Vegan supplement recommendations

Switching to a vegetarian or vegan diet can provide many health benefits. There are some potential pitfalls as well which, when addressed, can ensure that you are as healthy or even more so than when you were eating a standard diet. So what are the vegan supplement recommendations that can help meet the common nutritional deficiencies associated with sticking to a meat and dairy free diet?

To begin with, vitamin D deficiency is actually on the rise among vegans and carnivores alike. Dietary sources of vitamin D are few and rarely contain enough of the nutrient to satisfy the RDA. Really, the best source of this necessary nutrient is sunlight, but most of us do not get enough exposure to meet the guidelines there as well.

Some of the minerals that can be lacking in a completely plant-based diet are iron and B13, both of which are found mainly in animal products. Finally, DHA and EPA, long-chain omega 3’s, are also very important nutrients that are derived from animal products like fatty fish, and are, therefore, missing in a diet that does not contain meat.

Getting everything you need

Some people may notice that they begin feeling tired or sluggish after starting a plant-sourced diet. This can be due to a lack of iron in the blood, causing anemia. Iron is highest in red meat which means you’ll have to think about how to achieve an adequate daily intake through other sources such as cruciferous vegetables, beans, peas, nuts and cereals, or breads that are fortified with vitamins and minerals.

Another potential reason for feeling sluggish on a vegan diet is not getting enough B12. Vitamin B12 is necessary for a number of bodily processes including protein metabolism and the formation of red blood cells, both of which can lead to fatigue if they begin to decrease.

While your goal is to try to get all the nutrients your body needs through diet alone, it’s always good to educate yourself regarding the recommended supplements for vegans.

Being a healthy vegan

Eating a lean, plant based diet carries many potential benefits, but, in order to ensure that you’re a healthy vegan, you may want to consider supplementing certain vitamins and minerals that are commonly found to be deficient in the vegetarian population. Keep in mind that some supplements themselves contain or are derived from animal products. This is what spurred us to create the Vegan Life Nutrition line of products. Our supplements are made from the best plant-based ingredients, and do not contain any traces of animal byproducts.

Try our vegan B12 and Vitamin D3 gummy supplements for vegans. They both provide the recommended daily allowance of these important vitamins and are made from the purest, organic plant sources available.