrams of calcium and 600 IU of vitamin D a day by leaning on fortified plant milks, calcium-set tofu, dairy if you eat it, low-oxalate greens, beans, seeds and nuts, and talk with your doctor about vitamin D. Plan for it now, and your future self (and skeleton) will thank you. For more teen-friendly nutrition basics, check out The Smart Girl's Guide to Going Vegetarian.
This article is for general information and is not a substitute for advice from your own doctor or registered dietitian.