Vegan Diet: Getting All the Nutrients

Edaku — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 09:00:00 +0300

A fully plant-based diet can absolutely provide everything the body needs, but it does take a bit more deliberate planning than a diet that includes animal products. A handful of nutrients are either missing from plants entirely or harder to absorb from them, and knowing which ones matters more than counting every gram.

Vitamin B12 is the one non-negotiable

Vitamin B12 is really the only nutrient that’s practically impossible to get in reliable amounts from unfortified plant foods. It occurs naturally in animal products, and its presence in the plant world is scarce and inconsistent at best. That’s why the near-universal recommendation for vegans is to eat B12-fortified foods regularly — some plant milks, breakfast cereals, and nutritional yeast are fortified — or to take a supplement. B12 deficiency develops slowly, sometimes over years, but its effects on the nervous system and blood cell production are serious enough that this isn’t the nutrient to leave to chance.

Vitamin B12 on Edaku

Vegan Diet: Getting All the Nutrients

Vitamin B12 is the one non-negotiable