Vitamin needs for plant based diets
Like a lot of people there was a time in my life when I believed that anyone eating a plant based diet whether it was ovo lacto vegetarian or vegan, I was certain that those individuals were malnourished, unhealthy and lived every day with one foot in a grave. I had no basis for believing this but it's what people around me led me to believe so I did. Why is everyone under that assumption though? Cant you get everything you need to live a happy healthy life from plant foods? Yes, you can with the exception of vitamin B12.
B12 is a water soluble vitamin that is very important for a variety of reasons, the most important of those are functioning of the brain and nervous system, formation of red blood cells and protein metabolism. So where does it come from if it's not in plant foods? B12 is produced by bacteria in the soil. When animals eat they are consuming this B12 rich bacteria and it is assimilated into their body's. Later when a person eats the meat from that animal they are taking in the B12. Unfortunately the bacteria inside of the human GI tract does produce some B12 but it is in trace amounts and is too far down the digestive tract to be absorbed therefore humans rely on dietary intake of this vitamin. Plot twist, B12 has been found in some plant foods such as nori a sea green and shittake mushrooms the only problem is B12 in these foods is found in very trace and inconsistent quantities so a person would have to consume huge amounts of these foods to meet their RDA.
So what does this mean for plant based dieters? B12 is hardly a concern in this day and age because many food products are fortified with B12 such as tofu, nutritional yeast, non dairy milks and many others. However if a person is not consuming fortified foods it would be necessary for them to take a B12 supplement. So we now know that plant based diets can provide all of the nutrients we need with the exception of B12 but what about the other vitamins is there any cause for concern? For healthy adults eating a well balanced diet the answer appears to be no. The only exception to the B12 rule would come in pregnant mothers, infants/children or the elderly who may also need a little bit of closer attention to their intake of vitamin D, Iron, and omega 3 fats. Fortunately those nutrients can be found in plant foods so supplementation isn't a requirement but may be necessary in some circumstances.
So the next time someone rolls their eyes at the "unhealthy" vegans you can educate them :)
Austin Kirk
University of Memphis
11/10/18
B12 is a water soluble vitamin that is very important for a variety of reasons, the most important of those are functioning of the brain and nervous system, formation of red blood cells and protein metabolism. So where does it come from if it's not in plant foods? B12 is produced by bacteria in the soil. When animals eat they are consuming this B12 rich bacteria and it is assimilated into their body's. Later when a person eats the meat from that animal they are taking in the B12. Unfortunately the bacteria inside of the human GI tract does produce some B12 but it is in trace amounts and is too far down the digestive tract to be absorbed therefore humans rely on dietary intake of this vitamin. Plot twist, B12 has been found in some plant foods such as nori a sea green and shittake mushrooms the only problem is B12 in these foods is found in very trace and inconsistent quantities so a person would have to consume huge amounts of these foods to meet their RDA.
So what does this mean for plant based dieters? B12 is hardly a concern in this day and age because many food products are fortified with B12 such as tofu, nutritional yeast, non dairy milks and many others. However if a person is not consuming fortified foods it would be necessary for them to take a B12 supplement. So we now know that plant based diets can provide all of the nutrients we need with the exception of B12 but what about the other vitamins is there any cause for concern? For healthy adults eating a well balanced diet the answer appears to be no. The only exception to the B12 rule would come in pregnant mothers, infants/children or the elderly who may also need a little bit of closer attention to their intake of vitamin D, Iron, and omega 3 fats. Fortunately those nutrients can be found in plant foods so supplementation isn't a requirement but may be necessary in some circumstances.
So the next time someone rolls their eyes at the "unhealthy" vegans you can educate them :)
Austin Kirk
University of Memphis
11/10/18
Comments
Post a Comment