the blog.

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 4/5/17 Elizabeth Turnbull 4/5/17

Supplements on a Vegan Diet - Are Vegan Diets Nutritionally Complete?

If a vegan diet was healthy, you wouldn't need any supplements. I eat meat and I don't take supplements, so my diet must be natural for humans and healthier than yours.

Oh, carnist logic. Does it really mean that veganism isn't healthy if vegans have to take supplements to maintain optimal functioning of bodily systems?

No, and I'll tell you why.

If a vegan diet was healthy, you wouldn't need any supplements. I eat meat and I don't take supplements, so my diet must be natural for humans and healthier than yours.

Oh, carnist logic. Does it really mean that veganism isn't healthy if vegans have to take supplements to maintain optimal functioning of bodily systems?

No, and I'll tell you why.

Supplements on a Vegan Diet - Are Vegan Diets Nutritionally Complete? // Plant Based Bride

Carnists/Omnivores/People eating the Standard American Diet like to harp on the idea that a vegan diet couldn't possibly healthy. That humans are meant to eat meat, or even MUST eat meat (and other animal products) to survive.

They cry: Protein! and Iron! and B12! in the hopes that you'll get freaked out by them yelling random macro and micronutrients in your face, forget all of the scientific evidence, and give up on veganism.

Unfortunately for them, vegans don't give up quite so easily.

So can you get protein on a vegan diet? Yes.

Can you get enough iron? Yes.

Can you get B12? Not really.

But, BUT, hear me out on this one, neither can carnists. Everyone, regardless of diet, is at risk of B12 deficiency. It is estimated that as many as 40% of the US population are deficient in B12, and let me tell you, as much as I wish 40% of the US population was vegan, they're not.

So, yeah, vegans should be taking B12 supplements. But so should vegetarians and carnists. We're all in this "B12-deficiency-waiting-to-happen" boat together, people.*

*Fun fact: most B12 that the animals we raise for food get comes from B12 shots. So if you eat meat, you're just getting a second0hand B12 supplement.

So, B12 aside, if we can get all of the nutrition we need from a vegan diet (and we can, says every major dietetics association I've seen) then why do some vegan and plant-based doctors and nutritionists recommend taking various supplements?

Because:

A) No one is perfect. And:

B) Everyone is unique.

No One Is Perfect

No matter how well you plan your diet, no matter how many superfoods you consume, no matter how many green veggies you pack into your daily smoothie, you will not be perfect. You will not get the exact RDA for every macro and micronutrient every single day. If you're anything like me, you're really bad at planning your diet and sometimes just want to eat cereal and potatoes and there's nothing wrong with that, OK??

Sorry. That got a little out of hand.

But really, it's hard to eat a perfectly planned diet all of the time. And even if you could, we've got to look at what we're working with. Produce isn't as nutritionally dense as it once was, our soil is being depleted, and buying a wide variety of fresh, seasonal, locally grown produce isn't always possible depending on your area and pocketbook.

So let's be a little kinder to each other, ok? Sometimes taking a supplement is the best way to be sure you're getting enough of an important nutrient, without having to obsess over it.

And really, that's better for everyone.

Everyone Is Unique

Some people are pre-disposed to certain nutrient deficiencies like anaemia, just like some people are pre-disposed to liking horrible music. We're all unique snowflakes, and that's great.

What this means is that some people need to get more of certain nutrients than others, and sometimes that means they need to supplement their diet with concentrated sources of those nutrients.

Just leave them be already, ok?

The Supplements I Take

I am not prescribing anything here because I'm not a doctor or a nutritionist. I am simply sharing my experience!

Every day I take B12 and vitamin D, two nutrients that even vegetarians and carnists are likely low on. We touched on B12 earlier, and most people are aware that if you live in a less sunny climate, a vitamin D supplement is a good idea.

A couple times a week I'll take an algea-derived omega-3 supplement (because unless I'm really focusing on it, I tend to forget to eat the plant-based foods that provide omega-3 like ground flaxseeds) and biotin (or vitamin B7) which is meant to aid in maintaining healthy hair, skin, and nails. As you probably know, my hair is quite long and I haven't had it cut for about 4 years. In light of this I like to try to keep it as healthy as I can!

For those who are curious, here are the specific supplements I take:

Vitamin B12 - SBR Nutrition Liquid Dietary Supplement* (You use the dropper to pop it under your tongue and hold it for 30 seconds then swallow. It tastes like cherries!)

Vitamin D - Vitashine by Vegetology 2500iu Vitamin D3 Tablets (This is the only Vegan Society Registered Vitamin D3 supplement)

Omega-3 - Opti3 by Vegetology Omega-3 EOA & DHA Capsules (This one also contains a dose of their vitashine vitamin D3, so you can take this one supplement daily for both uses, if you like!)

Biotin - SBR Nutrition Liquid Dietary Supplement* (You also pop this one under your tongue, but this one is vanilla flavour!)

The point is, taking supplements does not invalidate the health benefits of a plant-based vegan diet. So carnists, I'd appreciate it if you'd stop implying it does!

Do you take any supplements? Why or why not? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time,