Will a multivitamin be sufficient to replace lost nutrients in a vegetarian/vegan diet?

Question

I'm trying to go vegetarian (or if possible, vegan) but I'm worried about nutrient loss. I know you can get all sorts of vegan foods such as soy milk and tofu that replace the nutrients found in meat, but I'm almost too lazy to check every single thing I eat for sufficient nutrients (or let food rule my life that much). Will simply taking a multivitamin be sufficient?

Answer 1

You will hear a lot of "you don't need to have a vitamin if you eat a proper vegetarian diet" and this is quite correct, but I still take them like I always have... for the reason that in a single multi-vit. there is nothing that you will get an excess amount of that your body will not just flush out if it needs to... the way I look at it.. I may be a waste of money... but so what, If I go on a kick of eating something that strays for a day or two in the nutrient area... I haven't lost anything because I still have my back up.

Answer 2

No, I wouldn't say there is much unless you stop eating. When starting a new diet I think many different factors will come into play. I wouldn't say it's a misconception, because even I lost weight when I became a vegetarian, but only 15 pounds, and I was already heavy anyway. Most people who give up meat are already big meat eaters and it sustains a large part of their diet. When you take that away, people think their options of food are limited and don't eat as much. Even though there are millions of different foods to eat that aren't meat. So they lose more weight then expected. Also, I did gain weight after a few years. Granted I was unemployed and had any junk to eat at my disposal. So ate to much carbs and cheese. Thus gaining plenty of weight. It doesn't really matter what kind of diet you're on. A vegetarian diet isn't necessarily a healthier alternative. It's still beneficial and all that, but not much different then an herbivorous diet.

Answer 3

The only nutrient you might lose in a vegan diet is B12, but there are foods fortified with it, like soy milk and nutritional yeast. Whatever source of B12 you have, just make sure it's listed as "cyanocobalamin" to ensure you are getting "real" B12. Your body needs very little, and it can store B12 for a few years.

That said, taking a multivitamin certainly can't hurt, and if you take an excess of B vitamins and vitamin C, you'll just, uh, flush it out.

Answer 4

Well if you are lazy and don't want to check everything then don't be a veggie head or you are headed for health problems. NO ... a multivitamin is not enough. You've got to be up on everything and make sure you eat enough of this, that and the next thing. Sometimes you have to eat a bale of some plant or another to get enough of a nutrient you can get in let's say 2 oz of fish, poultry, beef, dairy, etc.

Answer 5

nah it's fine.

just eat a huge percentage of fresh fruits and veggies (preferbly organic), most of that bulk as dark leafy greens, raw nuts and seeds, some avocados. it's always better to get your nutrients from foods, chemically and on a cellular level it's easier to absorb and assimilate and synergize.

nutritional yeast or fermented products for b12, sunlight so your body can synthesize vitamin D, lots of water.

that's it. if you want to take a multivitamin, you don't need to do it everyday anyway. I thought I needed vitamins, but turns out, it's not absorbed that well, it's nasty and my pee is green after taking 'em, which is a sign it's not taken well.

if you do want a multi-v though, even if it's always best to get fresh but you're in a hurry or for convinience, try green powders such as natures first food, vita-mineral green, or SHINE from highvibe.com (highvibe is a store based in manhattan that sells lots of quality supplements for a vegan/rawvegan lifestyle)

Answer 6

i think that taking multivitamins is not enough to give you the nutrients you need. eating vegetables that are high in protein will give you enough nutrients that you will miss out from being a vegetarian. Try beans, legumes, soy milk...

Answer 7

The only nutrient found primarily in meat is vitamin B12, and it is also found in dairy and eggs and fortified cereals.
If you eat a varied diet of beans,legumes,seeds,nuts,whole grains, veggies and fruit you will not be "losing" nutrients, but probably eating more than when you were relying on meat for them.

Answer 8

By not eating animal products, you are not "losing" nutrients. Eat a varied diet, same as is suggested for omnivores.

Answer 9

It is determined by the fruit or veg linked to a comparison. In the event you compare a farreneheit to a carrot, the carrot is the better of the two nutritional. When you compare an avocado to the carrot, then this avocado is better. Equally the apple and avocado, are fruits.

Answer 10

no, you'll be needing more supplements. you should check with your vitamin people down at your local health food store.