5 Benefits of Vegan Vitamins

The popularity of veganism has skyrocketed in recent years, with everything from snack food to skincare looking to bring new vegan formulations to the market. Many health advantages, including a lower risk of chronic diseases and even a point-blank longer life span, have been associated with a plant-based diet. However, other elements, like iron and vitamin B12, can be more difficult to consume while following a no-meat diet. Vegan vitamins are specially formulated to address the common vitamin deficiencies vegans and vegetarians face to provide a nutrient profile that can fill the gap.

Not vegan or vegetarian? Not a problem. Vegan vitamins can resolve other far-reaching dietary and ethical concerns and sometimes outperform animal-derived vitamins. We’ll examine the top 5 advantages of vegan vitamins and supplements so you can decide how best to align your needs with your vitamin intake.

Five benefits of vegan vitamins

Absorption

Compared to synthetic or animal-derived alternatives, many vegan vitamin formulae contain simpler vitamins and minerals for the body to absorb. Better bioavailability is why many health professionals recommend vegan vitamins over their non-vegan counterparts. For example, for some people, vegan Vitamin D3 derived from plants, like wild-harvested lichen, is easier to absorb than Vitamin D3 derived from animal products. 

Vitamin B12 is essential to nerve function and red blood cell production. Still, it only occurs in animal products, putting vegans and vegetarians at risk for Vitamin B12 deficiency. A common substitute is methylcobalamin, a natural form of B12. A 2017 review in Integrative Medicine: A Clinician’s Journal preferred this vegan B12 option due to its superior bioavailability. 

Calcium is necessary for strong bones and teeth but is commonly derived from dairy products. 

Vegan calcium supplements use plant-based sources like algae and synthetic oyster shells that are often better and more efficiently absorbed by the body.

Vegan Health Benefits

Many plant-based supplements are naturally rich in minerals and antioxidants, but they are generally more nutrient-dense than animal-derived alternatives. By choosing vegan supplements, you can potentially get a more concentrated dose of these nutrients than you would from animal-derived supplements. In addition, a thoughtfully formulated vegan multivitamin may contain a broader range of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B12, iron, calcium, and vitamin D.

Some research suggests that vegan diets, which prioritize fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, may lower an individual’s risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. In addition, vegan supplements may be a convenient way to introduce plant-based nutrients and their subsequent benefits into your daily diet. 

Sustainability

Vegan vitamin formulations typically extract their key nutrients from plant-based components, which are more environmentally friendly and sustainable than animal supplies. Also, plant-based ingredients require fewer resources than animal-derived ingredients, which contribute to water pollution, large amounts of waste, and greenhouse gas emissions.

Animal products in supplements are harvested through animal agriculture, which requires a massive landscape for feeding, grazing, and slaughter, leading to deforestation and habitat loss. Though plant-based components are not perfect in their environmental impact, they are preferable over animal-derived ones and a personal choice people can make to reduce their carbon footprint. 

Allergies & Intolerances

Vegan vitamin formulations are naturally free of common allergens, including dairy, eggs, and shellfish, which might concern those with allergies or intolerances. Even for those who are not vegan or vegetarian, individuals who are lactose-intolerant, gluten-free, or have nut allergies may experience mild to life-threatening symptoms from ingesting certain vitamin formulations. Ensure any supplements you take, including vegan vitamins, are sourced through reliable brands that will deliver on their promise of freedom from aggravating ingredients. Worsening your health through the consumption of subpar or allergen-containing supplements would be a cruel irony on your quest for better wellness. 

Ethical considerations

The apparent reason is sometimes the best: some prefer vegan supplements to align with their ethics and diets. As many vitamins naturally occur in animal products, vegans and vegetarians must actively seek these components elsewhere in plant-based alternatives to avoid vegan vitamin deficiency. Aside from dietary requirements, some supplements use non-vegan products involved in animal testing, which even avid carnivores might wish to avoid. 

Vegan health supplements: What vitamins should a vegan take?

It’s worth noting that not all vegan vitamin formulas are created equal, and some may still contain synthetic ingredients or have lower bioavailability than animal-derived sources. Paying attention to listed dosages is critical. A vegan product can easily be inferior to an animal-based product based on lower dosages, non-comprehensive formulations, or poorly-sourced ingredients. But at their best, competitive vegan vitamin formulas may yield the nutrients you require to support a healthy vegan or vegetarian lifestyle or fulfill your unique considerations that animal-sourced supplements simply cannot. 

Best vegan vitamins & health supplements: KOSI Wellness

KOSI ensures all products are entirely vegan, yeast-free, non-GMO, gluten-free, and nut-free, and contain no artificial fillers to deliver wellness products accessible by all, regardless of individual ethics and dietary requirements.