Favorite vegan supplements, superfoods, + 30% off first Orgain purchase!

Although supplements are not necessary for your health, it can be benefical to take supplements if you know that you do not get sufficient amounts of vitamins or minerals from your diet. This is especially important for vegans, because, without proper knowledge, it can be very hard to get all of the vitamins and minerals that your body needs. I will also be going over my favorite vegan protein powder and protein drinks and many interesting superfoods that are incredible for you!

Protein powders/drinks:

Aside from consuming plant protein from my whole foods vegan diet, I like to supplement my daily protein intake with Orgain protein powder. Aside from protein powder, they even have protein shakes and bars for on the go! What I love about this company is that I always know that their ingredients are of the highest quality, regardless of whether you are trying their plant protein, grass-fed dairy, high protein content or complete nutrition products.

Personally, I use their 21g Organic Protein™ Plant Based Protein Shake (price: $35.99) and a variety of their vegan protein powders, including their Organic Protein™ Plant Based Protein Powder (price: $29.99), Organic Protein™ & Superfoods Plant Based Protein Powder (price: $24.99-$36.99), and their Organic Protein™ & Greens Plant Based Protein Powder (price $29.99).

Orgain has also just come out with a Sport line of protein, energy, and recovery powders, all of which are organic and vegan.

Shop this link + use code “SYDNEY” at checkout for 30% off your first Orgain purchase. If you have any questions or need any recommendations, comment on this post or DM me on Instagram @sydlerz.fitness .

Four Sigmatic Mushroom Coffee:

Four Sigmatic is a company that produces drinks that are made from mushrooms. Although this might sound weird, mushrooms are actually super foods that can support immune health, help with focus, and more. Their products contain adaptogens like Reishi, Cordyceps, Ashwagandha, and my favorite, Lion’s Mane, which help your body adapt and respond to stress within the body. Each adaptogen also has their own individual properties. They are definitely worth checking out!

Spirulina and Chlorella:

Spirulina and Chlorella are two different types of powerful superfoods. They are both types of nutrient dense blue-green algae that contain many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They are both high in vitamins A and B and beta-carotene. They have been shown to lower LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, high blood pressure, and regulate blood glucose and insulin levels! While chlorella has more omega 3 fatty acids, spirulina may have more protein and antioxidants. You can purchase either or both of these off of amazon or at a health foods store.

Because fish consume spurulina and chlorella in the ocean as algae, humans that consume fish benefit from spirulina and chlorella’s nutritional properties. However, for vegans and vegetarians, one easy way to get these benefits is simply by supplementing with high quality spirulina and chlorella. I prefer to take them separately or together as a powder to put in my smoothies. Also, my favorite kombucha brand also makes a kombucha with both of these ingredients!

Nutritional yeast:

Nutritional yeast is a great product that many vegans and vegetarians use because it is packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and protein. All you have to do to get the benefits of nutritional yeast is to sprinkle some on your food! It is a complete protein, containing all 9 essential amino acids! Nutritional yeast is packed with B vitamins, which are especially important for vegans and vegetarians, including thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12. This supplement also contains trace minerals such as zinc, selenium, manganese and molybdenum.

Aside from being packed with nutritional value, some of its potential health benefits include lowering cholesterol and fighting cancer causing free radicals in the body. While some say it kind of tastes like cheese, I honestly don’t think that it tastes like anything at all. One of the most common brands of nutritional yeast is Braggs and it can be found in virtually any supermarket.

Vitamins:

Before going vegan, I recommend getting a blood test to determine if you have any vitamin/mineral or hormonal deficiencies before you go vegan to begin with. This will make your transition MUCH easier and I really wish I did this before I went vegan. For example, knowing that you are naturally low in iron before becoming vegan will allow you to make sure that you are incorporating enough iron once you become vegan. In terms of hormonal imbalances, I would talk to your doctor or specialist about how you can correct the imbalance through a vegan diet beforehand. While whole food vegan diets have lead to more regulated hormones, especially in women with polycystic ovary syndrome, becoming vegan without correct knowledge about your hormonal imbalance may make the imbalance worse. Also, although vitamins may be very beneficial, you do not need to take vitamin supplements if you are eating a wide variety of whole foods. Vitamins should be seen as a nutritional aid, rather than a replacement for a wide range of whole foods.

Vitamin B12:

Vitamin B12 serves an important role in immune system function, neurological function, and making blood cells and DNA. Without sufficient B12, individuals may develop anemia or even neurological issues (nomeatathlete.com). Although you do not need much B12, only about 2.4 mcg a day, you can take a supplement or use nutritional yeast on your food. This is where getting a blood test before becoming vegan is important. For example, if you are undiagnosed anemic and you become vegan, you will most likely have to take a B12 vitamin (as well as making an effort to consume B12 through food), rather than simply putting nutritional yeast on your veggies.

Vitamin D:

While most of us know vitamin D as the vitamin that you get from the sun, it is surprisingly common to be vitamin D deficient, especially for vegans and vegetarians. One reason for this is because just like humans absorb vitamin D from the sun, so do animals, and therefor humans that choose to consume animals and animal products gain vitamin D from these animal sources. If you are not getting enough sun exposure, you might want to take a D vitamin supplement or consume more algae (spirulina or chlorella), or mushroom derived foods (Four Sigmatic products). If you choose to take a vitamin D supplement, they are typically 2,000 IU of vitamin D.

Omega 3’s:

There are three main kinds of Omega 3 fatty acids: ALA, commonly found in flax and chia seeds, and DHA and EPA, which are typically sourced from seafood and fish. It is important that those on a plant based diet get enough DHA and EPA omega fatty acids because they are crucial for cardiovascular and brain health (nomeatathlete.com). One great way to get sufficient DHA and EPA omegas is from spirulina or chlorella.

Iodide:

Similar to Omega 3’s, Iodide is typically found in seafood and sea plants, like kelp. It is also found in iodized salt. The only drawback of consuming iodized salt is that it is very processed and, of course, too much salt will raise your sodium levels. Aside from taking an iodide vitamin, you can get plenty of iodide from foods like wholegrains, green beans, kale, spring greens, watercress, strawberries and organic potatoes with skin.

Vitamin K:

Vitamin K is essential for calcium metabolism and transport in the body. Sufficient amounts of vitamin K in your diet will help move calcium away from your heart and brain (Calcium in these organs can cause various neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases) and help deposit calcium into your bones. Vitamin K2 also helps fight inflammation in the body, which as I discussed in my last post, is a key factor in many of the leading causes of death in the U.S. and in the world, like heart disease and cancer. While vitamin K2 is often found in animal products like butter and eggs, it can also be sourced from fermented foods like miso. It is suggested that 10-25 mcg is sufficient to ensure bone health.

Zinc:

Zinc has a wide variety of important functions in the body. It helps stimulate the activity of over 100 enzymes, supports immune function, gene regulation, and helps neurons communicate, aiding learning and memory formation. While many vegan foods are abundant in zinc, they usually also contain an acid that prevents zinc absorption. If you do not want to take a vitamin to make sure you are getting enough zinc in your diet, you can also consume foods like legumes, tempeh, grains, tofu, seeds, and nuts.

Thank you so much for reading!! Feel free to ask any questions or leave comments below. You can also DM me on instagram @sydlerz.fitness !

Stay Kind,

~Syd