Getting
all of your body´s required vitamins and minerals can be a hard task
when you are a vegan. When foods that are rich in calcium and vitamin
B12, for example, are taken out of your diet, the effects that it can
have on your body can be severe. It is important to account for these
missing minerals by finding vegan-friendly alternatives that can
boost your vitamin intake!
The
main vitamins that tend to be left out of a vegan diet are calcium,
iron, vitamin B12, and zinc.
Calcium:
Calcium
is a vital component of the human diet because it is the mineral that
gives bones their strength. It is also needed to help with blood
clotting and assists muscles to function correctly. Traditionally,
calcium is found in dairy products: milk, cheese and yogurt, and many
people believe that dairy is the sole source of calcium. This is not
the case, however. Calcium is in abundance in the vegetables we eat
as part of our diet, including broccoli, collard greens, soya beans,
and kale, just to name a few. You can even supplement dairy milk for
other plant-based milk that has been calcium-fortified.
Iron:
Low
iron levels can result in low energy levels, not good if you have a
hectic work and home life. Fortunately, a vegan diet can be packed
with iron if you are eating the right foods. Chickpeas, lentils and
other beans and pulses are a great source of iron alongside being a
wonderful form of protein. If you fancy a snack, reach for dried
fruits and nuts which will both help to boost your iron levels. Iron
is not as quickly absorbed as other nutrients in the body, it is sort
of a last-in-line mineral, but to help it skip the queue and become
absorbed more quickly, you can pair it with vitamin C which assists
the body in absorbing iron two
or three-fold.
Vitamin
B12:
The
trickiest of the vitamins to come by in a vegan diet is vitamin B12,
as this is usually found in animal-derived foods such as meats,
cheeses, and eggs. It is a vitally important vitamin, especially in
children, as it assists with growth along with keeping the eyes,
brain, and nerves functioning correctly. Unfortunately, there is not
a huge amount of vegan-friendly food available that provides B12 so
it is helpful to get this particular vitamin through supplements.
Vitamin B12 can be found in all good online pharmacies, such as
Pharmacy Online, an
easy way to ship your vitamin B12 straight to your door.
Zinc:
Another
important mineral for the body, zinc supports the immune system and
helps the body to recover from wounds. It is found naturally in
beans, peas, lentils, and seeds which are all staple parts of a vegan
diet. It is useful to note that zinc is easier for the body to absorb
if it is taken from sprouted
versions of all of these legumes.
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