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Elizabeth Turnbull 8/5/20 Elizabeth Turnbull 8/5/20

Maintaining Optimal Health as a Vegan of 7 Years

One of the most common questions I have received over the past 7 years as a vegan is “How do you get enough [insert macro- or micronutrient here]?” This is a question I have explored in great detail on this blog, with dedicated posts focusing on protein, iron, B12, and so much more. And while I will always believe that getting your nutrition from whole plant foods is the best first choice, it’s not always a possibility for every person. Whether you live in a food desert with little access to fresh foods or struggle with digestive complications that make eating large amounts of high fiber foods a painful experience, sometimes supplementation is the only answer.

Today I will be sharing with you my favourite vegan gummy vitamins for maintaining optimal health as a vegan of over 7 years!

First things first...

WHY GUMMIES?

The short answer? They’re delicious. The long answer? They’re delicious, and that makes me want to take them instead of avoiding taking them.

I used to judge myself for being lax about taking my tablet vitamins, thinking that as an adult I should be able to suck it up and do what’s best for my health. But honestly? That only ever worked in short bursts before I would forget for months on end.

As a responsible adult who doesn't eat candy 11 months out of the year (in October all bets are off) taking my daily vitamins in the form of gummies feels like a little treat… and has kept me far more consistent in taking them than I ever have been before!

But not all gummies are created equal, and that’s why today I am sharing the best vegan gummies I have ever tried from the Canadian company, Herbaland!

Herbaland is Canada’s largest nutritional gummy manufacturer with a commitment to providing products that have a positive impact on both people and the planet. Herbaland’s core values are community, inclusivity, and sustainability. Their gummies are always vegan, sugar-free, soy-free, palm oil derivative-free, nut-free, halal, and kosher!

This post is in collaboration with Herbaland, but all opinions are 100% my own. I was taking Herbaland gummies consistently for over a year before I reached out to them, and I continue to take a variety of gummies from their line on a daily basis.

Herbaland - Plant Based Bride's Go-To Vegan Gummies

I’m a new vegan/new to supplementation. What should I start with?

This will obviously vary from person to person, and I don’t know your unique physiology, diet, or goals, but I will share my top three picks to get you started!

As always, it is best practice to consult your physician before beginning to take any supplements and I am not a medical professional and am not qualified to give medical advice.

Herbaland’s Multivitamin gummies are a great place to start if you want a boost in all major areas. They have 13 essential vitamins and minerals for the maintenance of good health and come in a delicious mixed berry flavour!

Formulated to support daily metabolic processes and for maintaining a healthy immune system, the Herbaland Multivitamins include:

- Vitamin A | vital for growth and development, cell recognition, vision, immune function, and reproduction and helps the heart, lungs, and kidneys to function properly

- Vitamin C | boosts the immune system, helps lower blood pressure and maintain healthy heart function, and improves the absorption of non-heme iron (iron from plant-based sources - learn more here)

- Vitamin D3 | aids in the absorption of calcium and phosphorus and the maintenance of strong bones, helps to reduce inflammation, and aids in maintaining proper immune function

- Vitamin E | aids in the regulation of gene expression, cell signaling, and other cell processes as well as helping to maintain healthy immune function

- Vitamin B6 | promotes healthy heart function and plays a role in cognitive development and aids in proper brain function

- Folate | required for the production of DNA and cell division

- Vitamin B12 | aids in maintenance of healthy nerves and blood cells and helps to prevent megaloblastic anemia (read more about why B12 supplementation is important for vegans here)

- Biotin | plays an important role in the maintenance of healthy hair, skin, and nails

- Panthothenic Acid (B5) | aids in triglyceride synthesis and lipoprotein metabolism

- Iodine | essential for the production of thyroid hormones that regulate many vital biochemical reactions and appears to aid in the body’s immune response and the maintenance of healthy breast tissue

- Zinc | involved in cellular metabolism, wound healing, immune function, DNA and protein synthesis, and cell division *daily intake of zinc is required to maintain healthy levels as the body has no specialized zinc storage system

- Choline | required for the maintenance of our cells’ structural integrity and needed to produce the neurotransmitter acetylcholine which is important for memory, mood, and muscle control

- Inositol | aids in the maintenance of proper brain functioning and blood sugar control

I usually go for the multivitamins when I know I’ve been eating a less than balanced diet to make sure I’m still getting everything I need. It’s a great option for the winter here in Canada when fresh produce is imported and carries with it a hefty price tag and a heavy environmental impact, or whenever I’m too busy to spend a lot of time making fresh meals!

Herbaland’s Vegan D3 and B12 raspberry flavoured gummies are a great option if you already eat a varied and rich diet of whole plant foods. While this kind of diet will leave most of your nutrient bases covered, Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D3 are common exceptions to the rule.

Vitamin B12 aids in your body’s metabolic processes and red blood cell formulation and helps to maintain healthy nerves. Vitamin B12 is difficult to get from plant-based sources, and it is often recommended that those on a plant-based diet supplement to maintain healthy levels of this essential vitamin (read more about why B12 supplementation is important for vegans here).

Vitamin D3, synthesized naturally in the skin as a chemical reaction to sun exposure, helps to support the immune system, boost energy, encourage a positive mood, and maintain strong bones and teeth. Many people are deficient in Vitamin D3 due to a lack of exposure to strong sunlight, especially those in the Northern Hemisphere at latitudes greater than around 40°N from October to March, and supplementation is often recommended.

These are my holy grail gummies, and I take them every single day come rain or shine!

Herbaland Eye Care gummies are a great add-on to your supplement routine, especially if you spend your days staring at a screen like I do! Formulated with Lutein and Zeaxanthin, two powerful carotenoids, these strawberry flavoured eye care gummies help maintain eyesight in those with cataracts and age-related muscular degeneration and protect the eyes from the harmful effects of sunlight, blue light, and free radicals.

As I grow older and spend more and more of my time looking at screens, eye care is becoming a bigger priority. I have incorporated these gummies into my routine as a preventative measure to keep my eyes as healthy as possible!

What does your supplement routine look like?

I would love to know what vitamins and minerals you take on a regular basis, and if you’ve ever considered switching to gummies to make a chore into a treat!

Don’t forget to check out Herbaland’s numerous gummy offerings and get 20% off your order with code ‘plantbasedbride20’!

Until next time...

xox Elizabeth

Sources

https://www.herbaland.com/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3936685/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4288313/
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminE-HealthProfessional/
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB6-HealthProfessional/
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Folate-Consumer/
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Folate-HealthProfessional/
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/folic-acid/
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-HealthProfessional/
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-Consumer/
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Biotin-HealthProfessional/#h7
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/PantothenicAcid-HealthProfessional/#h7
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-HealthProfessional/
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iodine-HealthProfessional/
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Choline-HealthProfessional/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5666868/
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Zeaxanthin
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6164534/

Elizabeth Turnbull 9/17/15 Elizabeth Turnbull 9/17/15

Why I Add a B12 Supplement To My Vegan Diet

If you've spent any time in the vegan community online, it's likely you've heard talk about B12. But what is B12 and why do we need it? Do you need to use supplementation, or is it readily available in the foods we eat? What happens if we don't get enough or get too much? Do only vegans have to worry about their B12 levels? Read on to learn the answers!

A very helpful article explaining what B12 is and why you need it. Important for vegans and non vegans alike! From plantbasedbride.com

What is B12?

B12 is a vitamin that is essential for human health, used by the body to make new blood cells and DNA. It is also a component of the myelin sheath, the protective layer of our nerves which also helps to conduct messages. B12 is made by anaerobic microorganisms (bacteria that don't require oxygen).

How much B12 do I need?

Daily recommended intake of B12 by age from plantbasedbride.com!

Where is B12 found in nature?

In today's food supply, B12 is only really found in animal products (meat, milk and eggs) and fortified foods. Certain varieties of mushroom and fermented foods contain B12, but in very small quantities insufficient to reach human needs. Plants grown in B12 rich soil (which is unfortunately very uncommon today) easily absorb B12 and there is some B12 in certain varieties of algae (although not in its active form) and therefore both options are not particularly useful for our purposes.

How do animals get their B12?

Certain animals such as cows and sheep get most of their B12 by absorbing it as it is made by their gut bacteria. All animals get a portion of their B12 intake from the following sources:

The consumption of feces;
Bacterial contamination of their food, and;
The consumption of animal flesh, milk, and eggs.

What are the symptoms of B12 deficiency?

There are four stages of B12 deficiency:

Stage I: Declining blood levels of B12

Stage II: Low cellular concentrations of B12

Stage III: Increased homocysteine in the blood and a decreased rate of DNA synthesis

Stage IV: Macrocytic anemia.

Many undesirable symptoms come along with low levels of B12, even before you reach the final stage of B12 deficiency: anemia. These symptoms include:

Fatigue;
Lethargy;
Weakness;
Numbness in the hands, legs, or feet;
Neurological problems such as memory loss and cognitive difficulties;
Difficulty walking;
Shortness of breath;
Palpitations;
Pallor;
A swollen tongue;
Jaundice, and;
Psychiatric problems such as paranoia or hallucinations.

How can I ensure I get enough B12?

If you are eating the standard american diet you are probably getting more than you need daily, but if you fall within one of the following categories you may need to look into supplementation:

Over 50 years old;
Vegan;
Taking medications that interfere with the absorption of B12; or
Suffering with the malabsorption of foods due to weight-loss surgery or a medical condition.

While many foods are fortified with B12, these are likely insufficient for the needs of the above groups. I, personally, take a B12 supplement daily in the form of a sublingual spray to ensure adequate intake. For most, the smallest available dose of B12 (usually 100 mcg) taken daily does the trick. Only a small percentage of that will be absorbed due to the body's limited ability to absorb B12 at amounts larger than about 4 mcg at any given meal. Luckily, 4 mcg of B12 daily is more than anyone should require, unless struggling with absorption. I know what you're thinking, but no. Higher doses of B12 aren't necessarily better. While there are no known negative health effects of more B12 in the body, the percentage of B12 absorbed is actual reduced when larger doses are taken.

You might also like: Vegans vs Protein and Building Strong Bones With Plants

What kind of B12 supplement should I take?

Any kind works, but it has been found that tablets that you chew or dissolve in the mouth, and sprays that you hold in your mouth for a certain period of time, are better absorbed than pills.

Should I get my B12 checked?

Through my research I've found a common recommendation from physicians to have B12 and methylmalonic acid (MMA) levels checked every few years, but only for those who are at a higher risk of deficiency.

For the general population, B12 deficiency is not a big concern. For vegans and vegetarians, however, it remains a real risk with as many as 50-80% suffering from the deficiency. I am an advocate for a healthy vegan diet, and find that I receive adequate amounts of every conceivable nutrient without the need for supplementation, with the exception of B12. I myself take a daily supplement and recommend that any vegans out there do the same!

Until next time,