We recently sent out an email asking the Healthy Human Revolution community what they wanted from us. We had some amazing responses and a few asked about supplements, what and how much they should be taking. This is a list of the vitamins and minerals that you should consider when eating a whole food plant-based diet. Luckily we have some friends at Alpine Organics that have formulated the perfect plant based supplement and we have secured a discount for you if you would like to try them as well. At check out use the code “healthyhumanrev” for $10 off any product.
Let’s dive into which vitamins and minerals you will need to ensure that you have met every micronutrient need to complete your overall healthy diet plan. Some will ask if this is the healthiest diet then why do I need to worry about vitamins? Well, first some individuals do not absorb some vitamins well and may not eat the array of foods needed to get a full complement of the vitamins and minerals. In addition, vitamin B12 is not made by any plant or animal but by bacteria that live in the soil, water and in the guts of animals. If you are not consuming animal products you will need a vitamin B12 supplement which is important for a healthy nervous system. Below are the recommended vitamins and minerals that you should be taking daily and an explanation of why you should be taking them. At the end, you will also see a list of vitamins to avoid in supplement form as they can be dangerous to your health.
Vitamin B12: 100-1000 mcg daily
*Derived from bacteria only. Important for nerve health.
Vitamin D3: 800-2,000 IU daily
*Vitamin D3 deficiency found in people who do not get adequate sun exposure.
Zinc: 15-30 mg daily
*Phytic acid in beans, seeds and nuts binds zinc and decreases its absorption.
Vitamin K2: 25-50 mcg daily
*There are two forms of vitamin K (K1 and K2), K1 is found in green leafy vegetables and K2 can be made in small amounts from K1 in the body. Vitamin K2 is found in fermented foods like cheese, natto, pork and dark-meat like chicken. However, to ensure a sufficient supply of vitamin K2 a supplement is suggested. K2 is very important to bone health and decreasing coronary calcification risks.
Iodine: 150 mcg daily
*Found in seaweed and seafoods and important for thyroid health. Too much or too little can cause hypothyroidism. Since we encourage avoiding adding salt to the diet it is best to take a supplement to ensure an adequate supply.
EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid): 200-300 mg daily
*These long-chain omega-3 fatty acids are vital to brain health. They can be made in the body from ALA (short-chain omega-3) derived from hemp, chia, flax, walnuts, and leafy greens but in very small amounts. It is safer to ensure that you get enough from an algae-derived omega-3 supplement.
Vitamins to avoid in supplement form include folic acid, beta-carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin E. *Too much of these have been found to be detrimental to health and increase the risks of mortality.
Remember eat optimally and supplement wisely and check out our friends at Alpine Organics!
PS. Did you know we are hosting our very first conference on September 7-8th in Denver, Colorado? We are calling it the Plant-based Living Conference where we will teach you the nitty gritty details of how to not only eat and stick to a healthy plant-based diet but also learn how to build healthy habits for life! Learn more here! Hope you can join us. 🙂
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