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Sis, if you’re not getting B-12, you’re in trouble. Vitamin B-12 is one of those vitamins that you cannot sleep on. It’s like skipping wash day or someone with a bad attitude, it’s a NO. You need B-12 like you need water, sunshine and good vibes. I’m going to tell you all about Vitamin B-12, what it does, why you need it and where to get it.
B-12 is the friend you never knew you had. It does so much to keep you energized, balanced and thriving.
B-12 is there for you when your heart isn’t doing so well. It supports heart health by keeping your blood healthy and moving in the right direction (1).
B-12 has got your back. It balances your nervous system and supports your brain health. When you don’t get enough B-12, your nerves can get damaged, the fibers can break down and you could damaged, girl (2).
B-12 is there to energize you, sis. It works with your metabolism to help your body make the energy it needs to thrive (3).
As you can see, B-12 is ESSENTIAL. But, it’s the one vitamin that vegans cannot get abundantly from food. Yes, the sad truth is most sources of B-12 are found in animal products (eww). Well, there are a few natural plant sources with the vitamin but really, you probably need to be supplementing.
For Vitamin B-12, natural sources can be found in (4):
Mushrooms
B-12 enriched foods like cereal, plant milk, and vegan meats
Nutritional Yeast
Sea vegetables like seaweed and algae
However, don’t put your life on these sources. They’re not always reliable and sometimes your body doesn’t even process them. You’re better off taking a good ol’ fashioned B-12 supplement. A B-Complex in liquid form is what I recommend. It has B-12, B-6, B-1, and really every B vitamin you could hope for. Many B-Complex supplements have biotin, which helps your beautiful hair, nails and skin thrive. It's a win-win-win.
Once you grab your B-12 supplement or nom on your B-12 enriched foods, here’s how much you need to take every day (5):
Grown People and Teens (14 years old and up): 2.4 mcg per day
The Youngin’s: (9-13 years old): 1.8 mcg per day
The Chirren (4-8 years old): 1.2 mcg per day
The Babies (1-3 years old): 0.9 mcg per day.
Good news! The average cup of enriched vegan plant milk gives you 0.6 mcg which is 25% of your daily needs as a grown person. But, the average tablespoon of a B-Complex liquid gives you 100 mcg which is 4,166% of your daily needs! This is why I use the liquid B-Complex everyday: it’s reliable, consistent and more than enough to meet my needs.
Alright sis, so now you know what you need, why you need it and where you can get it. But what happens if you don’t get it?
Well, B-12 deficiency looks like this: low energy, tingling, numbness, blurred vision, poor memory, anemia and nerve damage (6). We. Don’t. Want. That. Sis. This is why you need to get that B-12 together. If you experience any of these symptoms, please call your doctor and get a check-up.
There are so many vitamins you need to take to be a healthy plant-based sista BUT B-12 should be at the top of your priority list. I have so much more vitamin and mineral info to share so you can start a healthy vegan lifestyle with confidence.
Want some personal advice on how to stay healthy on a vegan diet? You know you can book me, right? Oh, you didn’t know? Sis. This is your chance to talk vitamins, health, wellness and veganism with a sista that understands. Book me for a plant-based coaching call anytime you want.
If you want the whole shibang with coaching, custom meal plans, resources, webinars and allll of that, I got you. We doin’ the thang in the She Can Vegan. Go check it out. This can be one of the BEST investments you’ve made in your vegan journey, trust and believe.
For questions or concerns, reach out anytime: afrofeministavegan@gmail.com
Good luck and be well, sis.