Essential Supplements for the Active Adult Vegetarian

As health conscious vegetarians, we do our best to eat a varied, balanced diet to supply us with all the nutrients we need to function at optimal performance. However, there are many contributing factors such as environmental pollutants, stress (both mental and physical), and sluggish digestion that can deplete our bodies of certain key nutrients. Stocking your cupboard and fridge with a few essential products can help to ensure that you are replacing these nutrients on a daily basis.

1. A good quality, high-potency multivitamin/mineral formula is a great “insurance policy” that should be taken daily. This should be regarded as an investment into your health and while frugality is something I can relate to, a multivitamin is not something you want to skimp on. Criteria to look for when choosing a multivitamin are dosage, bioavailability, and manufacturing processes. Your multivitamin should contain a high-potency B vitamin complex (25-50mg each), minerals that have been “chelated” (bound to hydrolyzed vegetable protein) for better absorption, and the supplement company should state that they follow the GMP (good manufacturing processes) standards set by Health Canada. There are many veg-friendly multivitamins available on the market, and most companies will state on the bottle if they are vegan.

2. While vegetarian diets are often plentiful in nuts and seeds which contain the essential fatty acids that our bodies need not only to thrive, but to survive, it can be quite difficult to convert vegetarian sources (such as flax oil) of omega-3 to it’s active forms of EPA and DHA. Thankfully, there are now products on the market that contain algae oil which provide a readily absorbed form of DHA with a small amount of EPA. These substances are so vital to almost every biochemical process in the body, a bottle of this stuff should occupy the refrigerator door of every vegetarian and vegan. A great product is Udo’s Choice Vegetarian DHA flax oil by Flora.

3. An increased activity level calls for a good, healthy supply of complete, digestible protein, such as hemp, brown rice, or yellow pea protein. Taken either as an energy-packed breakfast shake or to aid in post-workout recovery, a good quality protein powder should always be kept on hand to ensure amino acid intake is adequate and that our individual protein requirements are met. How much protein do you need? It varies quite a bit based on age, gender and activity level (and on who you ask), but a pretty standard recommendation for an adult vegan would be about half a gram of protein for each pound of body weight. However, if you pay close attention to the signals your body is giving you, you will be able to tell if you’re getting enough protein by assessing your energy levels, recovery time, immunity and mood. There is also testing that is available that can help you assess whether your amino acid levels are up to par. My current favourites are shakes made with Vega by Sequel Naturals for a complete meal replacement, or Living Harvest Hemp Protein (add some almond butter to your shake for an extra protein boost).

There is no substitute for a well-planned, balanced and varied diet, but with a few added supplements, we can ensure that we are getting the nutrients we need to perform and feel our best.