When you’re on a vegan diet, it can be tricky knowing which health supplements are suitable and which you should avoid. It’s a wide-ranging subject, as everyone takes supplements for different reasons.
However, when finding the right supplements can sometimes feel like a minefield of reading labels and trying to understand whether the caplets are vegan-friendly or not, it’s helpful to have a starting point.
Lucky for you, we’ve put together this handy guide on some of the most commonly taken vitamins and essential dietary additions which you might look for – on any diet, not just a vegan one. We’ve included those offered by high-quality, conscious brands, like the nutritional supplements from Love Life Supplements, for a range of purposes and needs.
So whether you’re looking to hit your personal best on a plant-based diet, or just want to make sure you’re getting the nutrients your body needs, we’ve got the perfect vegan-friendly recommendations for you.
An Essential Multivitamin
This is the building block, if you’re just beginning to research which nutritional supplements you can take as a vegan. Of course, everyone can benefit from taking a daily multivitamin, as they offer so many broad-reaching positives for our bodies.
You’ll want to make sure that the multivitamin you’re taking has been approved by the Vegan Society, which is usually easily determined by the ‘Vegan Approved’ or ‘Suitable for Vegans’ information included on the bottles, and website.
For example, you can simply search for ‘Vegan Society approved multivitamins’ in your search engine nowadays, and be bombarded by a list of approved nutritional supplements which are all vegan.
Some of the best include: Love Live Supplements for purpose-specific supplements including those for immunity, energy, and overall wellbeing, often coming in helpful bundles; Ethical Nutrition; Get Nourished, and even those from your local high street brand like Holland and Barrett.
Though, for ultimate peace of mind, it’s best to look for a multivitamin that is guaranteed to be free of fillers, bulking agents and ‘nasties’ that often plague the cheaper vitamin offerings on the market. Heading for a company that promotes clean, filler-free multivitamins is the best way to ensure you’re giving your body the essential, base nutrients it needs on a vegan diet.
Vegan Omega Supplements
Did you know there were vegan omega supplements? Well now you do!
While cod liver oil and marine-related omega 3-6-9 are the most commonly known sources of this vital supplement, these are certainly not the only sources out there. Vegan sources of omega 3 are just as effective and naturally occurring as those found in fish.
One of the more common sources of vegan omega 3 is Algal Oil, which contains omega 3 and omega 9 fatty acids – this aids your heart, brain and eye health, as well as helping your body fight inflammation. Plus, it’s easier to digest, and is free from some of the toxins that might be present in fish and fish oils.
MCT Coconut Powder
You might have seen this in a latest influencer post, or perhaps advertise as a great addition to your morning coffee. But what is MCT powder? As a nutritional supplement, MCT coconut powder is a carrier for MCT oil.
MCT oil is a nutritional supplement that many people take in order to promote increased energy levels, help with weight management, increased sports endurance and cognitive function. This is a great nutritional supplement for anyone, not just those living vegan lifestyles – it’s just an added bonus that there are many different suppliers of this supplement that are vegan.
Plus, MCT coconut powder makes a great, creamy addition to your coffee – so you can easily implement this nutritional supplement into your daily life!
Ashwagandha
Another of the slightly more ‘niche’ supplements is Ashwagandha. Though, in reality, it’s been used in Ayurvedic healing for centuries and is well known in these circles. It’s classed as an adaptogen, and is one of the best nutritional supplements for managing stress and anxiety.
While is a little less known about, this is one of the best supplements that anyone looking to reduce stress, better manage either natural or circumstantial anxiety levels, and even promote brain function, reduce cortisol levels and actively reduce symptoms of depression.
There are many providers of this supplement around, though it’s best to look for a brand that has concrete knowledge of the benefits of this age-old ingredient, and understands how to handle it to produce a high quality product. Look for brands like Dr Vegan, Love Life Supplements, and brands listed on the Vegan Kind Supermarket, for example. These are great starting points!
B12 Vitamins
Many vegans will have heard the constant “you need to take B12 supplements!” “how do you know you’re getting enough B12?” It’s one of the most commonly asked questions.
And while it can be relatively straightforward to ensure your body is getting the nutrients it needs on a vegan diet, this does require access to and knowledge about the best sources for the most important vitamins and minerals.
Which, for some of us, can be too time consuming for the busy lifestyle we lead; and expensive!
This is where taking a vegan B12 supplement does become recommended, or even a B-complex supplement for added benefits. Low levels of B12 can cause irreparable damage to your nervous system, and anemia, so it’s well worth looking into sourcing a high quality supplement to counteract your vegan diet.
You can however, also find fortified food products with B12 in them, such as some soy products and some breakfast cereals. However, for ease, taking a supplement is a much more direct way of getting the levels of this vitamin you need.
To get the full benefit of a vegan diet, one of the following should be done:
- Eat fortified foods two or three times a day to get at least three micrograms (mcg or µg) of B12 a day
- Take one daily B12 supplement with at least 10 micrograms
- Take a weekly B12 supplement with at least 2000 micrograms.
If you’re going to do it eau naturale, carefully read the labels of your food products to ensure you’re getting the required amount.
Conclusion
Overall, while this certainly isn’t an exhaustive list of what nutritional supplements are suitable for vegans, it’s a great starting point for those basic supplements to help maintain overall health, and those more specific products that perform niche functions.
And while it’s not necessary for those living vegan lifestyles, or on vegan diets, to take supplements, there are numerous benefits to ensuring that our bodies are provided with the nutrient levels needed for optimal performance. So do some research, and find the best vegan nutritional supplements for you!
