B12 and Vegetarianism - Alternatives to B12 coming from animal sources.

Hello

B12 and protien are a big deficiency for vegetarians. One of the reasons why vegetarians feel alrtie for a while but continue to have gradual decreases of b12 is because b12 is stored for up to 10 years and coming from a meat diet, you b12 levels stored can be suffice for a while. However many veggie heads tend to supplement their diet with b12 and fail to recognize that this b12 is from animal sources, for the most part. I imagine that the majority of b12 comes from livestock liver as it is a high source.

These supplments can be pretty expensive and ineffective, somtimes dangerous. Nature has a design for optimal nutrition and b12 from a natural source is the best. However, who wants to eat an animal and see it putrefy in their stomach, much more damage their environment add to food security issues and long-term isntability of our food system? Not me. I have research because of this and found that supplementing your diet with 100 gr. of mollusk meat(a species that is relatively unconcious and it the closest a vegetable) has 1600% of your daily intake of b12. This by itself can be enough b12 for 2-3 weeks. Fish eggs are also very good sources of it and can be eaten successfully in sushi!

Quick links

http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/foods-high-in-vitamin-B12.php

 

There is simply a huge variety of vegetarian B12 suppliments available and these are perfectly safe. I have been taking one for 8 years now and Im absolutely fine, I havent heard of any evidence of danger coming from your average B12 supplimentation. Furthermore, where are all these vegetarians suffering from "protein deficiency" you speak of?

As far as Im aware, supps are fine, really. Itll usually be very clear on the label whether or not it is vegetarian/vegan friendly

 

Hmm - not from my experience. I never said that vegetarians are protein deficient. This may calm you, as it seems like you have some frustration. I do not believe that b12 can come from non animal sources. B12 comes normally from animal sources and the 'vegan-vegetarian friendly refers to the materials used to encapsulate the b12.

 

Also these supplements and I imagine the animal friendly ones must be very epensive. My alternative was placed for those with a large need for it and with the animal in mind. However, I wouldnt refer to mollusks as animals, they have no conscience and have no will of their own. I imagine they probally dont feel much pain either and they are an invaluable source of b12.

 

It seems information about this topic is very broad. Please look at this link.

http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/b12.htm

"The requirement for vitamin B12 is very low."

"Neither plants nor animals make vitamin B12. Bacteria are responsible for producing vitamin B12. Animals get their vitamin B12 from eating foods contaminated with vitamin B12 and then the animal becomes a source of vitamin B12. Plant foods do not contain vitamin B12 except when they are contaminated by microorganisms or have vitamin B12 added to them. Thus, vegans need to look to fortified foods or supplements to get vitamin B12 in their diet."

"A number of reliable vegan food sources for vitamin B12 are known. One brand of nutritional yeast, Red Star T-6635+, has been tested and shown to contain active vitamin B12"

"Other sources of vitamin B12 are vitamin B12 fortified soy milk, vitamin B12 fortified meat analogues (food made from wheat gluten or soybeans to resemble meat, poultry, or fish), and vitamin B12 supplements. There are vitamin supplements that do not contain animal products."

I think this piece of research proves you wrong. Have a nice day ^^

 

hahaha. I never meant to prove myself right. I proposed an alternative haha. Have a nice day.

At close to 50 dollars a package for some yeast is a very high price considering that it is generally low in B12.

http://shopping.aol.com/red-star-lrg-flake-yeast-t-6635-veget-support-formula-6-pound/97622921

Also nutritional yeast is sometimes fortified with b12 so it is tricky to tell which one is animal friendly.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4454257_benefit-from-nutritional-yeast.html


Just 10 gr. of clams can offer you 160% of your daily requirement, at less than one dollar. Plus additional protein and a number of other minerals. Considering that clams are as conciseness as a vegetable this is an alternative that seem to be excellent.

They taste excellent in pasta, with potatoes, with garlic, lemon and parsley. Ooo also with a white whine sauce, oilive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, white whine. Damn that is delicious.

Mollusks are also high in zinc, an important mineral to the immune system.

 

I still class any sort of fish, concisous or not, alive. Mollusks included. Why come onto a vege/vegan forum and suggest things that could offend some people?

I don't gt the point of this thread. Any well educated vege and vegan knows about B12. Don't you think in our journey in vege/veganism we would have come across these issues?

 

The last time I will say this.
I just proposed an alternative that people may not be aware of. If your insulted, feel insulted and a denial to accept my intention is the problem.

I did not see anything about mollusks in the FAQ Sticky for Diet so I thought it would be an interesting thing to bring up, considering that mollusks are hardly what I would consider to be alive and that B12 supplements are expensive and largely from animal sources anyways.

Take your time, change your mind. A thought changes our perception, no person can. We would fail at trying to change our perception through ourselves as through a person. The proof is in the pouding a thought is the perpetrator.

 

Im totally lost
All I said was there are actually loads of vegetarian safe B12 suppliments, which is true
By the way theyre not expensive. I pay £2.50 for a huge pot that lasts months

 

I think youre the one who sounds on edge, to be honest. Were only pointing out stuff. I for one was certainly not insulted or negative as youre suggesting

 

^^

 

My post wasnt directed to you. ^^ FingerMouse

^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^

I was referring to the other person who accused me of labeling all veg-heads as protein inefficient.

 

What I was responding to was posted before the other person had even replied to the thread Anyway nevermind

 

Has anyone ever thought about the immense quantities of bacteria in our guts?

I would think that those things make B12. SO I don't really know what the deal with the deficiency is. I know you hear a lot about B12 deficiency, but if you take a supplement, then you have no worries.

Just find one you can eat, or eat something high in B12 that fits your requirements. Seaweed and yeast are vegetarian, for instance.

 

I'm afraid you'll find a fairly chilly welcome here, because every vegetarian that *I* know of in this forum sees fish eggs & mollusks as animals too, and therefore non-vegetarian & an unacceptable source of food. Perhaps you might try posting this in the health forum just a few sections up from here? Non-vegetarians are just as likely to be B-12 deficient & might find your link helpful.

A lot of people here talk about using nutritional yeast. I can get a HUGE container of this for $10 at my local HFS, that lasts about 3 months in a family of 4. Many cereals & dairy-free milk products are also fortified with vegan versions of B-12. I've heard of other foods as well, but their absorption seems to be questionable at best. B-12 vitamins however can be found at drugstores all over, and my last bottle cost less than $4. I don't mind paying heaps & heaps for a product if there's no alternate, but why would I pay this much when there ARE other cheaper, "better" alternates out there?

love,
mom

 

Many people, including omnivores, are deficient in the gamut of B-vitamins. Microbes, particularly yeast, are one of the few natural sources that I know of (natural > pills, any day). You can eat things like yogurt and cheese, but the biggest source of natural B-vitamins that I know of is an unfiltered beer, like Widmer Hefeweizen and many others. Unfortunately, the yeast has been entirely removed from wine, so that's no good. Drinking a tasty beer with a wedge of swiss cheese sounds much better to me than taking a pill, and I can guarantee that it'll work better as well.

 

Amen to mama and mew Mama, ditto, you put my point perfectly xD I'm so bad at communicating what I mean

 

B12 is in my soymilk and nutritional yeast daily. I've actually never had a problem getting B12 from my diet.

 

Thanks everyone - I am appeased by your knowledge.

Good health and fun love.