How to get all your #vitamins on a #plantbased #diet.

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Vitamins A,B's,C,D,E & K are nutrients your body needs in small amounts to function correctly & stay healthy.

Most nutrients can be gained by having a varied & balanced diet, tho some are needed via a supplement.

Vitamins come in 3 forms of measurement:

Milligrams (mg) which are 1 thousandth of a gram, micrograms (mcg) are 1 millionth of a gram & also international units (IU) which are sometimes used.

Below I'll explain how much you need a day & where to find them on a plant-based diet.

Vitamin A is required for our body's defence against illness, helps protect vision, & keeps skin healthy.

Men 700mcg
Women 600mcg

Plant-based you gain vitamin A via converting beta-carotene rich foods.

Good sources inc:

Sweet Potatoes
Red Peppers
Carrots
Squash
Leafy Greens

Thiamin (vitamin B1)
Thiamin helps the body break down & release energy from food and keep the nervous system healthy.

Men 1mg
Women 0.8mg

Good sources inc:

Peas
Some fresh fruits (such as bananas & oranges)
Nuts
Potatoes
Kale
Wholegrain bread
Fortified breakfast cereals

Riboflavin (vitamin B2) helps keep skin, eyes & the nervous system healthy, the body release energy from food.

Men 1.3mg
Women 1.1mg

Good sources inc:

Fortified breakfast cereals
Mushrooms
Legumes
Spinach
Squash
Seaweed
Tempeh
Nutritional Yeast
Avocado
Almonds
Edamame Beans

Niacin (vitamin B3) helps the body release energy from food, keeps the nervous system and skin healthy.

There are 2 forms of niacin: nicotinic acid and nicotinamide. Both are found in food.

Men 16.5mg
Women 13.2mg

Good sources inc:

Wheat
Rice
Buckwheat
Millet
Marmite
Peanuts

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) helps the body to use & store energy from protein & carbs in food &
to form haemoglobin, the substance in red blood cells that carries oxygen around the body.

Men 1.4mg
Women 1.2mg

Good sources Inc:

Peanuts
Soy
Wheat
Oats
Bananas
Fortified Cereals

Biotin (vitamin B7) is needed to help the body make fatty acids.

The bacteria that live in your bowel are able to make enough biotin, so it's not clear if you need any additional biotin from the diet.

Biotin is found in a wide range of foods, but in low levels.

Folate (vitamin B9) helps the body form healthy red blood cells, & reduces the risk of birth defects called neural tube defects, such as spina bifida in unborn babies.

Good sources inc:

Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Leafy green veg
Legumes
Fortified breakfast cereals

Adults 200mcg

Vitamin B12 is involved in helping the body make red blood cells, keeping the nervous system healthy, & use folate.

Vitamin B12 is not found naturally in plant foods as it is made by the bacteria in water & soil.

Vegans are advised to supplement and/or consume fortified foods.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) helps to protect cells, keeping them healthy, maintaining healthy skin, blood vessels, bones/cartilage & helping with wound healing.

Good sources inc:

Citrus fruit
Peppers
Berries
Broccoli
Potatoes

Adults aged 19 to 64 need 40mg of vitamin C a day.

Vitamin D helps regulate the amount of calcium & phosphate in the body.

These nutrients are needed to keep bones, teeth & muscles healthy.

The body creates vitamin D from sunlight on our skin when outdoors, however, everyone is advised to supplement 10mcg (400 IU) a day.

Vitamin E helps maintain healthy skin and eyes, and strengthen the body's natural defence against illness and infection (the immune system).

Men 4mg
Women 3mg

Good sources inc:

Plant oils
Nuts & seeds especially sunflower seeds
Wheatgerm – found in cereals and cereal products

Vitamin K is a group of vitamins that the body needs for blood clotting & helping wounds heal.

Good sources Inc:

Green leafy vegetables (broccoli & spinach)
Vegetable oils
Cereal grains
Plantains
Berries

Adults need approx 1mcg a day of vitamin K for each kilogram body weight.