Tag Archives: b12

USDA Offers Vegetarian Tip Sheet

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This is nice – a Vegetarian Tip Sheet from the USDA!veggies

This brand new tip sheet offers 10 pieces of advice for following a vegetarian diet. It includes things like:

  • vegetarian sources of protein and calcium
  • vegetarian “mock meat” options
  • tips for ordering vegetarian meals in restaurants
  • a reminder to eat foods rich in Vitamin E

Yeah, I was thrown by the Vitamin E thing too. Vitamin E deficiencies are not common in developed countries like the United States of America, and the top food sources of Vitamin E (wheat germ, fortified cereals, sunflower seeds, almonds, turnup greens) are all vegetarian. Sardines and herring are OK sources of Vitamin E but does that really warrant inclusion in the Vegetarian Tip Sheet?

Maybe one of the tips could be for vegetarians to supplement with B12?

Anywho, I’m just being picky. Overall I think it’s a cool Tip Sheet.

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Vegan Myths: B12

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I’ve been eating a vegetarian diet for about 8 years now. I originally stopped eating meat (yes that includes fish and chicken!), eggs, and dairy after I learned about the inhumane treatment of animals. These books were hugely influential on my decision:

Diet for a New America by John Robbins
The Food Revolution by John Robbins
The Mad Cowboy by Howard Lyman
Unhappycows.com (a website – check it out)

I ate a vegan diet for several years and then added back in cheese, eggs, and fish. I added these foods into my diet because I thought that I needed them.

Well, I am now making the transition back to a vegan diet. I’m doing this for a couple of reasons:

  • I don’t believe that eating animal flesh, secretions, or reproductive products, contributes to making me a healthier person. I no longer believe that I “need” them.
  • I do not want to participate in the needless torture and slaughter of billions of animals.

OUCH! Harsh, huh? Let me begin to explain. This will take several posts so bear with me ;)

First, you can get everything you need from a balanced and thoughtful vegan diet. Usually the nutrients that people worry about the most are b12, iron, protein, and calcium. Let’s focus on B12 first.

Needed for cell division and blood formation, we actually don’t need very much B12. However a deficiency of B12 can cause nerve damage and anemia, so it’s important to make sure you have adequate amounts of B12 in your diet.

B12 does not occur naturally in plants or animals (although it did occur in plants at one time). Farm animals contain B12 because they eat plants contaminated with the microorganisms that produce B12. Since vegans do not eat animals, we need to get our B12 elsewhere.

Some good vegan sources of B12 include:

  • B12 vitamin supplements. Look for a sublingual Methylcobalamin form of B12.
  • Red Star nutritional yeast, which also happens to impart a yummy cheesy flavor that works great in tofu, “cheeze” sauce, popcorn, bread dough, salads, soups, gravy, stews, etc.
  • Fortified cereals – Nature’s Path Optimum Power, which I love, Corn Flakes, Special K, Kashi Heart to Heart (may contain honey).
  • Fortified soy milk

What are your thoughts about eating a vegan diet? What are your concerns about it?

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