As a vegetarian of over a decade, I eat a healthy and varied diet, so I was shocked when I found out I had a nutritional deficiency.
But should I have been surprised? Well, I shouldn’t have - but not necessarily for all the reasons you may think. In 2019, HSIS (Health and Food Supplements Information Service) wrote a damning report that showed that UK nutrition, despite education and opportunity was getting worse not better. Studies have shown declining intakes of key vitamins and minerals leading to risks of chronic illnesses and even early death! Wow…. So, I should not have been surprised at all.
But there is more. Commonly prescribed medications can also lead to nutritional deficiencies. Metformin for diabetes can cause B12 deficiency, and long-term use of indigestion tablets can cause low B12, iron, magnesium and calcium and much more! This further raises the risk of nutritional deficiency for many of us on top of the existing nutritional decline we have seen over the last decade.
Despite my best efforts of eating well as a vegetarian, I found out that I had key deficiencies and so my journey began taking key supplements to help prevent symptoms like tiredness and possible future chronic illnesses. I want to live as healthy and for as long as I can!!
Being a vegetarian does bring additional risks of nutritional deficiency. Not everyone will get a deficiency, but the risk is higher, and it depends on numerous factors from your diet, how well your body absorbs and even to some extent your genetics!
So which key nutrients are vegetarians most likely to be deficient in?
-
Vitamin B12
-
Iron
-
Zinc
-
Selenium
-
Omega 3 fatty acids
Vitamin B12
This vitamin is predominantly found in animal products, and I found myself deficient after moving to a vegetarian diet despite good intakes of B12 rich foods. Vegetarians can minimise their risk by eating food rich in milk, cheese, eggs and fortified foods like cereals.
Iron
Iron is needed to make haemoglobin which transports oxygen around our body. Low iron affects nearly half of girls aged 11 to 18 years and 23% of women aged 19 to 64. Low iron is more common in menstruating women due to regular blood loss causing to further risk. Unfortunately, iron from plant-based foods is less easily absorbed that iron from meat and so remains a risk.
Good sources of iron include pulses like kidney beans, chickpeas and lentils, dried fruit, dark green vegetables, nuts and wholemeal bread and flour.
Zinc
This mineral is absorbed less effectively from non-meat sources leading to further increased risks.
Good sources of zinc include beans, lentils, chickpeas, seeds (pumpkin, sesame, hemp), eggs, dairy products, oats, quinoa and brown rice.
Selenium
This mineral source is often from meat, fish and eggs and can therefore mean vegetarians may become deficient.
Good sources include some nuts and seeds like brazil nuts, cashew nuts and sunflower seeds, some green leafy vegetables like kale, rocket and watercress, some breads and some breakfast cereals like shredded wheat and cornflakes.
Omega 3
Omegas are well researched and no doubt you have heard about them and how they can benefit you, including heart protection.
Good food sources include some seeds like chia and flax seeds, walnuts and soybeans.
You can learn more from trustworthy websites like the British Nutrition Foundation https://www.nutrition.org.uk/creating-a-healthy-diet/vegetarians-and-vegans/
Please explore our range of products to help support your healthy lifestyle and either resolve your likely existing deficiencies or maintain good healthy levels to remain symptom free and reduce the risk of chronic illnesses.
