What Vitamins Do I Need for a Keto, Vegan or Vegetarian Diet?

Whether it’s for your health, your lifestyle, or to protect our planet, more and more of us are turning to diets that focus on certain types of food and exclude others entirely. Whether it’s vegans and vegetarians that focus on clean, green meals that don’t harm our furry, fluffy, feathered and fishy friends, or people looking to cut out those heavy processed carbs on a ketogenic diet - there are more people thinking harder about food than ever before.

And that’s great. We’re all about health here at Sealions, and we’re definitely keen on protecting the planet with greener habits. But we’re also all about looking after you. Making sure you get the right nutrition, the right supplements, the right vitamins. 

So we’ve put together a handy guide to let you know which supplements, minerals and vitamins you need if you’re on a keto diet, on a vegan diet, or on a vegetarian diet.

What vitamins do I need for a keto diet?

When you look at the food you’re putting in your body, a keto diet doesn’t look like it’s missing many essential vitamins and minerals. After all, it’s not like a big plate of chips is packed with vitamins, or a loaf of bread is brimming with minerals.

No, when it comes to a keto diet, it’s actually more about what your body is putting out - not what you’re taking in.

Keto diets and other low carb diets lower the amount of insulin you produce. This has a knock-on effect that means you’ll lose more electrolytes when you use the bathroom.

Ever had the “keto flu?” That’s what causes it. So you’ll need to focus on a few core vitamin and mineral supplements.

Potassium: Potassium is an electrolyte that you’ll be losing a lot of, and unfortunately many potassium-rich fruits just aren’t keto. So taking a potassium supplement daily will help offset this. 

Magnesium: Magnesium is another electrolyte that’s not always easy to find in a keto diet, and that you’ll lose quickly. Make sure to supplement your diet with a few hundred milligrams of magnesium per day.

You’ll also want to keep an eye on your sodium intake. Less processed foods means less sodium in your diet. So don’t feel bad about grabbing the salt shaker when you’re loading up on leafy greens and lean protein.

Finally, if you’re spending all day inside (or in the gym), make sure you grab a vitamin D supplement. This is especially important during winter when we don’t see enough sunshine to absorb that sunlight which delivers that crucial vitamin D.

What vitamins do I need for a vegetarian diet?

A vegetarian diet is usually a very balanced diet - assuming you’re getting enough fresh fruit and veg and not tucking into nothing but meat-free processed foods and meat substitutes. 

The biggest challenge for most vegetarians isn’t the old myth about getting enough protein. Every vegetarian knows that nuts, eggs, legumes and tofu are just packed with protein.

No, the biggest challenge is a handful of vitamins that it’s easier to get from meat than fruit and veg. But luckily, these are even easier to get from supplements.

You’ll need:

• Iron - to prevent anemia and keep your heart and blood healthy
• Vitamin B12 - to keep your nerves and other cells in good condition
• Vitamin D - to protect your bones

And of course a little extra calcium if you’ve also switched to non-dairy milks like soy, almond and oat.

In fact, for most vegetarians, a multivitamin a day should be enough to keep you healthy if you’re making the right choices at mealtimes, but if you’re worried, remember to supplement your intake of iron, vitamin B12 and vitamin D.

What vitamins do I need for a vegan diet?

Vegans have always been targeted by scare stories about their diets. Well, we’re not going to do that. You can be perfectly happy and healthy on a vegan diet. You can even be a world class athlete, like Venus and Serena Williams.

In fact if anyone tells you vegans are weak, ask them to take it up with Mike Tyson - a vegan for ten years.

But just because a vegan diet is perfectly healthy doesn’t mean you don’t need an extra bit of support on the vitamin front. 

Just like vegetarians, you can benefit from a little extra iron, a vitamin B12 supplement, and that all important vitamin D. 

You can’t have fish oil, but you’ll still need a long-chain omega 3 supplement. A little extra calcium is sure to help, especially as you need to eat quite a lot of kale and broccoli to get your 1,000mg per day recommended allowance. 

Zinc should also form part of your supplement regime, as vegans do tend to have slightly lower zinc levels in their bodies than omnivores, and a little extra iodine will help too.

Vegan and keto-friendly supplements from Sealions

With a few noticeable exceptions (looking at you, fish oil!) most of the supplements we sell are free from animal products, and don’t contain any carbs. That means they’re suitable for anyone looking to supplement their keto, vegetarian and vegan diets with a little extra vitamin goodness. 

So whatever way you choose to eat, choose to supplement your diet with Sealions. Year-round wellness for your whole family.