Spot the Nutrients Your Eating Pattern May Miss
See where your eating pattern may commonly fall short, with food sources. Educational, not a diagnosis.
This tool was built by Serge (MSc) using established science and government sources. My academic background covers plant biology, environmental biology, and biogeochemistry. My tools are for educational purposes and give practical guidance, not professional advice.
Certain eating patterns are commonly linked with certain shortfalls. This tool points to the nutrients that people with your pattern often miss, and where to find them in food.
It cannot test you or diagnose a deficiency. Only a blood test and a professional can do that. Answer three questions to begin.
Nutrients your pattern may fall short on
How the match works
Your answers are matched to nutrients that people with a similar pattern commonly miss. Little oily fish points to omega-3, limited sunlight points to vitamin D, and a vegan diet points to vitamin B12.
The NIH notes that plant foods have no vitamin B12 unless they are fortified, which is why that gap is the clearest on a vegan diet. Food sources are shown first, since food is the main fix.
A gap is not a deficiency
A nutrient on the list means your pattern is one where a shortfall is more common, not that you are deficient. Start with food, and where food cannot close a real gap, a targeted supplement can help.
A blood test removes the guesswork for the nutrients that matter to you, and it is the only way to confirm a deficiency.
Food first, then the label
If a supplement looks sensible, the Daily Value (%DV) Calculator shows how a serving compares with the daily reference. Where you take more than one product, the Upper Limit Checker adds a nutrient up against its limit.
For the wider picture of what people discuss for a goal, try the Supplement Stack Builder, and for the price of a real dose, the Cost Per Dose Calculator.
What this does not cover
It looks at a few common gaps only, not every nutrient. Needs also vary with age, pregnancy, health, and medication, which a short questionnaire cannot capture.
Where this comes from
The point that plant foods lack vitamin B12 unless fortified comes from the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements vitamin B12 fact sheet.
Omega-3 sources, the limited conversion of plant omega-3, and algae oil are covered in the omega-3 fact sheet from the same office.
This calculator is for general education only and is not medical or professional advice. It does not diagnose deficiency. Speak with a qualified professional about any nutrition concern.