Vegan Vitamins

Experts agree that the best way to get your recommended daily allowance of vitamins and minerals is through a balanced and diverse diet. Average people can agree that such a lofty goal might not be so easy.

Between busy schedules, grab-and-go meals, and picky eaters, it’s a good idea to fill the gaps with a daily supplement or two. Vegans especially need to keep tabs on certain things that are harder to come across naturally on a plant-based diet, but everyone can benefit from a bit of nutritional assistance.

In the vast array of tablets, gummies, sprays, and liquids, what are the best bets for optimal health? More importantly, what would make one of these options unsuitable for cruelty-free consumers? Let’s take a closer look at the fine print!

Non-Vegan Vitamin Ingredients to Avoid

While the active ingredients in most vitamins and supplements are synthesized in labs or purely plant-based, the trouble comes with the medium in which it’s packaged.

• Gelatin: Convention soft gels or capsules have traditionally been made from the clear casing, made from highly processed animal bones and hooves.
• Collagen: Related to gelatin, this is a protein that comes from the connective tissue, skin, tendon, bone, and cartilage from various animals.
• Fish or Cod Liver Oil: This one should be obvious, but you should keep an eye out for our aquatic friends, particularly when selecting an Omega 3 or DHA supplement.
• Lactose: Often used as a filler ingredient, this milk sugar is refined from dairy. Anyone with a dairy allergy or intolerance needs to be very careful to steer clear, too.
• Honey: A spoonful or sugar helps the medicine go down, but unfortunately, that sweetness sometimes takes the form of honey, particularly in liquid formulas for kids. Though it can take the bitter edge off various vitamins, it’s not at all sweet for the bees and their colonies.
• Vitamin D3: This specific form of vegan Vitamin D can sometimes be sourced from sheep’s wool. Unless it’s specified as coming from a plant source, assume the worst and leave it on the shelf.
• Glucosamine and Chondroitin: This duo often work together in various formulations for enhancing joint health. Sadly, the shellfish and sharks that they come from would have preferred to be together under the sea.

There are many other questionable components, such as Carotene, Vitamin B-12, Vitamin A, fatty acids, and more that can sometimes come from an animal source. Remove any doubt or worry from your RDA by simply seeking out companies that are transparent about their ingredients and clearly state their commitment to vegan values.

Key Vitamins That Are Important for Vegans

There are several essential vitamins and nutrients that are essential for all humans to get, but some are particularly necessary for vegan and vegetarian eaters to pay attention to. These include:

• Vitamin B12
• Vitamin D (vegan Vitamin D3)
• Calcium
• Iron
• Zinc
• Iodine
• Omega-3s / DHA
• Folate / Folic Acid (especially if pregnant)

Vegans especially need to be mindful of their Omega-3s, Vitamins B12 and D, Calcium, Iodine, Iron, and Zinc, since these can be harder to get on a plant-based diet. Consult a doctor to get your levels checked before making radical changes to your daily regime.

Vegan Vitamin Brands

There are a plethora of plant-based vitamin brands to accommodate everyone’s needs. Many carry multivitamins and single vitamin options, as well as vitamins that are specific to gender, age, diet, and more so you can customize your choice to your individual needs. Explore the brands below to discover the best vitamins for you!

Future Kind

Ritual

Hippo7

NATURELO

Deva

MyKind Organics

Complement

Nu Pursuit

Performance Lab Multivitamins

MaryRuth’s

VeganVitality

Supplements Studio

Flamingo Supplements Multivitamin Adult Gummy Vitamins

Doctor’s Best Multi-Vitamin

Wholier Whole Foods Multi for Plant-Based People

PlantVital

EZ Melts Multivitamin with Iron

Vedge Essential

Good Earth Vegan Multivitamin

BetterYou

Explore these brands to find the best vegan multivitamins to suit your diet, age, gender, and lifestyle.

Vegan Gummy Vitamins

Gummies are traditionally made using gelatin, which is not vegetarian or vegan as its made from animal skin and bones. But fret not, dear parents and adults who can’t swallow pills! Vegan gummy vitamins not only exist, but there is a growing array of options to choose from. Here are the most popular vegan gummy vitamin brands we know of: NATURELO (for adults and for kids), Garden of Life MyKind (they have gummy vitamins for kids, adults, and prenatal gummy vitamins), Ritual Kids Multivitamin Gummies, Hello Bello, Llama Naturals, Mary Ruth’s, and Yumi.

Vegan Prenatal Vitamins

A mom-to-be has different needs when her body becomes the support system for a new life. There are different vegan prenatal vitamin formulas designed to nourish before, during, and after vegan pregnancy to welcome your new baby in with the best health. Here are some popular choices: Naturelo Prenatal Multivitamin Capsules with Folate (these are the vegan prenatals I took throughout my pregnancy), Garden of Life My Kind Organic Vegan Prenatal Daily Multivitamin Tablets, Deva Vegan Prenatal One Daily, Rae Prenatal Dietary Supplement Capsules with Vegan DHA and Folate, Nordic Naturals Vegan Prenatal DHA Softgels, and MegaFood Baby & Me 2 Prenatal DHA & Choline Capsules.

Plant-Based Probiotics

Digestive health and harmony is critical for overall wellbeing, which is why it’s always smart to add probiotics into your diet. Natural sources include fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt, kombucha, and more. For an extra assist, check out these quick fixes:

• NATURELO Multibiotic
• MaryRuth’s Gut Flora Health+ Enzymes
• Deva Vegan Probiotic with FOS Prebiotics
• Zenwise Health Digestive Enzymes Plus Prebiotics & Probiotics
• Yuve Vegan Probiotic Gummies
• Rae Pre + Probiotic
• Garden of Life Dr. Formulated Probiotics Platinum Series Restore
• Wholesome Wellness Digestive Enzymes
• NOW Supplements Probiotic-10
• Ora Organic Probiotics with Prebiotics

Consult Your Doctor or a Registered Dietitian

No matter your life stage or health status, it’s a good idea to visit your doctor at least one a year for regular checkups. Review your blood levels with them to make sure you’re getting everything that you need, through food or supplements, to live a fuller life.

We are not doctors, and Google is not a doctor. And doctors are not nutritionists or Registered Dietitians and often receive very limited nutrition training. We have a list of plant-based and vegan Registered Dietitians available for consultation if you need customized help!

The information presented here is not to be construed as medical advice or used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any condition or disease.