How to optimise vegan diet and thrive on it! Let's explore the essential vitamins and their functions.
To begin with, what is a vitamin?
Vitamins are organic compounds (a chemical compound containing Carbon).
• Essential nutrients for growth, maintenance and healthy functioning.
• Required from the diet in small quantities.
• Best absorbed in their natural food form, not as synthetic supplements.
• Cannot be converted into energy.
• Some are essential in the process of energy production.
• Bioavailability: Proportion of nutrients absorbed from the diet and used for body functions.
Vitamin A - B1 (Thiamin):
Function: Essential for vision, immune function, and skin health.
Vegan Sources: Sweet potatoes, carrots, kale, spinach, and mangoes.
Vitamin B Complex:
Functions: Involved in energy metabolism, nerve function, and red blood cell production.
Vegan Sources:
B1 (Thiamin): Whole grains, legumes, and nuts, seeds, oats, yeast, peas, spirulina, oranges.
B2 (Riboflavin): Almonds, spinach, mushrooms, and fortified plant-based milk, nuts, seeds, wholegrains, legumes, asparagus.
B3 (Niacin): Peanuts, brown rice, mushrooms, and legumes.
B6 (Pyridoxine): Potatoes, bananas, chickpeas, sunflower seeds, legumes, walnuts, carrots, avocado, and fortified cereals.
B9 (Folate): Lentils, beans, leafy greens, watercress, spirulina, oranges, yeast, lentils, and brown rice.
B12 (Cobalamin): Fortified plant-based milk, nutritional yeast, and supplements.
Vitamin C:
Function: Antioxidant supporting immune function and collagen synthesis.
Vegan Sources: Citrus fruits, strawberries, bell peppers, broccoli, and kiwi.
Vitamin D - B2 (Riboflavin):
Function: Aids in calcium absorption and supports bone health.
Vegan Sources: Mushroom (white, raw), fortified plant-based milk, orange juice, and exposure to sunlight.
Consider vitamin D supplements if necessary.
Vitamin E - B3 (Niacin):
Function: Antioxidant protecting cells; supports skin health.
Vegan Sources: Nuts (almonds, sunflower seeds), spinach, broccoli, and plant-based oils (sunflower, safflower).
Vitamin K - (B5) Pantothenic Acid:
Vitamin K has two forms:
• K1 comes from plant-based foods.
Fresh herbs are an excellent source of this.
• K2 is made by bacteria in the intestines and is also found in fermented food.
Function: Essential for blood clotting and bone health formation (where it works with vitamin D).
Vegan Sources: Green leafy vegetables, kale, spinach, spirulina, asparagus, cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, prunes, cucumbers, nettles as tea or salad, fresh parsley, basil, watercress. Fermented foods, beans, whole foods, cereals.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids:
Functions: Support brain function and heart health, reduce inflammation.
Vegan Sources: Flaxseeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts, and algae-based supplements.
Vitamin H (Biotin):
Function: Supports metabolism, skin, and hair health.
Vegan Sources: Almonds, peanuts, sweet potatoes, and whole grains.
Maintaining a balanced and varied plant-based diet can provide the necessary vitamins. However, vegetarians are advised to monitor their B12 levels and, if necessary, consider supplementation.
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