Vegan Essentials - new in the range

According to the German Vegetarian Association (ProVeg), around 1 million people in Germany currently eat a vegan diet - and the trend is rising. That's why we've now added our Vegan Essentials capsules to our range! You can find out all about our new product and how our Vegan Essentials can support you in your diet in this blog post.

Pro vegan nutrition

A vegan diet has many advantages. Not only for the sake of the environment and animals, but also the healthy aspects of a vegan diet predominate. A large number of studies have highlighted the positive effects of a vegan lifestyle. For example, it has a positive effect on diseases such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, high blood pressure and inflammatory diseases such as arthritis. The reasons for this are probably the higher intake of phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals and fibre and the simultaneously low intake of saturated fatty acids, cholesterol and purines.

Critical nutrients

Although meat and animal products have high concentrations of protein, iron, vitamin B12 and phosphorus, they are not necessary for human nutrition. However, some micronutrients are not consumed in sufficient quantities by vegans, making it easier to become deficient. In particular, vitamin D, which is not consumed in sufficient quantities in Germany anyway, as well as vitamin B12, iron and vitamin B2 are critical nutrients. For this reason, we have developed our Nutri-Plus Vegan Essentials to provide people with a vegan lifestyle with all the important vitamins and minerals.

Important nutrients contained in our Vegan Essentials

Vitamin B2

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) is a water-soluble vitamin that belongs to the group of B vitamins. Riboflavin is a coenzyme in numerous reactions in the human body. The vitamin is important for cell function, growth and development. The coenzymes made up of riboflavin are also essential for protein and energy metabolism. Vitamin B2 is also involved in the metabolism of other vitamins such as niacin, pyridoxine and folic acid. A severe riboflavin deficiency leads to anaemia (anaemia) and disturbances in pyridoxine and niacin metabolism. If too much vitamin B2 is ingested, the excess amount is excreted in the urine.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) also belongs to the group of B vitamins. As the vitamin is found almost exclusively in animal products (traces in sauerkraut and various tuber and root vegetables), vegans in particular are dependent on vitamin B12 supplements. Vitamin B12 is important for blood formation, cell division, the synthesis of hormones and neurotransmitters as well as for the function of the nervous system. A vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to the following symptoms Tiredness, paleness, neurological damage, depressive moods, anaemia and muscle weakness. Not only vegans/vegetarians are at risk of a deficiency, but also smokers, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, people with gastrointestinal diseases and people aged 50 and over.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D occupies a special position among the vitamins, as it can be produced by the body with sufficient sunlight exposure in the skin itself. Only very small amounts of this vitamin are absorbed through food. As the angle of incidence of the sun changes significantly from autumn to spring, vitamin D cannot be produced in sufficient quantities by the body itself during these months. Supplementation therefore makes particular sense during these months. According to data from the Robert Koch Institute, almost 60% of adults in Germany are not optimally supplied with vitamin D.

Vitamin D is closely linked to phosphate and calcium metabolism, it also leads to hardening of the bones, supports the immune system and is also involved in numerous metabolic processes in the body. A deficiency of this vitamin manifests itself in the form of rickets (bone deformities) in children, osteomalacia (bone softening) in adults, fatigue, high blood pressure and an increased risk of infection, among other things.

Calcium

Calcium is a vital mineral. Almost the entire calcium content of the body is found in the bones and teeth - calcium builds them up and keeps them stable. Calcium is also important for blood coagulation, the transmission of signals in the cells, the transmission of stimuli in the nervous system and the muscles. According to data from the National Nutrition Survey II, the calcium intake of adults in Germany is below the recommended intake. Children, adolescents and people aged 50 and over are also well below the recommendations. If too little calcium is taken in, the body breaks down calcium from the bones in order to maintain the calcium concentration in the blood. This results in frequent bone fractures and osteoporosis. A vitamin D deficiency can also cause a calcium deficiency.

Iron

The trace element iron is essential for the vital transport of oxygen as it is a component of the red blood pigment haemoglobin . It is also a component of myoglobin. Myoglobin is a muscle protein that is necessary to supply the muscle with oxygen. In Germany it is mainly women who are affected by iron deficiency. A lack of iron leads to anaemia, skin damage, mouth rhagades, hair loss, tiredness, headaches and dizziness.

Zinc

Zinc is a vital trace element that is involved in the function of numerous enzymes of cell metabolism . It is therefore important for growth, the skin, protein synthesis and the immune system, among other things. In accordance with its diverse function, a zinc deficiency manifests itself in an increased susceptibility to infections, hair loss, brittle nails, loss of appetite, mouth rhagades and inflammation of the skin. Phytic acid, which is frequently found in plant-based foods, forms insoluble compounds with zinc, meaning that zinc can no longer be absorbed by the body. Supplementation with our Zinc Tablets can therefore also be useful.

Nutri-Plus Vegan Essentials

You only need to take one capsule of our Vegan Essentials daily to boost your intake of the nutrients listed above. .

Sources:

https://www.dge.de/wissenschaft/weitere-publikationen/faqs/
Biesalski H.K. and Grimm P. (2007) Pocket atlas of nutrition. Thieme Verlag, 4th edition, Stuttgart.
Greger M. (2016) How Not To Die. Narayana publishing house