If you are going to become a vegetarian what vitamins should you take?

7 Responses to “If you are going to become a vegetarian what vitamins should you take?”

1. Comment by Dankee

   I´m a vegan, and I am almost 15. I am very happy you have made that decision.

   Drinking milk makes you a lacto-vegetarian, so you won´t need to worry about calcium, as I.

   In 1 or 2 years, you will need a vitamin called B12 (your body has stored it, so you won´t need it right now). If you live in a country with cold winters, you will need to take vitamin D, as you won´t be receiving sunlight.

   Most important of all, you need iron (Fe). You can buy it as tablets.

   Getting proteins is VERY EASY for you, so you will not need to worry about it.

   Remember to eat:
   - Soy. Soy-meat, soy-milk, soy-yougurt and/or soy-cheese, called tofu. They are a perfect source of proteins!
   - Beans.
   - Varied salads. Much broccoli; it has iron.

2. Comment by paulachanga91

   vegetarians and vegans are usually stronger and healthier than meat eaters, so you wont need to worry about that. Make sure to eat lots of dark green veggies, and then just veggies in general like starches, carrots, fruits, tomatoes, and much more. I love faux meets and soy ice cream. I also love to make my own cookies. Yumm.. The only vitamin you will truly need is B12. It is actually found in the soil and vegetables and fruits used to be rich in this vitamin, but because of all the pesticides and such, sadly this vitamin is now only found in animal products. If you eat enough variety of fruits and vegetables you shouldn’t have to worry about any other vitamins or nutrients. But meat eater or not, a multi-vitamin every day is always a good choice. Good luck.

3. Comment by Jason

   if you drink lactaid milk you are not alergic to milk you are lactose intolerant.

   You dont need any vitamins!!!!! Eat your corn flakes, soybeans, brown rice, oatmeal, etc.. and you’ll be fine.

4. Comment by cowsflyhome2nite

   lmao, ive done a very bad job with taking my vitamins… now i have iron deficiency
   when u go to ur doctor for ur next check up, ask them about what u should be taking and how much

5. Comment by veggie-wedgie

   If you eat a well-blanned balanced diet, you won’t need any vitamin/mineral support.

   If you decide to become vegan (I highly recomend!), you’ll need one 1000mcg B12 tablet once a week.

6. Comment by Kiss Me, I’m Irish

   Depends upon the foods that you pick to eat.

   As someone already pointed out – B12 is something that you very well are going to be having to look into taking. B12 isn’t made by plants but comes from a cow.

   Actually, the National Academy of Sciences has recommended that everyone over 50 take a B12 supplement or eat foods fortified with B12 – some even suggested that such should be for all age groups.

   Thing is – they have found that even meat eaters – both young and old – are low in B12.

   You can find it in multivitamins or in many of the fortified breakfast cereals, soy milk, nutritional yeast, and meat substitutes.

   All you have to do is check labels for the vitamin B12 or “cobalamin”.

   A B12 deficiency can cause problems such as nerve damage – all the way to personality changes and depression. So not something to mess with.

   The recommended daily allowance for an adult is 2.4 micrograms – more for pregnant women. B12 isn’t toxic – so not a problem if you take more. I have seen reliable sources suggest doses around 1,000 micrograms a day.

   Some suggest spirulina as a B12 source but it has been found that it likely has no active B12 at all. Same is true of fermented soy products such as tempeh. Some of the seaweeds such as nori have traces – but it varies so much that it isn’t reliable.

   It is the one vitamin that I really would SERIOUSLY consider suppliments for – no matter if you are eating vegetarian, vegan – or even a meat eater.

7. Comment by Jen D

   If you eat a varied diet you shouldn’t require supplements.

   All the nutritional info you need can be found in the Vegetarian Starter Kit from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

   http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/vsk/index.html