Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Vitamin B12
Why do we need B12?
It's necessary to maintain healthy nerves, red blood cells, and to metabolize protein. Your body needs about 2.4 mcg of B12 a day, and since your body can store several years' worth of this vitamin, a deficiency is rare unless you're not getting it in your diet.
So how much vitamin B12 is found in the foods you eat?
| Food | Amount | Amount of B12 |
| Chicken breast | 1 piece | .6 mcg |
| Turkey (dark meat) | 3 ounces | .3 mcg |
| Shellfish | 3 ounces | 84 mcg (whoa!) |
| Shrimp | 3 ounces | 1 mcg |
| Trout | 3 ounces | 5.4 mcg |
| Haddock | 3 ounces | 1.2 mcg |
| Tuna | 3 ounces | 1 mcg |
| Pork | 3 ounces | .6 mcg |
| Beef | 3 ounces | 2.4 mcg |
| Plain yogurt | 1 cup | 1.4 mcg |
| Milk | 1 cup | .9 mcg |
| Cheddar cheese | 1 ounce | .2 mcg |
| Egg | 1 whole | .6 mcg |
| Red Star nutritional yeast | 1 tbsp | 4 mcg |
| Fortified cereal | 1/2 cup | 2.4 mcg |
| Fortified soy milk | 1 cup | 1.2 mcg |
| Tempeh | 1 cup | .1 mcg |
Fit's Tips: As you can see, most of the sources of vitamin B12 come from animals, so if you're vegan, it may be a good idea to pick up some B12 supplements.
Labels: vitamin B12
Nutritional Yeast
You either love it or hate it. Nutritional yeast has a very yellowish color, vegans who often miss the taste of cheese often add it to food. Which is smart since the meatless dairyless vegan diet can be low in B12 and nutritional yeast is a great source for that vitamin.
You can find it in most health food stores, sold in shaker containers, or in bulk. Some brands, like Red Star make special formulas to support the dietary needs of vegans and vegetarians.
It's an inactive food yeast grown on a molasses solution, and comes in powder or flake form. It's not to be confused with brewer's yeast, which is an active yeast used to make beer.
What do you do with it? Sprinkle some on popcorn, pasta, baked potatoes, salad, steamed veggies, or bread to add a little flavor. You can also add it to dishes like stir fries, soups, gravy, or pasta sauce. Vegans also make a sauce with it to make a mock macaroni and cheese.
Labels: nutritional yeast, vegan, vitamin B12
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
Raw 'Rice Pudding'
4-5 tbsp chia seed
2 cups almond milk
raw honey or agave syrup to taste
Combine the ingredients to your taste. Leave the chia to soak for at least 10 minutes before consuming. You can also add other flavors like vanilla, cinnamon or cardamom.
Labels: chia seeds, easy recipe
