Plant-Based Nutrition Archives - Page 4 of 4

Posted on February 8, 2016July 20, 2017 by Kelly Gibson — Leave a comment

Do Vegans Need Vitamin B12?

By: Cheyenne W, vegan blog writer for Kelly Athletics. Revised by Kelly Gibson – Do Vegans Need Vitamin B12?

Have you heard the argument that vitamin B-12 is absent from a plant based diet and that vegans are deficient? Many of these arguments have spread propaganda such as “If you only eat a plant based diet, you will be deficient in B-12. Therefore you need meat and other animal products in order to survive.” But all this that has been said is completely false. It can be possible for anyone to be deficient of B-12 regardless of what they include in their diet. Often health problems such as gluten intolerance can lead to a B-12 deficiency. So, the question arises, do vegans get Vitamin B12 from their diet or should they supplement?

What exactly is Vitamin B12? B12 belongs to the B complex of vitamins. B vitamins are necessary for energy metabolism and other biological processes. The B12 vitamin is essential for the replications of DNA, the formation of red blood cells and maintenance of the central nervous system. Vitamin B12 in fact is derived from a bacteria in the soil that grow the plants we eat. So, do vegans need vitamin B12 or is it in our plant-based diet already?

Extensive use of pesticides and sanitation to the soil in which we grow our produce has diminished the soil of essential nutrients, which has lead to an absence of B-12 in plant sources. The amount of B-12 a person needs every day is very minimal and a person who eats animal products gets far more than they actually need. The recommended weekly allowance of B-12 is believed to be 2,000-2500 microgram. Like any other vitamin, too much B-12 has been found to be very harmful rather than helpful so moderation is important. There are many much healthier sources of B-12 that are free from unhealthy animal products and should be incorporated into a person’s diet.

One option is to take a B-12 supplement, best absorbed with methylcobalamin as pictured below. Cyanocobalamin can release cyanide into the bloodstream which can be harmful to our bodies. Be sure to get vitamins that are suitable for vegetarians and vegans because often the capsules are made from gelatin, which is derived from the connective tissue and bones of livestock.

Many vegan foods are fortified with B-12 such as foods made from wheat gluten and soy beans and other vegan meat substitutes. Make sure though that the meat substitutes are in fact vegan because often they contain eggs or milk, such as the morning star brand. Always check to see if they are vegan and fortified with B-12. The most famous of the foods that are fortified with B-12 is nutritional yeast. Brewer’s yeast and nutritional yeast are often fortified with B-12 and added to various foods as a source of this vitamin. Another great source of B-12 are fortified plant milks such as fortified soy milk.

Eating vegan foods fortified with B-12 at least three times a day have been found to give the full needed daily amount in place of supplements. B-12 supplements and foods that are fortified with B-12 are healthy sources that do not contain any of the unfortunate health consequences from animal derived foods. With careful planning and knowledge of nutrition, you will get every nutrient you need to live a healthy life from a plant based diet.

Looking to learn more about vegan vitamins or plant-based nutrition? Contact Me for More Info:

References:
eCornell Certification in Plant Based Nutrition, Course: Principles in Practice, Lecture: The Role of Supplements.

Posted on November 3, 2015July 20, 2017 by Kelly Gibson — Leave a comment

12 Ways to Eat More Veggies

Healthy ways to eat more veggies by sneaking them into your meals

Most of us dread eating vegetables. Their bitter flavor and crunchy texture can make it hard to swallow. So, how can we adjust to adding more of them into our diets? Well, we need to find sneaky ways to eat more veggies by adding them to the foods we already love! Here’s how:

1. Add leafy greens, chlorella or spirulina to your smoothies.

Green Smoothie… Yum!

2. Place a smaller portion of your plated dishes on a bed of greens.

3. Create meatless sandwiches with loads of veggies and use hummus or avocado spread for extra flavor.

Veggie Sub!

4. Or, forget the bread and make lettuce wraps instead!

Lettuce Wrap

5. Make fresh juices with leafy greens and root vegetables.

Carrot Juice

6. Perhaps a vegetable stir fry for dinner

stir-fried-vegetables-with-beans-vegan — *Stir Fried Vegetables with Black Beans*

7. Make homemade vegetable broths with your food processor (Cream of Broccoli, Carrots + Celery broth)

8. Split your entree in half and add a side of veggies to your restaurant orders

Side of Veggies please!

9. Try carrot sticks, jicama, or sweet potatos baked in oil-free vegetable broth; Season with cajun or himalayan salt.

Jicima Sticks!

10. Instead of pita chips, dip raw carrots, cucumbers, and grape tomatos into hummus.

11. Top your pizzas with with sun dried tomatos, olives, bell peppers, or pepperocinis.

mmm-pizza-vegan-veggie-tomato-olive — *Mmm Pizza!*

12. Use marinades and steak sauces to enhance the flavor of your vegetables

Point Blank: Don’t Sacrifice your Taste Buds – Try these 12 Amazing Ways to Eat More Veggies!

Written by Kelly Gibson on Nov 15th, 2014

Contact Me for More Nutrition Tips or Info on my Online Nutrition Coaching programs:

Posted on July 28, 2014July 24, 2017 by Kelly Gibson — Leave a comment

What Supplements Should I Take to Lose Weight?

I am a Certified Nutrition Coach in Tempe Arizona and I get this question all the time. In fact, I’ve had clients come to me saying that they specifically sought me out because every other Personal Trainer recommends supplements that they do not care to take, and tries to push product and meat-based diets on them. Luckily, as a Personal Trainer who runs my own business, I have chosen to NOT sell supplements for my own benefit. Instead, I promote good healthy products found at the grocery store that don’t make me a dime; the results sell themselves! Ask what supplements should I take to lose weight?

Simply put, supplements are not the (only) answer to your weight problems; 99% of the time, they are gimmicks and not necessary. And a lot of the time, nutrient-based supplements are taken without need. For example, drinking a protein shake when 35% of your calories already contain protein from food. If there is not a defined problem that yields a need for supplements, you probably should not be taking supplements. For example, if you have a known or suspected deficiency that cannot be treated with food, a supplement would be beneficial. If you are taking Garcinia Cambogia supplements because Dr Oz recommends it this week, you might be using supplements as a “diet pill”.

what-supplements-should-i-take-to-lose-weight — *What supplements should I take to lose weight? Book an appointment to find out!*

There are certainly times where adding supplements and foods to your diet can actually help trigger weight loss, but not usually. If you want to achieve long-term health where you don’t have to try a new supplement every month, it’s time you start working on your nutrition. Specifically, I recommend a whole foods plant-based diet, because you get all the nutrients you need from natural plant-based foods – not from pills. Of course, if you don’t have access to certain nutrients such as sufficient sunlight, you might need to supplement with a Vitamin D tablet daily. Check www.cronometer.com to log your food for a few days to see what nutrients you might be missing from your diet. If you can’t get enough omega 3 fatty acids, for example, you might want to try adding a whole food source of omega 3s (like chia seeds) or consider a daily omega 3 supplement.

For more information on how you could benefit from supplementing or choosing a whole foods plant based diet, get ahold of your Tempe Personal Trainer (Kelly Athletics) who can help you plan a proper diet. I offer online skype and in-studio Nutrition Coaching. Stop falling for the marketing schemes and get healthy with me!

If you’re still wondering “What Supplements Should I Take to Lose Weight?”, try Nutrition Coaching with Kelly Athletics to find out!

Written by Kelly Gibson on Aug 25, 2014