Vitamins for Vegans

Are those of us choosing a plant-based diet getting all our vitamins and minerals? I find that, as long as I’m eating a nice balance of vegetables, fruits, beans (and a sprinkle of nuts here and there), I’m getting the vitamins and minerals I need. Sea vegetables like nori, hijiki, and arame are great sources of  of minerals, too; if you haven’t discovered them for yourself yet, I encourage you to try some recipes that incorporate one of these wonder foods. And I get plenty of calcium, too — mostly from all the dark, leafy greens in my almost-daily salad creations. Also, almond milk has more calcium than dairy milk!

Still, I realize many of you like the idea of using vitamins and supplements to fill in the gaps concerning the day-to-day diet. Vitamins can be tricky, however, because they often slip in fish oil or animal products, or casein (milk). Here are a few vegan-friendly products to check out, depending on your personal needs.

• Pure Vegan Vitamins
  Advanced Vegan Multivitamin, B12 Spray, Calcium/Magnesium
• Deva Nutrition
  Gelatin-Free Omega-3, Prenatal Vitamin, Glucosomine
• Freeda Vitamins
  Folic acid, Digestive Supplements, Vitamins for Adults & Kids (All Gluten-Free, too!)
• GummiKing for Kids
  Several kinds to choose from, including one high in fiber.
• VegLife Vitamins by Nutraceutical
  Offers special formulas for teens.
• Vega Nutrition
  For those with a particularly active lifestyle, Vega offers a variety of supplements. Powders, shakes and smoothies, bars, etc.

special note about B12:
Most of the time, people will bring up Vitmain B12 whenever there’s a discussion about maintaining a plant-based diet. The vitamin isn’t something found in plants. However, what most people don’t know is that B12 would be available to us through the soil plants are grown in, if only the agricultural industry didn’t use so many chemicals and purifiers these days. So unless you’re growing all your own vegetables and fruits, adding a B12 Vitamin to the personal plan once a week isn’t a bad idea and something I try to do myself.

Bonus Tip!
A good source for vitamins and supplements for the whole family can be found at the online vegan mega-store, VeganEssentials.com. Another great online source for even more vitamins and supplements: Cosmo’s Vegan Shoppe.

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