Vegetarianism and Women's Health

Alexa Nikolai
Dec 3, 2025
5 min read

A wooden tray of vegetables sits in the middle of a garden

Overview

With today’s advances in food science, it’s easier than ever to subsist on a varied and fulfilling plant-based diet. Although, if you go down this path, you will likely confront the age-old question of whether you can obtain all the vitamins and nutrients you need on a vegetarian diet. In most cases, the answer is yes, especially if you continue to eat eggs and dairy products. However, if you refrain from all animal products or have increased nutritional needs (such as when pregnant or breastfeeding), it may be advisable to include certain dietary supplements in your meal plan.

What is vegetarianism?

The term vegetarianism can refer to several different dietary patterns. The most standard definition and the one we will use in this post is a diet that does not include meat or fish but that does include dairy products and eggs. A vegan diet is a more restrictive form of a vegetarian diet which includes neither meat products nor dairy products nor eggs. We will therefore use vegetarian to refer to a meatless diet and vegan to refer to an animal product-free diet. In practice there are even more versions of vegetarian diets, such as those which include fish but not other types of meat.

What are the benefits of a vegetarian diet?

Since they don’t eat meat, vegetarians typically consume more plant-based foods, which tend to be rich in fiber, antioxidants, and prebiotics and low in saturated fat and cholesterol. For these reasons, there is some evidence that vegetarianism may reduce the risk of cancer, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. Other research has shown that high quality diets rich in plant-based foods may be protective against depressive symptoms.

What are the risks of a vegetarian diet?

In contrast to these benefits, the greatest risk of a vegetarian diet is nutritional deficiencies. Although it's possible to obtain all required nutrients from a vegetarian diet, some of these nutrients are less available in plant-based foods, so greater effort may be required. Best practice is to eat a wide variety of plant-based foods and to focus on whole foods rather than highly processed foods.

Many young women, including those not on vegetarian diets, are prone to iron and zinc deficiencies. Since these nutrients are most available and absorbable in meat, vegetarians should make a particular effort to include iron-rich foods in their diets.

Calcium is another common population-wide deficiency, and as we’ve discussed before, is especially important before age 30 for the development of strong bones. Long term, calcium deficiency can lead to anemia and osteoporosis. On the topic of bone strength, one study found that vegetarian women are 33% more likely than regular meat-eaters to suffer a hip fracture, while occasional meat-eaters and fish-eaters did not exhibit an increase in risk. Leafy greens and dairy products are good sources of calcium, so in this regard, vegans may have a harder time maintaining calcium levels than vegetarians.

We’ve also previously written about the importance of dietary protein. Of the twenty amino acids (molecules that make up proteins), the body is able to produce eleven. The other nine must be ingested in your diet. Animal products are considered “complete proteins”, because they contain all nine of the missing amino acids. Plant products, on the other hand, are “incomplete proteins,” because they often lack one or more of those nine amino acids. This arrangement contributes to the importance for vegans and vegetarians of eating a varied diet. By eating a variety of foods, you are more likely to obtain all nine of the needed amino acids. Dairy products, eggs, beans, and nuts are all good sources of protein.

Vitamin B-12, which is important for red blood cell synthesis, is one nutrient that is only available in animal products or fortified foods (plant-based foods that include added nutrients). Milk and eggs are both good meatless sources of vitamin B-12.

Overall, women are more at risk than men of developing nutritional deficiencies. For vegetarians, and especially for vegans, the risk is slightly elevated. However, by eating a well-rounded and varied diet, it is definitely possible to obtain all the nutrients your body needs.

How does a vegetarian diet affect mental health?

Although the link is far from solidified, there is some evidence that vegetarians and vegans are at higher risk of mental health concerns, such as panic attacks and depression. Since women are already at higher risk of depressive symptoms than men, this effect may be further exacerbated in vegetarian women. There are a few possible explanations for this correlation.

The first proposed reason is chemical. Your brain needs certain nutrients, such as B vitamins or tryptophan (an amino acid mostly found in poultry), to make neurotransmitters, including glutamate and serotonin. Neurotransmitters are the chemical messengers required for normal brain functioning, and imbalances are known to cause certain mental health disorders. For example, low levels of glutamate have been linked to depression, anxiety, and OCD. Low levels of other nutrients, such as iron, may also cause increased moodiness or panic attacks, if the brain doesn’t receive enough oxygen.

A second explanation is social. People with anxiety disorders may have an increased tendency toward controlling their diets and thus may be more prone toward vegetarianism. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that one study found that vegetarians have triple the risk of developing an eating disorder than meat-eaters. Certain vegetarians may also be more attuned to environmental and animal welfare concerns, which could lead to anxiety or depressive symptoms.

A final explanation is related to diet quality. For both meat-eaters and vegetarians, high quality diets consisting of fresh whole foods and fewer ultra-processed foods are associated with better mental health. Without attention, vegetarian diets may become lower in quality if too many carbs or snacks are consumed in place of meat. Diets heavy in carbs can cause blood sugar and hormone spikes, which lead to irritability, depression, and anxiety.

How does a vegetarian diet affect pregnant women?

During pregnancy, your body has increased nutritional needs, especially for certain nutrients like protein, folic acid, and vitamin B-12. Extra protein is required to help meet increased energy demands and folic acid and vitamin B-12 are both essential for proper fetal development. Folic acid and vitamin B-12 are both especially important during the first trimester of pregnancy so are important to maintain for any woman who may become pregnant. These nutrients remain important throughout pregnancy and beyond, however, as evidence has shown that breastfed infants of mothers with a vitamin B-12 deficiency have an increased risk of developmental abnormalities, growth failure, and anemia.

Therefore, for all women who are or hope to become pregnant, it is important to maintain nutritional balance.

Summary

In summary, the general dietary advice for both meat-eaters and vegetarians is similar: strive for a varied diet that includes as many fresh whole foods as possible. Although some nutrients are easier to obtain from meat, with a varied diet and a little bit of intention, vegetarians should still be able to get all their required nutrients from their diet. Vegans, however, may need to consider including dietary supplements in their diet. If you are considering switching to a vegetarian diet, consider consulting with a doctor or a nutritionist or trying a new diet on a trial basis. This type of diet may not be for everyone, so always remember to listen to your body!