Supplementing a diet rich in vegetables and plant products as necessary
Health authorities ask us to increase our consumption of vegetables and fruits. It is a good thing against overweight, heart disease and even certain types of cancer.
However, some nutrients are difficult or impossible to find in plants.
If you no longer eat any meat, fish, eggs or milk, you may be deficient in the following seven nutrients:
1) Vitamin B12
This vitamin is an essential nutrient (you can't live without it) that is found almost exclusively in animal foods.
Also known as cobalamin, it is a water-soluble nutrient (which dissolves in water) involved in the production of red blood cells, good nerve health, and brain function.
Studies have shown that, without nutritional supplementation, vegetarians have a high risk of vitamin B12 deficiency, especially from a year on this diet.
Symptoms associated with a lack of vitamin B12 are:
fatigue, weakness;
mental, psychiatric and neurological problems;
megaloblastic anemia;
with a possible link with Alzheimer's disease and heart disease.
To obtain sufficient amounts of B12, vegetarians and even more vegans must consume products enriched with vitamin B12: yeast extracts, cereals, bread.
Traces of bioactive vitamin B12 are found in rare plant products:
nori, a type of so-called “red” seaweed (but green in appearance…). They are in the form of plates of very fine dried leaves;
tempeh, a kind of fermented soybean
I wrote well “traces” so these foods cannot be used alone to compensate.
Spirulina, on the other hand, is reputed to contain vitamin B12, but it is in fact “pseudo-vitamin”, which cannot be assimilated biologically.
2) Creatine
Creatine is a molecule that concentrates on the muscles and the brain. It is used to provide readily available energy to muscle cells, which increases strength and endurance.
Creatine has a bad reputation because it has mainly been used in bodybuilding. It is associated with the dangers of doping and has therefore been banned briefly by the French health authorities.
In reality, creatine is safe and absolutely not a dopant, although it is true that it improves physical performance.
Creatine is not an essential nutrient. It can be made by the liver. However, studies show that vegetarians experience a drop in their muscle creatine level, which can lead to poorer performance.
It is very easy to get creatine supplements and they are safe for health.
3) Carnosine
Carnosine is an antioxidant that concentrates in the muscles and the brain of humans and animals.
Carnosine is very important for muscle function. High levels of carnosine decrease fatigue and increase performance.
It is only found in animal products. However, it is considered non-essential because we can make it from two amino acids, histidine and beta-alanine.
However, the main sources of beta-alanine are meat and fish.
Vegetarians tend, as with creatine, to have less carnosine in their muscles than omnivores.
You can easily find beta-alanine supplements of vegetable origin.
4) Vitamin D
Vitamin D is essential for many functions and we get it in principle naturally, by exposing ourselves to the sun.
However, most people living in our latitudes are chronically lacking in vitamin D3, not having enough opportunities to expose their skin.
The main sources of vitamin D in food are fatty fish and egg yolk, but the quantities are minimal.
People with vitamin D deficiency must, therefore, compensate with supplements that are in the form of vitamin D2, of vegetable origin, or vitamin D3, which is most often of animal origin.
Fortunately, there is vitamin D3 extracted from lichen which is suitable for vegetarians.
5) Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is a type of omega-3 that is important for the functioning of the brain.
A lack of DHA can affect mental function, especially in children. Pregnant women must pay particular attention to their intakes, for the development of their baby's brain.
DHA is found mainly in fish oils, fatty fish and certain types of microalgae.
In principle, the human body is able to produce DHA from vegetable omega-3s (ALA) found in nuts, flaxseed, and chia.
However, the conversion rate is too low to ensure sufficient blood levels.
The solution for vegetarians who do not want to take DHA from fish is to choose a microalgae-based supplement that is easily found in online stores.
6) Heme iron
Heme iron is a type of iron found in meat, especially red meat.
It is much better absorbed than non-heme iron found in plants.
Non-heme iron is poorly absorbed if there is no heme iron, which can complicate matters, especially for women who are losing blood and who need to replenish their iron stores. Iron deficiency anemia is more common in vegetarians.
It is, therefore, necessary to plan the vegetarian diet in a way that maximizes the non-heme iron intake, in which case it is possible to dispense with nutritional supplements of iron.
7) Taurine
Taurine is a sulfur compound found in different tissues, including the brain, heart, kidneys.
It plays a role in the formation of bile salts and antioxidant defenses.
Some people have been able to say that taurine came from the bulls testicles, which is why there is some in Red Bull. It is an urban legend, taurine is found in fish, seafood, meat, and dairy products.
Our bodies can produce small amounts of taurine, so it is not considered an essential nutrient.
However, vegetarians tend to lack them and will be better off if they take food supplements. There are some of the vegetable origins.
Conclusion
A well-organized vegetarian or vegan diet is great for your health. It is, however, necessary to have in mind the above elements and to compensate when necessary with good nutritional supplements.
This is important for people who practice these diets, but also for the cause in general. Too much mockery is still being expressed against vegetarians who are “pale”, “sad hair”, “skinny” and “lacking in energy” or even “lymphatic”.
This can be easily avoided by targeted nutritional supplementation.
No comments:
Post a Comment