Living a vegan lifestyle. Making conscious choices about your nutrient intake.
A vegan diet emphasizes plant-based variety: vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and plant-based oils can form a valuable foundation for a balanced diet.
At the same time, completely eliminating animal-based foods from one’s diet affects the intake of certain micronutrients. Some nutrients are found primarily in animal-based foods, while others are less readily available from plant-based foods.
People who follow a vegan diet should therefore pay special attention to certain nutrients.
1. Vitamin B12 – Essential for a Vegan Diet
Vitamin B12 is found naturally in sufficient quantities almost exclusively in animal-based foods. Therefore, on a vegan diet, it is not possible to reliably meet one’s needs through unprocessed plant-based foods alone.
The DGE recommends that people who follow a vegan diet take vitamin B12 supplements on a long-term, regular, and consistent basis and have their vitamin B12 levels checked by a doctor.Vitamin B12 trägt unter anderem zu einer normalen Funktion des Nervensystems, zur normalen Bildung roter Blutkörperchen und zu einem normalen Energiestoffwechsel bei.
Burgerstein Vitamin B12 Boost was developed specifically for a vegan lifestyle and provides 500 µg of vitamin B12 per daily serving.
2. Iron and Zinc – Making Strategic Use of Plant-Based Sources
Legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds are sources of iron and zinc. However, certain compounds in plant-based foods—particularly phytates—can affect the absorption of these minerals.
Another key factor regarding iron is that plant-based non-heme iron has lower bioavailability—and one that is more dependent on the composition of the meal—than heme iron from animal-based foods.
Vitamin C can improve the absorption of non-heme iron.
Burgerstein Iron Vegan combines iron with vitamin B12 and is suitable as a targeted supplement for a diet low in iron. An additional iron intake should be tailored to individual needs, particularly in cases of increased demand or confirmed low iron levels.
Burgerstein offers ZinkVital for targeted zinc supplementation.
3. Iodine, selenium, and calcium—possible through a plant-based diet, but requires careful planning
Eliminating dairy products and fish from the diet also means losing some important sources of iodine and calcium. The DGE points out that special attention should be paid to iodine intake in a vegan diet. Iodized table salt and foods fortified with iodine can help ensure an adequate intake.
Selenium and calcium should also be taken into account in a vegan diet. Good plant-based sources of calcium include, for example, calcium-rich mineral waters, calcium-rich tofu, and calcium-fortified plant-based alternatives.
For targeted supplementation of specific minerals, Burgerstein offers products such as SelenVital or Probase.
4. Vitamins D and B2—keep an eye on these as well
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient regardless of one's diet. The body's own production through exposure to sunlight plays a key role, while only a few foods provide significant amounts.
Vitamin D helps maintain normal bones and teeth, as well as normal muscle and immune system function.
Burgerstein Vitamin D3 Spray makes it easy to supplement your vitamin D intake.
According to the DGE, vitamin B2 (riboflavin) is also one of the nutrients that should be given special attention in a vegan diet. Plant-based sources include nuts, seeds, legumes, whole-grain products, and certain types of vegetables.
5. Omega-3 Fatty Acids – Look for EPA and DHA
Plant-based foods such as flaxseed, canola, and walnut oils provide alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an essential omega-3 fatty acid.
In contrast, the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA are found primarily in fish and seafood. The body's ability to convert ALA into EPA and DHA is limited.
Therefore, vegans should also make sure they get enough long-chain omega-3 fatty acids.
6. The Foundation: Variety plus targeted supplements
A well-planned vegan diet can provide numerous essential nutrients. The key is to choose a varied selection of foods, including sufficient protein-rich foods such as legumes and soy products, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, as well as appropriate fortified foods.
At the same time, the more certain food groups are excluded, the more carefully one must plan one's nutrient intake.
The DGE specifically identifies vitamin B12, iodine, iron, zinc, selenium, calcium, vitamin D, and riboflavin—as well as protein and long-chain omega-3 fatty acids—as nutrients that require special attention in a vegan diet.
Burgerstein – Micronutrients for a Conscious Vegan Lifestyle
Living a vegan lifestyle means making conscious choices about your diet. This also involves keeping an eye on the micronutrients that are harder to get in sufficient amounts from plant-based foods.
Burgerstein offers select micronutrients for targeted supplementation—suitable for a vegan lifestyle.
Quality is no accident.
Vitamin
Content: 100 Minitablets (€0.21* / 1 Minitablets)
Content: 60 capsules (€0.46* / 1 capsules)
Content: 60 tablets (€0.43* / 1 tablets)
Content: 40 tablets (€0.26* / 1 tablets)
Content: 20 ml / liquid (€0.82* / 1 ml / liquid)
Content: 60 capsules (€0.44* / 1 capsules)
The combination
Content: 60 capsules (€0.62* / 1 capsules)
Content: 60 capsules (€0.41* / 1 capsules)
Content: 60 capsules (€0.41* / 1 capsules)
Content: 100 tablets (€0.28* / 1 tablets)
Content: 30 Gummies (€0.51* / 1 Gummies)
Content: 60 Gummies (€0.45* / 1 Gummies)
Content: 15 ml / liquid (€85.47* / 100 ml / liquid)
Content: 180 tablets (€0.13* / 1 tablets)
Minerals/Trace Elements
Content: 150 Minitablets (€0.15* / 1 Minitablets)
Content: 240 tablets (€0.12* / 1 tablets)
Content: 150 Minitablets (€0.09* / 1 Minitablets)
Content: 90 tablets (€0.28* / 1 tablets)
Content: 30 bag (€0.70* / 1 bag)
Content: 200 gram (€121.15* / 1000 gram)
Content: 100 tablets (€0.18* / 1 tablets)
Content: 30 toffees (€0.51* / 1 toffees)
Content: 60 toffees (€0.43* / 1 toffees)
Content: 150 Minitablets (€0.11* / 1 Minitablets)
Content: 100 tablets (€0.19* / 1 tablets)
Amino acids
Content: 20 bag (€2.06* / 1 bag)
Content: 100 capsules (€0.26* / 1 capsules)
Content: 100 tablets (€0.58* / 1 tablets)
Content: 180 gram (€132.89* / 1000 gram)
Content: 90 tablets (€0.21* / 1 tablets)
Content: 400 gram (€106.05* / 1000 gram)
Content: 100 capsules (€0.26* / 1 capsules)
Coenzym Q10
Content: 40 Lozenges (€0.57* / 1 Lozenges)
Content: 100 Lozenges (€0.44* / 1 Lozenges)
Content: 30 capsules (€1.08* / 1 capsules)
Content: 60 capsules (€0.47* / 1 capsules)
Other Important Products
Content: 60 capsules (€0.38* / 1 capsules)
Content: 50 capsules (€0.44* / 1 capsules)
Content: 150 ml / liquid (€0.16* / 1 ml / liquid)
Content: 110 gram (€192.45* / 1000 gram)
Content: 300 gram (€166.33* / 1000 gram)
Content: 90 capsules (€0.32* / 1 capsules)