VITAMINS, MINERALS, HERBS…OH MY!
Does the thought of figuring out what supplements you should take make you feel like you are trying to meet the Wizard? Don’t worry! I will be your guide and share some highlights about these mysterious nutrients and point out ways to include them in your plant-based lifestyle.
Let’s start with a few definitions
Digging into vitamins
Now that we are on the same page, let’s head down the yellow brick roads supplements – starting with vitamins. There are 13 essential vitamins, including Vitamins A, C, D, E and K as well as seven different B vitamins. Here’s a breakdown for Vitamins A, C, D, E and K:
Vitamin A
Vitamin C
Vitamin D
Vitamin E
Vitamin K
I hope these guides are helpful and provide a little more clarity how you can incorporate Vitamins A, C, D, E and K into your daily diet.
What about vitamin supplements?
It is possible to get all of the essential vitamins that you need while eating plant- based. The key is to have a well-balanced diet that incorporates a wide range of foods. Eating raw fruits and vegetables can help to maximize the vitamins you are ingesting by preventing important nutrients from being lost during the cooking process.
if you feel that you may be missing out on some of these key vitamins, there are a couple of options:
get everything you need in one pill with a multivitamin like Vegan Vitality or Deva
supplement the individual vitamins you might be lacking
When considering these options, be careful not to overdo it. Although vitamins are important to help the body function properly, you do not need to excessively exceed the daily requirements. Too much of a good thing can also be harmful.
Too much of a good thing.
If you are taking a supplement, look at the back of the bottle to see what percentage of your daily requirement is in the supplement and consider your daily vitamin intake. There are also resources online that can tell you how much of a particular vitamin is in certain foods.
If you are considering adding a vitamin to your daily routine, check with your doctor first to see if the vitamin is right for you. You can also check with your pharmacist to ensure that the vitamin does not interact with any other medications that you are taking.
I think that’s enough for vitamins today. Keep an eye out for my blog posts where we will explore all seven B vitamins, minerals and, finally, herbs.
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