Do Vegetarians Need Specific Vitamins?
October 1, 2009 by admin
Filed under vegetarian vitamins
i turned vegetarian about a year ago, but i quit eating beef and pork another year before that. for maybe the last year i feel a bit dizzy sometimes, even headaches. is it maybe i am missing a vital vitamin i need? i do eat alot of quorn stuff, and i really love beans and chick peas. but i dont like nuts much, maybe almonds every now and then. (apparently they help veggies alot) so is there maybe a vitamin i need to take, maybe take it as a tablet? or even some food that would help 
. thanx, and sorry for the long question!
You don’t mention any of the fruits and vegetables you are eating. Remember that a healthy vegetarian diet must be balanced(like any other diet). You should be eating a wide variety of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, proteins, etc.
Be sure you are varying your vegetables(don’t just eat the same two vegetables every day). Many people use the color method to be sure they are taking in different nutrients. Different colors mean different vitamins(ex- green veggies are going to have different nutrients than orange, yellow, etc veggies.)
Vitamins are fine, but they do not make up for eating properly. Any multivitamin should be fine, there is no need to go crazy taking different pills.
You also may want to talk to a doctor. Your vegetarianism is an easy scapegoat when ill, but you may have a different problem and should be sure, by checking with a doctor.
If you’re asking us for vitamin advice, then you are clearly not getting the foods you need. Too many people “go vegetarian” by cutting out meat and eating like idiots. They eat a lot of processed crap, they skimp out on good, nutritious foods, etc..
With meat, you are “missing out” on protein, iron, sodium, and phosphorus, as well as vitamin B12.
All of those things you can get from vegetarian sources. Hell, you can get them all from vegan sources. But you, being a vegetarian, can just crack open an egg and get all that you’re not getting from your meatless diet.
In short: you aren’t eating a healthy diet. Being vegetarian doesn’t automatically make you healthy. You need diet based on well-rounded nutrition, not just “alot of quorn stuff,” that’s just processed bullsh*t.
I’ve never needed anything extra in my diet besides the foods that I eat. I also don’t eat a balanced diet as I should, and I’m still alive. I don’t mean to sound hostile, but I just think that people assume to much when they become a vegetarian. I never worried about losing protein or iron and I never have or will. You just have to eat girl. You’re not missing anything when you don’t eat meat. So don’t assume it’s your diet right away if you’ve already been one for a year.
Feeling a bit dizzy sometimes is nothing compared to being really dizzy all the time. Then you might have to see a doctor. Sometimes I don’t know what my body is doing, but I don’t right away assume it’s because I haven’t been eating meat. That would just be 5 years of misery right there.
It sounds a bit like an iron deficiency. Nuts are a good source but, like you, I don’t like them. Broccoli is an excellent source of iron, eggs are a good source of it too, as are baked bean, bran flakes, whole meal bread and spinach. You could also try taking vitamin tablets combined with iron. Choose a brand of vitamin tablet that contains the recommended daily allowance of iron (14mg) and see if the symptoms decrease. You could also see your doctor to make sure you haven’t got a medical condition that isn’t related to your diet.
Hey. I think that the main vitamin vegetarians are associated to lack in in vitaminB12. My mum seems to agree. The best thing to do is make sure you get a balanced diet. If your not sure of what the right things to eat are in the correct proportions you could buy a veggie recipie book? Usually they have a section at the front saying what a veggie needs to eat to have a balanced diet, but it depends on the recipie book. I have a few that do have the section in. If you don’t want to do that, you could try getting sum multivitamin tablets for vegetarians (they sell them at boots, i have them) or you could buy sum vitamin B12 tablets.
At the end of the day its up to you x
Hope I helped!
Lawa xx
Some veggies need to pay special attention to B vitamins (especially B12) and iron. You can get specialist veggie supplements just to make sure your getting what your body and brain needs.
Personally I wouldn’t eat quorn (which is basically a manufactured mould). You can get your protein from soya, egg, cheese, quinoa, nuts etc etc…..
Also lots of Indian and Japanese food seems to fit in well with a healthy vegetarian diet………..best of luck!
You may need better protein or B12. Omega 3 can be lacking. Eat more quinoa and avocados-they have most of the proteins you NEED. I know someone who’s been a vegetarian for 30 years and he is having health problems. I suppose it’s ’cause he didn’t have as much info/supplements available in the beginning. Eat as much a varied diet as possible and check out sites like chooseveg.com for more info.
Yes, vegetarians (especially vegan) need vitamin B12.
There are few vegetable food (or none) with this vitamin.
(I usually eat corn flakes fortified with vit.b12 )
You need to eat more fruits and veggies! Eat more leafy greens and cut out the processed food. Take a B-vitamin supplement (B12 is pretty much the only vitamin a healthy, balanced veg diet is low in) and drink lots of water.
No. Vegans should take B12 though. Besides that, there is no nutrient in meat that is better provided by plants. that includes protein, which you can get from a hot plate of black beans.
Protein And Iron
I Get Headaches And Feel Dizzy I Became Veggie About Year Ago But Im Not Doing As Bad Now Im Eating More Quorn And Taking Iron Suppliments ..And Drinking Plenty Of Water
x
You are missing on protein. You can buy protein powder and take it with milk..
They need the same vitamins as everyone else.
Going by what you’ve described, you get plenty of protein if you’re eating those kinds of foods every day, and eating a variety of different foods that include beans/legumes, grains, fruits and vegetables. The most ignorant people with regard to nutrition always shoot at that first when criticizing vegetarianism. If you’re eating eggs and dairy, it’s probably not vitamin B12, but vegetarians may also benefit from a small amount of extra B12 in fortified food– just like vegans. It is likely not that though. You didn’t mention your age and gender. Women of menstruating age need some extra iron in their diet because you lose iron when you bleed. This can be a problem for people regardless of whether they eat meat or not. Another problem for people regardless of whether they’re meat eaters is vitamin D. Read more about it.
You should have an exam by a doctor, or you might consider going easy on the dairy products. When it comes to your health. learn more about nutrition, or consult a registered dietitian and your doctor for advice rather than listen to advice from strangers in a yahoo forum..