Here are four key items that vegetarians may be missing:

1)    Vitamin B-12 – Seafood, beef, kidneys and other organs normally provide this key vitamin, which keeps the nerve and blood cells in good shape and makes DNA, the genetic material that is the basis of all the cells in our body. B-12 also helps fight off anemia.

2)    Iron – This versatile mineral is a building block of all the body’s cells. It aids many important functions, including helping our hemoglobin carry oxygen from the lungs throughout our system.

3)    Omega-3 fatty acids – A supreme inflammation fighter, omega-3 fatty acids ease rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, are believed to play a role in cancer prevention and help battle atherosclerosis.

4)    Protein – Most of us get our protein from meat, obviously not a choice for someone following a vegetarian diet. While certain vegetables like broccoli are great sources of protein, it’s the amino acids that vegetarians may miss if they don’t eat a diet that mixes in a variety of plant proteins with grains to meet their needs.

There are other vital materials that may be missed, such as zinc, a mineral found in all cells that helps the immune system work, aids in the breakdown of carbohydrates, and helps with smell and taste.

The biggest concern of a vegetarian diet may be its effect on very young children. Their diet fuels growth, which is why children from Third-World countries who don't get as much nutrition may be much smaller and scrawnier than their American cousins. Children younger than age five are at particular risk if they don’t get enough vitamin B-12.