6 Supplements Essential For Plant-based Diets

On a plant-based diet? We reveal the nutrients you might be missing

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    The bottom line: Plant-based diets are more likely to result in suboptimal intakes of Zinc, Vitamin D, B12, iodine, iron and omega 3. Supplementation with these nutrients may help vegans and vegetarians attain healthy intakes of these essential vitamins and minerals, while making the most of the health benefits conferred by a predominantly plant-based diet.

    Plant-based and vegetarian diets have grown popularity over the last decade with Vegan Australia estimating 400,000-500,00 thousand Australians following a plant-based lifestyle. Plant-based eating patterns have shown to be associated with several beneficial health outcomes.

    Vegetarianism is characterised by a diversity and heterogeneity of dietary practices , with the exclusion of certain food groups such as meat, poultry, and similar products, and a focus mainly on fruits, vegetables, grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, and honey. The diet may include seafood, or eggs, dairy products, or both.

    In contrast, the vegan diet is characterised by a complete abstinence of consumption of meat and food of animal origin, such as dairy, eggs, and honey, with a diet consisting solely of plant foods like grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, and vegetable fats and oils.

    There are a number of health benefits conferred by a plant-based diet including a reduction in risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, however there are also some risks associated with this lifestyle including nutritional deficiencies in certain vitamins, minerals and proteins that are usually sourced from animal products.

    Whilst a vegan diet is abundant in phytochemicals and antioxidant vitamins, there can be significant deficiencies in certain vitamins like Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D, and minerals such as iodine, calcium, and zinc. Iron and zinc deficiency are both is far more common in vegans and non-meat eaters. Like iron, absorption of zinc is not as effective from plant sources as it is from animal sources.

    Plant-based sources of iron can be consumed from legumes, beans, whole grains, fortified cereals, dark-green leafy vegetables, fruits, seeds, and nuts. However, serum levels of iron and ferritin (the form of iron stored in the body) have been shown to be lower in vegans than in non-vegans. The absorption of iron derived from haem is significantly higher compared to non-haem iron intake from plant foods. Complementing a plant-sourced iron intake with vitamin C, can help overcome its poor absorption characteristics. This is why it is important to take vitamin C, in conjunction with dietary iron supplements.

    References:

    1. Dynan N. 2018. Helping to meet the nutritional needs of patients, News GP; Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), source: https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/helping-to-meet-the-nutritional-needs-of-patients

    2. Sakkas H. 2020. Medicina: Nutritional Status and the Influence of the Vegan diet on the Gut Microbiota and Human Health, source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7073751/

     

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    What It Actually Does

    Ashwagandha is classified as an adaptogen - a substance that helps the body adapt to physical and psychological stress. But that description undersells the specificity of the evidence.

    In peer-reviewed clinical trials, ashwagandha root extract has been shown to:

    01

    Reduce serum cortisol levels significantly in adults under chronic stress

    02

    Support testosterone levels and muscle recovery in resistance-trained adults

    03

    Improve subjective measures of stress, anxiety, and wellbeing

    04

    Improve subjective measures of stress, anxiety, and wellbeing

    05

    Improve sleep quality and reduce time to sleep onset

    Why The Form Matters

    Here is where most supplement labels become misleading.
    The clinical trials that produced the evidence above didn't use generic ashwagandha root powder. They used standardised, patented extracts - specifically KSM-66® and Sensoril®, both of which are produced from roots using proprietary extraction methods that concentrate the active withanolides to a consistent, clinically meaningful level.
    Generic ashwagandha powder can contain anywhere from 1% to 8% withanolides. KSM-66® is standardised to a minimum of 5% withanolides with a full-spectrum root extract, which means it retains the natural balance of the plant's compounds rather than isolating one component.
    When you buy a supplement that says "ashwagandha" without specifying the extract form, you have no way of knowing whether it contains enough active compounds to do anything at all.
    At Arise, we use KSM-66® in every formula that contains ashwagandha. It's more expensive. It's worth it.

    Third-party Testing

    Supplements are not regulated the same way pharmaceuticals are. In most markets, a supplement company can put almost anything in a capsule and make almost any claim about it, as long as they don't claim to treat a specific disease.
    This is why third-party testing matters. It means an independent laboratory - one with no financial relationship to the supplement company - has tested the product to verify that:

    1. The ingredients listed are actually present
    2. They're present at the stated concentrations
    3. The product doesn't contain contaminants, heavy metals, or undisclosed substances

    Look for: NSF Certified for Sport, Informed Sport, or USP Verified certification on any supplement you take. These are the most rigorous third-party standards available.
    Every Arise formula is third-party tested before it reaches you. The results are available on request.

    The Honest Bottom Line

    Ashwagandha works. The evidence is genuinely strong. But the quality of the extract determines the quality of the outcome — and most of what's available on the market doesn't use the forms that the clinical research actually studied.
    Read the label. Ask for the extract form. Expect a specific answer.