Do Vegans Need Daily Medication?

Question

Hey everyone,

I've decided to become a vegan and I was wondering, do we need certain daily medication? You know, for like iron, and things.. Could ya help me please?

Thanks :)

Answer 1

I personally am not a vegan. However, I do know my food groups. If you are serious about your nutrients you need to learn what non-meats foods have which nutrients. This can as simple are reading food labels or research. But many people choose this lifestyle and if done correctly can be good. Make sure to eat plenty varieties of fresh/frozen fruits, vegetable, beans, dairy, and breads.

http://www.fatfreevegan.com/quick/index....

http://www.mypyramid.gov/

Answer 2

The only thing that hard to get enough of when you're vegan is good protein sources (mostly beans and bean based products, same as vegetarian). You may want to take a creatine supplement though (helps your muscles recover and heal faster) since it only occurs naturally in fish.

Answer 3

If you just started to go vegan, then no. You can just start to eat as a vegan, and that means to make smart choices. There is alot of junkfood out there that is vegan, but that will only please your tastebuds and not nourish and fuel the body. Remember as a vegan, you should be eating alot of vegetables. Grains and legumes are also vegetables.

Please do not eat alot of processed vegan foods! Anything that is in a store and ready to eat out of a package is only pleasing your tastebuds again, and not nourishing your body. Raw vegans know alot about nutrition for the body, so I would suggest you try to incorporate some of those teachings into your vegan data/brain, and try to eat whole foods for proper nourishment for the body. The teachings will make you more aware of what food means to your body.

The only time I would advise medication/supplementation, is if you have a preceding condition that may show up when you change your diet (as in low in iron already). Then you need to research that and find foods that are high in that nutrient that you may be deficient in.

And don't worry about protein requirements. There are studies now from the WHO organization that took starving people in Africa and feed them protein, and the amount for them to live on is lower than thought. Remember also that a cow gets all its protein from plants, and it is big enough for us to butcher it and eat its flesh (yeah, I am a vegan also).

Answer 4

It really just depends on what you eat. Watch and record what you eat for a little while, and then get vitamins and supplements for any nutrients you're lacking accordingly. One that I needed at first was a b-12 supplement. But it all depends all YOUR diet because there are still a whole variety of things vegans eat.

For example, one vegan can eat raw fruits and vegetables and really healthy things, while another could eat nothing but vegan ice cream and vegan chocolate.

Answer 5

no just eat meat its lovely

Answer 6

Vitamins and mineral are not "daily medication."  They are required parts of every human beings nutritional needs.  It's vastly preferable to get them from food, and vegans who know where their nutrients come from can do that.  Some people, vegan or otherwise, opt to take supplements as well.

Before you commit to veganism, you need to learn a thing or two about nutrition.  I highly recommend reading "Becoming Vegan" by Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina.  Both are registered dietitians and have written a thorough volume on vegan nutrition.

I plan my meals to cover my nutritional needs to the best of my ability.  I'm not perfect (at least not every day!) so I also take a vegan multivitamin.  I see it as a little good insurance.

Answer 7

~ I'm vegan and have now gone to raw vegan.  If you do research about what to eat, then no you should not need any supplements.  Fruits, vegetables and grains will provide what you need if you eat a wide variety of them.  If you eat only apples and pasta, then a daily multi vitamin would be the way to go.  However, that still would not be good in the long run.

Answer 8

I don't take medication.  I do take a multivitamin with iron just to be on the safe side.  Medicine and vitamins are two different things.

As for protein, as long as you eat a varied diet and you eat enough, you should be fine.

Answer 9

NO!!! my dad is a vegan and im not. my dad is like a million times healthier than me.. his blood pressure is way better too.... hahahhaha.. and iron comes from beans and apples, not just meat...

Answer 10

firstly congrats on a most noble life choice.  I am vegan and am as fit as a fiddle. but some people might require vitamins for a while to help them adjust. This would only be until they get used to it, because humans are born with the capibility to eat plants and pulses and grains and nuts. Just be sensible about it.