What are the best vitamins for vegans/vegetarians?!
Answers: I recently gave up dairy and went meat free. I know this means I need to watch the nutrients I get and that I should take a B-vitamin supplement. So, I started taking a one-a-day women's multivitamin. I want to be sure I'm getting enough calcium because there is osteoporosis on both sides of my family. However, when I take the vitamin I feel run down and if I don't take it with food I feel sick. Is there a good vitamin that fellow veggies could recommend?
One-a-day contains gelatin and is not vegetarian/vegan. Chances are , it also contains animal-derived vitamins too.
You can get calcium from the same place that cows get calcium-vegetables. If you're not eating very healthily (fresh fruits, veggies, whole grains and nuts) then a multi-vitamin would be a good choice, but if you eat pretty healthily, you probably don't need a multi-vitamin.
Here are the bean/legume products that are highest in calcium.
http://www.nutritiondata.com/foods-01611...
Here are the veggies highest in calcium:
http://www.nutritiondata.com/foods-01111...
The only essential vitamin not naturally available to vegans is b-12 which is a bacteria found naturally in flesh and feces. Fortunately, many foods are fortified with it. Most cereals and soymilks are fortified with it, as well as energy bars like Luna: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/105...
Here is all you'll ever need to know about b-12:
http://www.veganhealth.org/b12/
If you don't have some already, get some nutritional yeast. It's available online http://www.luckyvitamin.com/021245380009... or at your local health food store or Whole Foods. Nutritional yeast is a natural source of b vitamins, fiber and protein. (Many brands are fortified with b-12.) It's also a key ingredient in making many vegan "cheese" dishes like the best mac and cheeze ever: http://xtrinity.com/wasabimon/2007/03/ve...
If you're still set on getting a multi, here's a list of vegan multis. http://store.nexternal.com/shared/StoreF...
I occasionally take one of these which is iron, b-12, folate and vitamin c: http://www.luckyvitamin.com/733739014405...
Good luck!
Try find a calcium fortified soy milk product. Animal protein reduces absorption of calcium so don't be pressured into drinking animal milk. If you have a rich balanced vegan diet you should get plenty of nutrients- vegetables such as broccoli have calcium.
Condensed from natural products.
Vitamins produced in a labratory are utilised by the body between 5 and 20% of content, so for a $20 bottle of vitamins, you are seeing a $16-$19 net loss.
Vitamins produced through crystalisation proceedures are utilised about 40-60%, so the net loss is considerably less.
Vitamins produced from concentration are utilised at 80%+.
The only line I personally know of is called Nutralite, and is certifiable as 100% organic and chemical free. They simply have never applied for the certification(s).
One-a-Day vitamins, to the best of my non-expert knowledge are produced in a labratory and almost see no plant/food sources for the vitamins. If I am incorrect on this point, please feel free to advise. :D
Now, operating on this assumption as correct, *that* is why you feel run down. You are presumably consuming what you believe to be a correct dosage, but; depending on the actual source of the contents, you are not processing everything you need.
Good Luck!
The best vitamins are in foods you eat....not pills you ingest...so I suggest you look up what vegetables have those vitamins you need. I worked at GNC for years and learned that all that money you spend on vitamins pretty much goes down the toilet if you know what I mean. Only a small percentage of the vitamins you eat will actually make it into your body. Most of it is flushed down the toilet.
The best vitamins for vegans/vegetarians (or any other diet fo that matter) are the vitamins that they get from theri food. A well planned and well balanced diet will not require supplemental vitamins except in very special cases.