Vitamins Vegans Need
When it comes to the vitamins vegans need, there are a lot. We all need the same vitamins of course, but a restricted diet such as that of a vegan can result in fewer of the needed nutrients being obtained through food. There are also a lot that vegetarians may miss out on as well. They need these because they may not be getting the daily required amount through their diet because of the restrictions. Continue reading to learn more about the vitamins vegans need.
What Vitamins Do Vegans And Vegetarians Need?
Due to their diet lacking the vitamins and nutrients that come from meats and other animal products, vegans may need to supplement certain vitamins if they are not getting enough from other sources. These vitamins include:
Vitamin B12:
The Average Adult needs around 2.4 mcg (micrograms) of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is commonly found in many foods. However, they are not found in plant foods unless those foods have been fortified with vitamin B12. That can make it hard for vegans to get the vitamin.
Luckily there are vegan-friendly vitamin B12 supplements available. We have our own stock formula that is ready to have your very own label put on it.
Vitamin D:
There are very few foods that naturally contain the D vitamin. Most of these foods are not vegan-friendly either. The main one that is vegan-friendly is mushrooms. Not everyone wants to eat mushrooms every day, however. You can also absorb vitamin D through exposure to sunlight. This exposure needs to be on bare skin without any sunscreen. There are also people who would have a harder time. These include:
- Elderly people: Some elderly people have a harder time producing vitamin D. This could be because of various health factors.
- People with darker skin: Paler skin makes vitamin D more efficiently than darker skin making it harder to get.
- Those who live in colder climates: Colder climates most often have lots of rainy/snowy days which mean less sunlight.
- People who spend little time outdoors: These people will have limited sunlight exposure and might not be getting enough of the vitamin.
Vitamin D supplements are also available to those who may be lacking in the vitamin.
Calcium
Calcium is a mineral that is found in many different foods. Most Americans get it from milk, yogurt, and cheese, but these are not vegan-friendly foods. Luckily there are some foods that contain calcium that are vegan-friendly. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) give these foods:
- Kale
- Broccoli
- Chinese Cabbage
Here at Matsun Nutrition, we have a vegetarian calcium supplement that can help provide vegetarians with the nutrients they need so they can benefit from this nutrient.
Take Away
There are many vitamins vegans may need to supplement because they are not getting enough from the foods that they are eating. The same thing goes for vegetarians who do not eat any meat products. However, they can still get the necessary amounts of these nutrients from other sources such as vegan and vegetarian-friendly foods, or even through supplements like the ones here at Matsun Nutrition.
For more information on any of the stock formulas mentioned in this article, please visit our website for more information.
To get your start on your own supplement line through Matsun Nutrition, please fill out a contact form, or call us today at 888-866-5755.
Sources:
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-Consumer/
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-Consumer/
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-Consumer/
