Avoid Vitamin B12 Deficiency If You Are Doing Veganuary By Consuming These Foods

Going vegan for January may be practical, especially so if you have been attending dinners and lunches left and right during the Christmas and New Year holidays. It is practical in the sense that eating only plant-based foods can help you shed off the excess weight you may have gained during the holidays.

While you may get many of the nutrients needed by your body if you consume a balanced, yet varied, vegan diet, it may result in vitamin B12 deficiency. This is because this nutrient is often found in animal products and generally absent in plant-based foods.

According to the NHS, you may feel as if you lack energy, and a feeling of extreme tiredness may set in if you are vitamin B12 deficient. Other symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency is encountering memory problems, as well as having difficulty understanding and making judgment calls.

Steering Clear of Vitamin B12 Deficiency

To prevent yourself from becoming vitamin B12 deficient if you are going vegan this January, you should include five foods in your diet. These are marmite, fortified cereal, fortified plant milk, tempeh, and nori. You can get vitamin B12 from these foods without breaking your vow, consuming only plant-based foods in January.

Marmite

Made from yeast extract, the “love it or hate it” food spread is a by-product of beer brewing. It is rich in B vitamins, which include B1 or thiamin, B2 or riboflavin, B3 or niacin, B9 or folic acid, and B12. It is a perfect companion for your morning toast and can also be a great snack in the afternoon or nighttime. Health experts say eating marmite is one of the easier ways to provide your body with vitamin B12.

Fortified Cereals

Another way of getting the amount of vitamin B12 that your body needs are to include fortified cereals in your daily meal. Good thing these fortified cereals are available in almost all food stores, so getting your hands on them is fairly effortless.

Fortified plant milk

Veganuary forbids you from drinking your average and regular dairy product. Fortunately, there are a variety of plant-based milk drinks that you can choose from. These include soy, rice, almond, and oat. Many of them are fortified with vitamin B12.

Tempeh

Tempeh, sometimes spelled as tempe, is a traditional Indonesian food made from fermented soybeans. It is a popular meat replacement for vegetarians and is a nutritious addition to your regular diet. This is among the best alternatives to meat when preparing an evening meal. It has a nutty flavor and is high in prebiotics, protein, and a broad range of minerals and vitamins, which include vitamin B12. It is also highly versatile as you can add your choice of seasoning to get your desired taste.

Nori

Nori is an edible seaweed that is oftentimes used as a wrapping for sushi rolls. In some instances, they are used to wrap rice balls that children in Japan eat for lunch or snacks. It is a good source of vitamin B12 for those who are on a Veganuary diet and for all vegans on the planet.

So if you want to go vegan this January or for the rest of the year, remember to include any of these five foods in your diet. Doing so would ensure you get the right amount of vitamin B12 that your body needs.