Supplements Make for No Regrets

When I was vegan, the number one question I was asked by family members was how I'm getting my vitamins and minerals. Even with the healthiest diet imaginable, it's difficult to have to avoid supplements to have your body working in top order. 

The first vitamin to be considered for everyday use by every vegan should be vitamin B12. Generally found in beef and fish, B12 is a huge help to regulating metabolism, the development of red blood cells, and nervous system health. According to an Oxford study, vegans and vegetarians are more at risk to have a B12 deficiency, which can lead to anemia and nervous system damage.

Vitamin B12 doesn't need to come from supplement pills, however. Some folks prefer to not use pills. For this, I'd recommend nutritional yeast, or the dietary supplement Spirulina. I won't tell you spirulina is any good, because it's essentially pond algae and it tastes like dirt, but it's high in protein, as well as B12!

Next up is the ever lovely vitamin D. Vitamin D is famously found in milk and fish, but can also be found in some brands of orange juice. Basically, vitamin D is the key to allow your body to absorb a ton of different minerals such as iron and calcium. It's difficult to find in vegan forms, however. The best bet is drinking a cup or orange juice with vitamin D a day, or even 15 minutes in direct sunlight has been said to increase vitamin D intake.

Finally, we come to iron. Iron is truly what makes us strong as humans, and isn't particularly difficult to consume. While it's often found in red meats, iron can also be found in the greenest of veggies, like spinach. Popeye always had his spinach can to give him strength, which is the same for vegans. Sometimes, however, a supplement is necessary.