Multivitamins are essential in increasing your immunity, reducing the risk of chronic diseases, and helping you maintain good health. They are the best way to compensate for vitamins you might not get from your regular diet.
However, some vegans avoid taking regular multivitamins because they contain animal products like gelatine.
Fortunately, several are plant-based and don’t use animal products during their production process. You can find the best vegan multivitamins from online retailers and place an order based on your requirements.
But before buying these for yourself, here is some information you should know. For example, the number of tablets they have? What should you check while buying them?
What ingredients should you look for?
Before buying a multivitamin, check if it contains the following vitamins and minerals crucial for vegans looking for optimum mental and physical health.
Vitamin B12
Many vegans are likely to have a deficiency of B12 because it’s hardly available in any plant foods. It plays a vital role in producing DNA and red blood cells, the development of the brain, and healthy digestion.
The primary sources of this vitamin are fish, meat, eggs, and milk, which vegans cannot consume because they are animal-based.
The solution is to look for a supplement that contains B12 in sufficient amounts as required by the body.
According to doctors, adults should get at least 2.4 micrograms of this vitamin daily or even higher doses in cases of extreme deficiency. The easiest way to ensure you do that is to take a multivitamin.
Zinc
According to scientists, vegans are at a higher risk of zinc deficiency because of two primary factors. The first is the minute amounts of plant-based products compared to animal ones.
The second is the limited bioavailability of zinc, which prevents the gastrointestinal tract from fully absorbing it. Zinc deficiency weakens the immune system, lower metabolic rate, and causes hair loss, loss of appetite, and diarrhea.
You must check the ingredients on the product’s label to check whether it contains sufficient amounts of zinc. The World Health Organization recommends that vegans consume at least 14 milligrams daily for best health.
Omega-3
Omega-3 serves various mental and physical functions in the body like reducing inflammation, blood pressure regulation, reducing cholesterol levels and improving cognitive functioning.
These nutrients in plant foods are present as alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which the body must convert into EPA and DHA. However, the body is incapable of doing this, resulting in a deficiency.
While buying a multivitamin, check if it has a sufficient amount of this substance and if they have mentioned the percentage available. Most doctors recommend that adults who practice veganism consume at least 250 milligrams daily for best results.
Calcium
Most vegans, if not all, lack adequate calcium in their diet because they cannot consume those items which contain this mineral.
For example, most dairy products, including milk, yogurt, cheese, and eggs, contain high amounts of calcium, but vegans avoid consuming them.
Some try to compensate for this shortcoming by eating a larger portion of vegetables, but according to experts, that does more harm than good.
Firstly, vegetables have lower amounts of calcium; secondly, many contain substances that weaken the body’s ability to absorb this mineral.
Vitamin D3
Your body requires Vitamin D3 to build and maintain healthy bones, and the best source of getting it is spending enough time in the sunlight. However, most people either have indoor desk jobs, while others wear clothing outdoors, resulting in a deficiency.
Moreover, people on plant-based diets avoid consuming foods containing this vitamin-like beef liver, cheese, and egg yolk. The best solution is to buy a supplement that includes this vital nutrient.
Before buying one, you should check if it contains D3 sourced from lichen (a plant species with this nutrient in its natural form).
Iodine
The body requires iodine to manufacture hormones like thyroxine, which helps the thyroid function efficiently, allowing the body to regulate metabolism. Statistics show that around 2 million people worldwide lack the desirable amount of this element in their diets.
Vegans can get enough iodine if they eat plants like seaweed grown in iodine-rich soil. Using iodized salt is another way of providing your body with the necessary amounts of this nutrient.
A good multivitamin product usually contains about 150 micrograms per serving, meeting the desired amount.
Magnesium
If you find yourself constantly short of energy, exhausted, gaining weight rapidly, suffering from constipation, and battling depression, you might be suffering from a lack of magnesium.
Magnesium increases the body’s energy levels and ensures the heart’s healthy functioning.
In food items, you can get the recommended amount of this substance from whole grains, dark-green vegetables, dried beans, legumes, and nuts such as almonds and cashew. But the problem is their quantity, which might be insufficient for the body.
A supplement will help you meet the required magnesium intake. You must buy one with at least 200 milligrams of this element per serving. The nutrient should be present as magnesium citrate since the body is quickly and efficiently capable of absorbing it.
Things to check before placing an order
You should check the following things before ordering a multivitamin product:
Is the amount per serving mentioned clearly?
The manufacturer should mention the amount per serving on the bottle for each ingredient the multivitamin contains. It will help you meet the recommended dosage per day.
How many tablets does a bottle contain?
You should also check the number of tablets a bottle contains. It is advisable to buy those with at least 90 pills since those last about three months. You can avoid the trouble of purchasing a new one every few days.
Is it 100% animal-free?
As a vegan, you should avoid buying products that contain animal substances, even in the slightest amount. Before buying vegan multivitamins, read the label on the product to check if it is 100% animal-free and composed entirely of plant substances.
You should also check if the Vegan Society has certified the product as authentic and guarantees its freshness and purity.
You can buy the best vegan multivitamins from an online retailer and enjoy its mental and physical health benefits. These products will supply your body with the necessary vitamins and minerals.
Comments
comments