How can a vegan get enough calcium and B12 in their diet?!


Question: The same way other herbivorous animals do, by eating plants that contain B12. Cows and chickens don't magically produce the vitamin out of the air, so animal protein is not the only place to get it. Some natural sources are nutritional yeast and quinoa, but most people also get it from fortified cereals and soymilks.


Answers: The same way other herbivorous animals do, by eating plants that contain B12. Cows and chickens don't magically produce the vitamin out of the air, so animal protein is not the only place to get it. Some natural sources are nutritional yeast and quinoa, but most people also get it from fortified cereals and soymilks.

Take a multi vitamin. Like a womens one a day or something of that nature.

Calcium is easy - it's in a lot of vegetables (broccoli, celery, and spinach are a couple of the most common sources).
B12 you have to be a little more mindful of, since it's not really found in plants in significant quantities. Nutritional yeast is a good source, and for most of the vegans I know, it's a staple in their diet (it adds a lot of flavor and richness). Vitamins and fortified cereals/juices/soy milks, etc, are also all good for calcium and B12.

I disagree with the statement above about getting B12 from plant sources. While it is suspected that some plant based sources (such as fermented soya products, seaweeds, and algae, for example) may contain B12, it has not been shown to exist in plants in a readily usable form. It is synthesized by bacteria and is found primarily in non-vegan sources. However, it is quite easy, as a vegan, to get enough B12 with either fortified foods (e.g. 2 servings of fortified soy milk per day), yeast extracts or, as someone else said, a supplement. It is the one nutrient that cannot be obtained from typical plant sources.

As for calcium, it is quite easy as to get enough as it is found in nuts and seeds, beans, leafy greens and dried fruit.

take b12 vitamin, and a calcium vitamin and a multi vitamin, that's what i do ;)

Boatloads of supplements like any other good vegan.





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