Vegan Cooking & Cookbooks discussion
Off Topic (not cookbooks) Chat
>
Vegan Vitamins, etc. (Need some help!)
Hi Kathryn, I just messaged Ginny and asked her to weigh in.
I've used DEVA and many other vegan, and sometimes (though I hate it) non-vegan supplements.
From all the press, I'd say it's hard to know whether supplements are more helpful or more harmful, except for B12 which all vegans should take and which I can vouch for personally re my B12 levels.
I hope Ginny or someone more knowledgeable than me posts, but I'd say why not try them. (And I could be wrong.)
I hope you find something helpful for your joint discomfort!!!
Thank you, Lisa! I know what you mean re: the pros/cons of taking supplements. (I do already take the B-12, though.) Fortunately, it's not that expensive to try any one bottle (Amazon has some great sale prices right now AND free shipping!) so I am tempted to give them a try for a month and see. Very sweet of you to message Ginny--I was hoping she would see my post and now I know she will ;-)
Kathryn, I'm thinking if this symptom is new for you, you might want to see a doctor. I've had arthritis most of my life/for decades, but I got it properly diagnosed before I tried to treat it. I found giving up dairy vastly improved my symptoms and overeating (fat? sugar? anything?) makes them worse. I've never gone the glucosamine route though I have taken Omega 3s/flax caps (suggested by my opthamologist for dry eyes) and I do take aspirin when I need it.Just a thought. I know there are a lot of articles about both types of supplements, for vegans, and for people in general, but I don't know the consensus.
Lisa wrote: "Kathryn, I'm thinking if this symptom is new for you, you might want to see a doctor. I've had arthritis most of my life/for decades, but I got it properly diagnosed before I tried to treat it. I f..."Thanks! I've done Omega-3 before but would def. talk to my doctor before trying the glucosamine.
Mod
I was recommended glucosamine as well for on going joint pain, but I have yet to find one that isnt made with "shell-fish" is there one without it containing it?
Sandi wrote: "I was recommended glucosamine as well for on going joint pain, but I have yet to find one that isnt made with "shell-fish" is there one without it containing it?"There are several, yes, Sandi:
http://www.google.com/search?q=glucos...
DEVA seems to be the main one, it seems. I've seen others in the health food store too.
Lisa wrote: "Sandi wrote: "I was recommended glucosamine as well for on going joint pain, but I have yet to find one that isnt made with "shell-fish" is there one without it containing it?"There are several, ..."
Thanks Lisa! I wrote these down & will check my health food stores..and they are gluten/wheat free!
Why dont the Doctors tell you this? She know's Im Celiac and allergic to shell fish! glad I did some reading labels before buying.
Sandi wrote: "Lisa wrote: "Sandi wrote: "I was recommended glucosamine as well for on going joint pain, but I have yet to find one that isnt made with "shell-fish" is there one without it containing it?"Ther..."
Just thought of something..if these are made from corn..wouldnt they be *ahem* "binding" always taking them?
I don't know much about glucosamine, but I agree with Lisa that it--and definitely the omega-3s--could be worth a try. I'd start out with maybe 400 milligrams of DHA/EPA combined per day, which is about equal to two servings of fish per week. I've used the Deva supplements, too, and have been happy with them.
Ginny wrote: "I don't know much about glucosamine, but I agree with Lisa that it--and definitely the omega-3s--could be worth a try. I'd start out with maybe 400 milligrams of DHA/EPA combined per day, which is ..."Thank you so much, Ginny! Appreciate the feedback :-)
Sandi wrote: "Thanks Lisa! I wrote these down & will check my health food stores..and they are gluten/wheat free!Why dont the Doctors tell you this? She know's Im Celiac and allergic to shell fish! glad I did some reading labels before buying. "
You can also get the Deva vitamins from Amazon.com--they have sale prices and some are applicable for the "Free Shipping if you spend $25" thing :-) They seem well reviewed--and no one mentioned the "binding" issue with the corn so I hope they will be helpful to you!
Thanks Kathryn..wonder if they have it at Amazon.ca?What section do you look for this in? I can eat corn products ( some Celiac's cant)but it still dosent always digest well..depending how much.
Sandi wrote: "Thanks Kathryn..wonder if they have it at Amazon.ca?What section do you look for this in? I can eat corn products ( some Celiac's cant)but it still dosent always digest well..depending how much."
Oh, darn! I forgot you'd need the Canadian distribution. It doesn't appear they have it on Amazon.ca. Hope you can find it elsewhere!
Kathryn wrote: "Sandi wrote: "Thanks Kathryn..wonder if they have it at Amazon.ca?What section do you look for this in? I can eat corn products ( some Celiac's cant)but it still dosent always digest well..dependi..."
**sigh** that figures :(
Deva's great. After discovering that they were guaranteed vegan I had to try them out and have had no trouble. I take the daily and DHA (an omega 3). I would definitely recommend taking DHA. Since taking it I have noticed less fuzzy-mindedness in the afternoon and seem to have more focus.Has anyone else taken it and noticed a difference?
Cassie wrote: "Deva's great. After discovering that they were guaranteed vegan I had to try them out and have had no trouble. I take the daily and DHA (an omega 3). I would definitely recommend taking DHA. Since ..."Oh, I am glad for that tip on the DHA. Thank you! Is this the kind you get?
http://www.amazon.com/Deva-Vegan-Omeg...
I've tried the vegan flaxseed oil ones for Omega-3 and I'm not sure I've noticed a remarkable difference but I know they're good for me so keep taking them ;-p
I've also been using their multi-vitamin for a few months now and that definitely helps. Very happy wit the product so far.
I just started taking the Deva supplement that has both DHA and EPA. I've found it at veganessentials.com but not amazon. Which is too bad, because it's pricey! http://store.veganessentials.com/vega...Kathryn, the flaxseed supplements wouldn't give you the same benefits as the DHA supplements. Your body has to convert the omega-3s in flaxseed oil to DHA and it's not very good at doing that.
Kathryn wrote: "Cassie wrote: "Deva's great. After discovering that they were guaranteed vegan I had to try them out and have had no trouble. I take the daily and DHA (an omega 3). I would definitely recommend tak..."Yep, that's the one!
Ginny - Do you notice a difference with the supplement that includes EPA?
Ginny wrote: "Kathryn, the flaxseed supplements wouldn't give you the same benefits as the DHA supplements. Your body has to convert the omega-3s in flaxseed oil to DHA and it's not very good at doing that. "Good to know! Thank you so much, Ginny ;-)
(By the way, I am so excited about your new book coming out. I read Lisa's review and know it's one that I want to add to my library. And, obviously, I need it!!! Just wanted to say congratulations and thank you for sharing your knowledge with all of us here. I know you are very respectful about never doing author self-promotion, and I hope it is okay with the co-mods that I am mentioning that you are an author, but I just think that members should know that you are such an expert and that it is so kind of you to offer up your wisdom her for us, too.)
Kathryn wrote: "Ginny wrote: "Kathryn, the flaxseed supplements wouldn't give you the same benefits as the DHA supplements. Your body has to convert the omega-3s in flaxseed oil to DHA and it's not very good at do..."I'm definitely happy to know about this Kathryn, thank you for mentioning it!
Ginny, I have visited your site before and it's great. I will have to look into your book as well.
Yes, Ginny's newest book, Vegan for Life: Everything You Need to Know to Be Healthy and Fit on a Plant-Based Diet, is a must read.And it inspired me: I just bought and started using Deva's DHA-EPA, and yes, I did buy it from http://www.veganessentials.com/. I think some of my local health food stores might carry it too, so I have to check that out.
Kathryn wrote: "Ginny wrote: "Kathryn, the flaxseed supplements wouldn't give you the same benefits as the DHA supplements. Your body has to convert the omega-3s in flaxseed oil to DHA and it's not very good at do..."I, for one, am always glad to know about members' (or anyone else's) books! I don't think of it so much as author promo as sharing information!
You all have me very curious about DHA.
I looked at a bottle of Deva DHA supplement at the store but decided not to buy it because it has sorbitol in it. Seems strange to add this since I believe this product is not chewable, so who cares how it tastes? I would like to find a vegan product without such ingredients. I do try to eat flax seeds, chia seeds( which I just tried ) and walnuts reguarly for the omega 3s. My intention is to eat them daily, but I don't always. What do you think about the benefits of the DHA versus the minus of the sorbitol?
Lisa wrote: "Yes, Ginny's newest book, Vegan for Life: Everything You Need to Know to Be Healthy and Fit on a Plant-Based Diet, is a must read.And it inspired me: I just bought and started usin..."
:-)
And, I hope the new supplement works great for you, Lisa. Keep me posted!
Kathryn, and Nettie, I'm not really expecting to noticed any difference in the way I feel; I think of it as a longer term health issue, kind of like B12. Nettie, I just looked at my bottle of Deva Vegan Omega-3 DHA-EPA and I don't see any sorbitol. Is it called something else on the bottle? There is also a vegan Opti 3 complete omega-e vegan EPA & DHA bottle that I have here also. I guess Opti, (actually that first o is an upside down u?) Don't see sorbitol in either. But there is a lot of stuff besides DHA-EPA.
Hi Lisa,It definitely was sorbitol, so yours is a different product. I didn't buy it so I can't look at the label, but it was vegan DHA from algae. As I recall it was DHA not DHA-EPA. I'll have to look for the one you have. I can order online if I can't find it in the store. Can you tell me the exact name on the label and any other details so I can find the same one? Thanks!
Nettie wrote: "Can you tell me the exact name on the label and any other details so I can find the same one? Thanks!"Nettie, This is what I bought:
http://store.veganessentials.com/vega...
and the ingredients are listed on the page.
Well, one thing I like about Deva DHA-EPA is that I can't taste it. Whenever I've taken flax caps or other omega-3s, they always seem to leave an unpleasant aftertaste.
Lisa wrote: "Well, one thing I like about Deva DHA-EPA is that I can't taste it. Whenever I've taken flax caps or other omega-3s, they always seem to leave an unpleasant aftertaste."Oh, yes! The flaxseed ones I have do that -- yuck! I will probably try the DHA-EPA ones when I finish this bottle.
Hello all, I'm new to the group. Been a vegan for about 2.5 years after being vegetarian for 16. Made it successfully through a vegan pregnancy, now a vegan nursing mom. i've been taking DHA since pregnancy, but I'm just about to run out and need to buy a new bottle. I've begun reading Vegan for Life: Everything You Need to Know to Be Healthy and Fit on a Plant-Based Diet, finding it very informative, and love that there's a chapter specifically on kids as I'm about to wade into the waters of raising a vegan child in a non-vegan society. Any thoughts on the best choice of the straight DHA v. DHA/EPA as it ultimately goes for me and the kid? I also still take a prenatal vitamin (DEVA's), as well. She's 8 months old, so we're just starting to expand the range of food. Thanks!
Hello, Rashida. Welcome to the group! I'll let Ginny or someone else more knowledgeable answer your specific question. We do have other vegan parents in this group. Ginny's book is a good one for answering nutrition questions, and there are other books, people on the web (including members here!), etc. who can help with practical experiences. I'll see if Ginny will drop in to address your question.
Lisa wrote: "Hello, Rashida. Welcome to the group! I'll let Ginny or someone else more knowledgeable answer your specific question. We do have other vegan parents in this group. Ginny's book is a good one for a..."Congratulations, Rashida! :-) And glad to have you in the group.
Hi Rashida,Here are some examples of DHA - EPA together (which is recommended in Jack and Ginny's book), available at Cosmo Vegan Shoppe.
Vegan Omega-3 DHA-EPA By Deva
http://www.cosmosveganshoppe.com/Merc...
Ovega-3 DHA + EPA
http://www.cosmosveganshoppe.com/Merc...
You also asked about plain DHA (no EPA):
Vegan Omega 3 DHA By Deva
http://www.cosmosveganshoppe.com/Merc...
Toddler DHA By Spectrum
http://www.cosmosveganshoppe.com/Merc...
I ordered the Vegan Omega-3 DHA-EPA By Deva.
Here is the info on it.
We are pleased to offer Deva's new Omega-3 supplement that is rich in both DHA and EPA derived from a completely vegetarian source (i.e. Schizochytrium sp microalgae). Algal Omega-3 oil has been commercially available for a while but it did not contain meaningful amounts of EPA. This new product contains both DHA and EPA from microalgae that is grown in a controlled environment, eliminating the risk of oceanic contamination. From start to finish, it is produced in an FDA-inspected facility, under current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) regulations with controls in place to ensure the highest quality product. Because the algae is grown outside of the ocean, there is no risk of ocean-borne contaminants such as PCBs and dioxins.
DEVA DHA & EPA oil is encapsulated in delayed release vegetarian capsules to make sure there is no aftertaste. This also helps prevent repeat issues (burping) associated with Omega-3 products.
DEVA Omega-3 DHA & EPA is 100% vegan, vegetarian and is certified by the Vegan Society.
Serving size: 1 capsule
Servings per bottle: 90
Microalgae Oil 500mg
Total DHA+EPA 200mg
DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid) 120 to 140mg
EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid) 60 to 80mg
Here's a link directly to the DEVA page.
http://www.devanutrition.com/
Ingredients: Microalgae Oil which typically provides: Total DHA + EPA (200 mg); DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid) (120-140 mg) and EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid) (60-80 mg)
Other Ingredients: Vegan Capsule (plant cellulose), Oleic Acid, Lemon Oil, Mixed Tocopherols, Silicon Dioxide, Sunflower Lecithin, Rosemary Extract, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Citric Acid (All of the ingredients are from plant / mineral sources)
http://www.devanutrition.com/vegan_dh...
Here's a prenatal DHA from amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.com/Spectrum-Essent...
I'm not as comfortable buying supplements from amazon as from vegan retailers, since with amazon, you have to check very carefully to make sure it's vegan, and they don't always list the full ingredients in the product info.
thanks for the responses and the welcome! I've got a little bit of time before I'm out so I'll do some searching for best price/shipping results. If I find a great deal, I'll pop back and let others know.
Rashida wrote: "If I find a great deal, I'll pop back and let others know."Thanks, Rashida. Yes, they're not inexpensive.
Oh, by the way, in case anyone was wondering ... I meant that Jack & Ginny's book recommends a supplement that provides DHA + EPA together, if you can find it. I hope no one thought I was saying that they recommend a particular brand of vitamin. As far as I can recall, they did not do so in the book. Of course I'm only about 3/4 of the way finished with the book ....
-Rachel
Jack & Ginny's book got me thinking about iodine supplements. I rarely use salt, and the kind I have in the cupboard is the natural sea salt kind that has very little iodine. Next time I buy salt, I am definitely getting iodized!But in the meantime, I went looking around for some iodine supplements. Found some kelp granules at veganessentials.
http://store.veganessentials.com/sea-...
And here are some popular ones listed at amazon. They don't list the ingredients, but I bet you could look for these at your local drugstore, and they probably have the ingredients listed on the label.
Nature's Way Kelp Capsules
http://www.amazon.com/Natures-Way-Kel...
Lugol's Iodine Solution
http://www.amazon.com/J-Crows-Lugols-...
Optimox Iodural
http://www.amazon.com/Optimox-Iodoral...
NOW Kelp Caps, 325 mcg
http://www.amazon.com/Kelp-325-mcg-na...
I will emphasize again, I have no idea if the supplements listed at amazon are vegan or not. I just wanted to post them here to give you an idea of what's available out there.
Here's an article on the topic by Dr. Andrew Weil.
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400874...
From Dr. Weill's article:
We can get iodine naturally by eating saltwater fish and seafood, kelp and other sea vegetables as well as vegetables grown in soils that contain iodine. Dairy products also provide iodine if the animals graze on plants growing in iodine-rich soils.
However, don't depend on processed foods for iodine - the salt they contain is not iodized, and probably because people are cooking less at home and substituting take-out food or processed foods, iodine intakes in the United States have declined from about 250 micrograms (mcg) per day to 157 mcg daily. We need 150 mcg or more (pregnant women need to make sure they're getting adequate iodine for the health of their babies). Daily intakes of up to 1,100 mcg daily for adults and children over four are considered safe.
Hi all,Sorry to take so long in chiming in! Some of the DHA in supplements should convert to EPA, but if you can find/afford it, it's probably better to use a combination of DHA/EPA. I'm using Deva brand right now which provides a total of 200 mg of DHA/EPA combined.
I recommend straightforward iodine supplements rather than kelp tablets since the amount of iodine in the kelp tablets can be very variable--sometimes not enough, and sometimes potentially way too much. I use iodized salt, so I don't use a supplement.
Hope that helps!
Ginny
Thanks, Ginny.My mother had an iodine deficiency goiter when she was a teen so when I grew up we always had iodized salt in the house, but I no longer use salt. It's hard to find enough iodine in multiple vitamin-mineral supplements so I should probably be more diligent about taking iodine supplements.
Hi Ginny ... thanks for your expert input! Where can I find a straight-forward iodine supplement? I've never looked for iodine supplements before, and so far most of the ones I'm finding seem to be kelp-based. Thank you!-RACHEL
Mod
Rachel wrote: "Where can I find a straight-forward iodine supplement? I've never looked for iodine supplements before, and so far most of the ones I'm finding seem to be kelp-based. "Rachel, Most do seem to be kelp based. I found a vegetarian capsule iodine as potassium iodide formula (not sure if vegan or all veggie though) at Rainbow; it's made by Solaray. I'll bet the online vegan stores might have formulas too???
Fuhrman's are made with kelp, I notice.
Some multis have iodine but many of the vegan formulas may be kelp based too.
Lee, I'll have to look for (hopefully vegan) liquid iodine. Does it have a taste?
Mod
Lee wrote: "Lisa, it has a taste and it's not yummy but I don't find it difficult to take. The brand I have is Trophic."Thanks, Lee. Well, I might consider it. I'll bet it's cheaper than tablets. I wish I could find a good multi that had just the right amount of almost everything, not too little and definitely not too much.
Three different brands of the DHA/EPA, at the lowest price point for each that I've been able to find.http://www.amazon.com/Ovega-3-Omega-3... (this is much cheaper than it's listed at GNC)
http://www.vegetarianvitamins.com/sto...
http://www.v-pure.com/omega3/
Thanks Rashida.It looks like all three of those are vegan. That deal for the OVEGA-3 at amazon is way discounted! Wow!
I bought the Vegan Omega-3 DHA-EPA By Deva, for $29.99 from Cosmo's Vegan Shoppe, but it's about $2.00 cheaper at at vegetarianvitamins.com (a web site I hadn't heard of, and an glad to know about now!), and it looks like the shipping (only $4.95 ?) is cheaper than at Cosmo's. COOL! Thank you!
Also: I know Ginny later said to avoid getting iodine from kelp, but just as an update ... the Nature's Way Kelp Capsules (that I mentioned before, from amazon.com) are NOT vegetarian or vegan, as they include animal-based gelatin.
http://www.amazon.com/Natures-Way-Kelp-C...
It sounds like the Trophic liquid iodine that Lee mentioned, is a good idea. Ginny, do you think it is better absorbed in the body, as a liquid?
I found some links to places that sell it the Trophic liquid iodine.
http://www.nationalnutrition.ca/detai...
Here's a link to the Trophic web site.
http://www.trophic.net/products/food_...
It sounds like the ingredients are just pure iodine and glycerine.
http://oldfashionfoodsla.com/catalog/...
What is glycerine? Ahh, I looked it up, it seems to be a product of soap-making.
Ginny, is the Trophic Iodine a good one for us to take?
I so rarely use salt, I don't think I can rely on it (even if I had iodized) for my iodine intake. That's why I think I need a supplement.
Vegan Cooking & Cookbooks
Books mentioned in this topic
Vegan for Life: Everything You Need to Know to Be Healthy and Fit on a Plant-Based Diet (other topics)Vegan for Life: Everything You Need to Know to Be Healthy and Fit on a Plant-Based Diet (other topics)
Vegan for Life: Everything You Need to Know to Be Healthy and Fit on a Plant-Based Diet (other topics)
Thoughts???
Thanks!