Nutrition, and where to get advice

Mostly straightforward, with a few things worth attention.

A varied vegetarian diet with adequate total food generally supplies what is needed, and protein in particular is a less pressing concern than the frequency of the question suggests. Legumes, dairy, eggs, grains, nuts and soy all contribute, and variety across the week matters more than composition within a meal.

There are nutrients that warrant more attention when meat is reduced or excluded, and which ones depend on the individual, on whether dairy and eggs are included, and on the rest of the diet. Iron absorption, for instance, is affected by what it is eaten alongside.

These are genuinely individual questions. Requirements differ with age, pregnancy, health conditions, medication and activity, and general guidance cannot resolve them for a particular person.

Anybody making a substantial dietary change, and particularly anybody doing so for a child, during pregnancy, or alongside a health condition, should discuss it with a qualified health professional or dietitian rather than relying on any publication including this one.

The other reason to involve a professional in a dietary change is that they can identify what is already fine. People frequently make substantial and unnecessary changes on the basis of general advice, and an assessment of what somebody actually eats often finds that the concern was misplaced and something else deserves attention.