Vitamin B-12

Q: How do I get my vitamin B-12 if I am a vegan and consume no animal products? I am told this is not possible, and that we all need animal products from time to time. – Anonymous

A: There is lots of controversy here so let’s try to make it clear for everyone.

First of all ideally a healthy person does not have to eat animal foods to get their B12, but I am not opposed to someone consuming animal foods. We do get conditioned and might from time to time need some animal foods.

Some long lived cultures consume some animal foods from time to time and live long healthy lives. I am however adamant that the animal food be organic, hormone, steroid, antibiotic and drug free! And I also observe that most people eat way too much protein.

Eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables is more important than if someone is not ready to be vegan and does not know how to eat vegan and becomes unhealthy in the mean time.

I do advise that it can take one from 1.5 years to 7 years to be able to be a total vegan. The reason here is that it takes that long to regenerate good digestive assimilation and regain 90% of liver function. The colon and liver must be very healthy for most people to be totally vegan.

Most people’s challenge is that their colon is not clean enough to be able to produce B12. If one is healthy, B12 is produced in the colon! Another way to get B12 in our system is eating not over-washed fruits and vegetables that are organic. The natural bacteria on quality fruits and vegetables has B12 from the soil naturally. But many of us over-wash our fruits and vegetables. I also recommend buying the best possible organic produce.

Now to clear up foods that are supposed to give B12. Most fruits and veggies supply some provided they are just rinsed in cool water. The healthier the digestive system, the cleaner the colon, the better the absorption and the colon will produce its own B12! Food grade algaes such as spirulina and chlorella are not true forms of B12. A good natural source is to make one’s own healthy vegetable kraut! See recipe here.

So whether one is able to be vegan or not depends on colon and liver health and the quality of available produce.

By Wayne Gendel July 9, 2002