What suppliments or vitamins should I take as a vegan?

Question

My family says that I am missing certian nutrients by not eating meat or dairy or fish. I feel much more healthy since I stopped eating animals or animal derived products. Are they worried for nothing?

JenniferJ. I have never heard of that. Where would I find it? Thanks!

Mr. Jutebox, Thanks! I take a multiple vitamin. Iron is a good suggestion.

Answer 1

My family said the same thing. My experience is that if you are living a healthy and complete vegan life style you should not worry. Healthy and complete is that you eat all the six elements of a plant (root, stem, leaf, flower, fruit, seeds/grains) daily and in every meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner). You can get more info about this practice in books writen by Dr. Keshava Bhat, ethnobotanist from India.
I've been pregnant twice and doctors were worried about my diet and the pregnancy. They wanted me to take supplement during the pregnancy and I refused. During the whole pregnancy I never had low iron levels and all my blood work was excellent. Doctor's thought I was taking pre natal pills, but for there surprise I wasn't. People just underestimate the power of being vegetarian....but that's because they don't practice it and haven't felt the benefits from it.
Look at your family with compasion. Some day they'll understand or they just never will. Don't let them scare you.

Answer 2

I agree with Aleseia. I take no supplements and have been vegan for 17 years now. People seem to think that as long as one eats meat, there’s no need to worry about anything; meat is some kind of magical food of wonder. It is not. Very silly thinking.

Regarding supplements, vitamins are a complex, that is, a combination of different elements which together create what is called a vitamin. Vitamins sold in stores are not vitamins at all, but only one part of what makes up a true vitamin found in nature. Basically, vitamins cannot be duplicated in a laboratory and put in the form of a pill. It’s impossible. It’s all just a very large scam. As an example, just take a look on your bottle of Vitamin C and what the ingredients are – not Vitamin C. Only the chemical preservative of Vitamin C found in nature. So, forget about vitamins and supplements. Think, real food.

There’s a LOT of scare propaganda out there that tries to convince vegan/vegetarians to take supplement because they will wither away otherwise. It’s all crap. There are vegans all over the world, but only here (in N. America) is there propaganda regarding vitamins due to our huge vitamin industry. Besides, abstaining from animal products has a very long history; long before any vitamin or supplement industry existed. Vegans never had any problems in the past, why should they suddenly need supplements? Being vegan is nothing new at all, but older than history itself.

Answer 3

There are a few worries as a vegan, mainly about getting enough protein, calcium, iron, etc. Protein is minor, and can be gotten easily by eating things like nuts, beans, etc. The iron on the other hand is a little harder to get, though many grains and greens have it. Most of the vegan I know take an iron supplement a few times a week, some every day. They also all take a multivitamin, just in case a couple times a week. It all depends on what you actually eat, but its always good to cover your bases.

Use this for more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegan_nutrition

Answer 4

The only real concern is b-12.They have b-12 patches here(http://www.b12patch.com/)

here is a list of foods to include in your diet:
pumpkin seeds for zinc
flax seeds(or flax seed oil) for omega-3 fatty acids
broccoli(or other dark green leafy vegetables) for calcium and iron(drink something with vitamin c at the same time you eat something with iron because it helps absorption)
whole grain breads for iron
beans for protein
brown rice for protein
just try and keep your diet varied and include lots of different veggies and fruits and try and keep processed foods out of your diet(chips,soda,cookies,stuff like that)

Answer 5

All you need is a good multivitamin with iron and B12. Vegetarians get plenty of nutrients from their foods.

Answer 6

http://www.veganfoodpyramid.com/vegan-pyramid-800x600.jpg

+ vitamin B12