A Guide to Vegan Supplements
I know when I first went vegan, I was reading the back of food labels like crazy. Trying to distinguish whether certain ingredients I couldn’t even pronounce at times were vegan was a lot to handle. Once I got the hang of food though, I never thought to take a look at the medications I was taking. Many supplements are made with gelatin casings or shellfish extracts, which if I could avoid these ingredients in my medications, I was definitely going to try to!
On top of that, although I do eat a balanced diet, I feel better knowing I’m getting the proper vitamins and minerals I need everyday. Many of these supplements are simply for immune health (I get sick very easily in the winter), while others are for medical reasons. I’m a big believer that if you can treat a health problem holistically, all the better!
However, just a quick reminder: I am not a doctor, so if you do decide to take any supplements, consult with your doctor first. In addition, I know some medical conditions do require prescription medication which may not be vegan. In these cases, whether the medication is vegan or not, your health is your number one priority and these medications need to be taken. For example, I know many flu shots are manufactured using eggs, but I would much rather not contract a fatal flu virus, so I get the shot anyway. Again, make changes where you can, and put your health first where you can’t.
#1: Deva Vegan Multivitamin & Mineral Supplement with Greens
This multivitamin literally has everything you can think of, including greens! Yes, the ingredients include an herbal blend of spirulina, alfalfa, broccoli, spinach, and more. Deva brand vitamins and supplements are ALL vegan, which makes it very easy to find what you need! The other thing I love about this vitamin is that is has a great amount of iron and vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is a vitamin that comes from microorganisms. Omnivores receive B12 from eating animals, which “absorb B12 produced by bacteria in their own digestive system.” (The Vegan Society). The vitamin can also come from soil, but today, methods for harvesting produce mean that the lettuce we eat is squeaky clean. I take this multivitamin, as well as eat a LOT of nutritional yeast to make sure I get a good amount of B12.
#2: Turmeric/Curcumin
This is a supplement I started taking to help clear my skin up. I had done some extensive research on turmeric/curcumin’s effects on acne and its anti-inflammatory effects. Not only does it help with acne, but it’s also great for inflammation and digestive health. I find it to be super helpful! I’ve taken two different brands: Spring Valley and Pure Nutria. Both use vegetarian capsules, which is great. When searching for turmeric supplements, be sure of two things: that the supplement contains curcumin or curcuminoids, as well as either ginger or Bioperine (black pepper extract). The curcumin compound found in turmeric is what gives it its beneficial properties, and ginger or black pepper helps this to be better absorbed into the body.
#3: Vegan Omega 3
There are many benefits to omega-3 fatty including lower triglyceride levels, better joint health, and lower depression rates. The two most important ones are DHA and EPA. ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) is found in a lot of plant foods like nuts and seeds (i.e. flax & hemp seeds). The supplement I take contains both DHA and EPA, all from algae sources instead of fish. I was using the Deva brand omega-3, but I just recently switched to Nature’s Science.
#4: Vitamin D
So, this is a new addition to my daily supplements. I recently got blood work done at the doctor and learned I have a vitamin D deficiency, which is luckily very easy to fix. I would be spending more time in the sun, but unfortunately, we are almost in the dead of winter here. :) Most vitamin D supplements are vitamin D3. D3 often comes from animal sources, so I take the Deva vitamin D2 supplement made with ergocalciferol.
#5: Vitamin C
Here’s where the immune health comes in! I won’t go into huge detail on this one, since I know most of you must know that Vitamin C is great for immune health. I only take this three times a week for an extra boost. I also try to drink some green tea throughout the week or whenever I start to feel under the weather. Green tea has high levels of vitamin C and is great as fending off small colds! This is just a supplement from Target.
#6: Oregano Oil and Black Elderberry
These are two supplements I take every other day (Oregano Oil on Monday, Elderberry on Tuesday, and so on). Long story short, I get a nasty sinus infection every year that tends to last from December through February. In an effort to prevent this from happening, I decided to up my arsenal and add Black Elderberry to the mix. Both of these supplements are fabulous for immune health, and I know many people tout black elderberry as being great to shorten flu duration. I did some research before getting this, and it’s also great at preventing flu in the first place. So far, I have gotten through all of November without so much as a sniffle, so we’ll see how the rest of cold & flu season goes! Nature’s Way is a great brand to start with: here is their oregano oil and black elderberry.
