Evidence-Based Nutrient Recommendations

What Supplements Does a Vegan Dietitian Take?

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by Jack Norris, RD

I was requested to write a blog post about what supplements I take. Here’s my daily routine:

A daily Deva Vegan Multivitamin & Mineral Supplement provides 6 µg of vitamin B12, 20 µg (800 IU) of vitamin D2, and 75 µg of iodine in the form of potassium iodide which I prefer instead of kelp. It also provides 36 µg of selenium, although vegans in the U.S. don’t need to supplement due to selenium in the soil. Note that the Amazon link does not provide any commission, I include it only to make it easier for people to order the multivitamin if desired.

Although the Deva multivitamin provides 5 mg of zinc, I seem to need more to prevent getting cracks in the skin on the sides of my mouth, and so I also take a 10 mg zinc tablet.

For omega-3s, I eat about 1/8th cup of chopped walnuts.

For calcium, I drink a cup of calcium-fortified orange juice and eat about 2 cups of cooked collard greens on most days. I recently discovered bags of cleaned and cut collards that can be cooked in the microwave in a large pyrex container with about a 1/4″ of water for 5 minutes, making cooking greens a very convenient process. But the most important thing I do for my bone health is weightlifting once a week.

For vitamin A, I eat about 10 baby carrots dipped in hummus which provides fat for absorption.

I eat plenty of high-protein foods, including a serving or two of vegan meats, a high-protein energy bar, and half a scoop of Orgain protein powder in my morning coffee. I find that I feel better when eating more high-protein foods but don’t think all vegans need to add these sources of extra protein.

That’s it!

For more information on the daily nutrient needs of vegans see our article, Daily Needs.

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Before you comment, please read:

  • If you have a question about whether it's okay to cut supplements in half or combine supplements to achieve the dose we recommend, the answer is “Yes.” Be aware that nutrient recommendations are only estimates—it's not necessary to consume the exact amount we recommend every single day.
  • We aren't able to respond to questions about which brands of supplements to take.
  • We cannot provide personal nutrition advice for specific health conditions. If you need private counseling, here's a list of plant-based dietitians and we especially recommend VeganHealth contributor Taylor Wolfram, MS, RDN, LDN.
  • We urge you to consult with a qualified health professional for answers to your personal questions.

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