What Supplements Should Vegans Take?

Transitioning to a vegan or plant-based lifestyle can have benefits for your health and for the environment, which is why so many people have made the change in the last few years.

However, it’s important to bear in mind that it can be harder for vegans to get some essential vitamins and minerals that are typically consumed via meat or dairy products.

selection of colourful vegan food

At Garden of Life, we have a range of plant-based, vegan, organic supplements that are designed to provide these key nutrients and support the health and wellbeing of vegans.

5 Important Supplements for Vegans

1. Iron

Iron is essential for carrying oxygen in the blood. A lack of iron (known as anaemia) can leave you feeling weak, fatigued and not yourself, so you should speak to your GP if you have any concerns.

Red meat is a key source of iron, but there are some vegan-friendly dietary sources of iron, including red kidney beans, dried apricots, nuts and fortified breakfast cereals.

Our cranberry and lime-flavoured Organics Plant Iron and Herbs formula is designed to support healthy iron levels, with plant iron sourced from plants.

This multi-targeted nutrient blend is made using fresh fruit and vegetables, and also contains vitamin C to promote iron absorption, as well as vitamin B6 and B12.

2. Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin that the body can’t produce by itself. It naturally occurs in animal products, so if you don’t consume meat, fish or dairy, you may need a supplement.

A vitamin B12 deficiency can leave you feeling lacking in energy, as vitamin B12 contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, and to normal energy-yielding metabolism.

If you’re looking for a vegan-friendly vitamin B12 supplement, try our Organics Vitamin B12 Spray, a raspberry-flavoured vegan, organic oral spray made using whole food ingredients that can all be traced right back to their source.

3. Vitamin D

Natural sunlight is a key source of vitamin D, but not everyone is able to get outdoors to expose themselves to natural vitamin D on a regular basis, so you should try to consume some via your diet too.

Dietary sources of vitamin D include fatty fish, beef liver, cheese and egg yolks, which means vegans can need an alternative.

Our Organics Vegan D3 Spray is a vanilla-flavoured oral spray made from real, nutritious foods to provide a vegan-friendly source of vitamin D. Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal bones, and to the normal function of the immune system.

4. Calcium

Calcium plays a key role in helping to maintain normal bones and teeth. Sources of calcium include dairy products, but there are some plant-based sources, such as broccoli, cabbage and okra.

Calcium supplements can provide an alternative, but some are made from pulverised limestone. However, our Organics Plant Calcium Tablets are made with organic plant calcium that comes entirely from organic plants.

5. Vegan Protein Powder

Although there are plenty of vegan-friendly sources of protein – tofu, lentils, chickpeas and seitan to name just a few – many vegans like to boost their intake with a protein supplement.

At Garden of Life, we have a range of clean, organic, vegan protein powders in available in a variety of flavours, including Unflavoured, Vanilla, Chocolate and Vanilla Chai. Use them in shakes, smoothies or add them to cooking or baking recipes to boost their protein content.