Nutritionist Pooja Malhotra discusses some important vegetarian sources for vitamin B12.
Fermented products are good sources of vitamin B12 for vegetarians
Consuming the right amounts of vitamins and minerals are important for healthy living. That's why most of us make a conscious choice of eating healthy food to remain fit. One such essential component is vitamin B12. But, the natural sources of vitamin B12 are mostly animal-based food items. So, the only challenge here is that you may find yourself in a difficult situation if you are a vegetarian. But worry not. Nutritionist Pooja Malhotra states the importance of vitamin B12 in her latest post.
In the caption, Pooja mentions, “Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin for the cells. Its deficiency causes pernicious anemia. Animal foods naturally contain B12; meats, eggs, dairy are very good sources." She further told that plant-based foods don't contain B12 naturally hence vegetarians (and particularly vegans) must make sure they get their Vit B12 from food sources and if required, take a supplement as well.
According to the nutritionist, the sources of vitamin B12 for vegetarians include dairy products, mushrooms, fermented foods like kefir, yoghourt, meso, kimchi, tempeh, pickles, sauerkraut, sprouts, idli, dosa and even nutritional yeast.
Take a look:
Prior to this, Pooja Malhotra highlighted the benefits of zinc and stated its sources as well. She suggested that zinc can be obtained from meat, legumes, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, shellfish, sesame seeds, pine nuts, cashews, eggs, cheese and potatoes. In the caption, she explained that zinc is an important trace element that is required by the immune system. It is helpful when it comes to healing wounds, supporting the thyroid gland, and maintaining the vision and supporting metabolism. She said, “It's required in trace amounts and the recommended daily allowance is 10 mg per day.”
Not just vitamin B12 or zinc, Pooja Malhotra threw some light on the importance of calcium as well. She stated, “Calcium is essential for the health of our bones & teeth, also performs several other important functions. The best-known food sources are dairy products.” However, if you are someone who is allergic to dairy products or doesn't have them, you can place your trust in some non-dairy products for their calcium intake. These products include soy milk, tofu, broccoli, beans, almonds, sesame seeds, chia seeds, dried figs, edamame, kale and mustard greens, added Pooja.
Hence, it's important to make healthy choices when it comes to your food.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. NDTV is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.
DoctorNDTV is the one stop site for all your health needs providing the most credible health information, health news and tips with expert advice on healthy living, diet plans, informative videos etc. You can get the most relevant and accurate info you need about health problems like diabetes, cancer, pregnancy, HIV and AIDS, weight loss and many other lifestyle diseases. We have a panel of over 350 experts who help us develop content by giving their valuable inputs and bringing to us the latest in the world of healthcare.
