#243

Not sure if the vegan thread is entirely appropriate for this, but here goes anyway.

I’ve got a chronic stomach condition, which was getting progressively worse until earlier this year, when I switched medication and took up a predominantly vegan diet. The change in diet and new meds resulted in me being symptom free within a very short space of time.

However, I’ve recently found myself being constantly fatigued, somewhat forgetful, and very ‘down’. After some blood tests it turns out that I am very deficient in Vitamin B12. The reason for this, evidently, is two-fold. First up, my new medication limits the body’s ability to absorb B12. Secondly, this is potentially worsened by a vegan diet that may be lower in B12 than a non-vegan diet.

Before considering other options, I’d like to try and significantly boost B12 consumption whilst maintaining a vegan diet. Any suggestions for things I might be missing? Or should I just have Marmite with everything?

#244

I take these every day -

And eat a lot of this (although don’t think it gives a significant boost - it IS tasty in cashew cheese sauces and stuff like that though).

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#245

apparently eating good fats like avocado etc can help the body absorb nutrient rich food

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#246

Thanks for this. I should have said that I picked up some B12 supplements yesterday. I’m going to order some of those yeast flakes now though.

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#247

Already eat a fair few avocados. However, I would be more than happy to double my intake. Cheers!

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#248

You can make a banging mac and cheese sauce with it by soaking a cupful of cashews then blending with a fried onion, few cloves of garlic, teaspoon of mustard powder, teaspoon of turmeric, salt, pepper and four or five tablespoons of nutritional yeast. Not the healthiest way to get your B12 but definitely one of the most enjoyable.

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It's saturday. here it is
#249

This sounds amazing. I’m drooling.

Who cares. It sounds delicious.

#250

It’s very hard to naturally get enough B12 on a vegan diet but a lot of plant milks (like Alpro soya/almond) are fortified to have B12 in.

I use this

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#251

Yep, I use those plant milks on my cereal (also, apparently, a decent source of B12).

I think that it’s the meds making the big difference. I’ll see how I get on with the supplements.

Thanks.

#252

I notice I’m low on B12 cause my hands go tingly and numb after holding up a book or my phone for just a few seconds!

#253

I’ve been getting cramps in my hands on a daily basis.

#254

FT have got a series up. Haven’t read any of it yet, but here ya go.

If you hit a paywall, just copy and paste the title into a Google search and click through from there. Usually works.

#255

Oh I get this, had no idea it could be related to B12.

Need to remember to start taking my tablets, especially as gonna switch to making my own milks.

#256

I always put yeast flakes on soup…they also have a bit of protein in so help keep you full

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#257

Oh @weeber those itsu seaweed thins have lots of B12 but i’ve also read that seaweed has no reliable b12 so :man_shrugging:

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#258

Is the cashew cheese sauce thing decent then? Ive been put off after previous experience of horrible vegan cheese.

#259

Yeah it’s really creamy and nothing like the weird chemical compound violife cheeses - prefer it as a sauce to a solid type cheese though.

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#260

We’ve made cashew cheese both as a sauce and as a baked camembert substitute - really nice, and I haven’t really had a nice vegan cheese experience.

#261

Been eating meat substitutes for a loong time. I only gave up meat at start of the year and have (conveniently) discovered some of the best meat alternatives this year. This is probably boring but I have to bore someone with this.

Vivera steak - beautiful, had it with a home made chimmichura(?) sauce. Not like steak really, more like a new kind of meat. I think it could fool someone.

Vivera Pulled pork - had it with loads of sauce, so can’t vouch for realism, but certainly worked better than pulled jackfruit.

Mccartney shredded duck - made duck pancakes. Really really good. Obvious lacks the different consistencies of duck, but tasty af with hoisin sauce and a splash of maple syrup

Sainsbury Cumberland shroomdogs - first realistic veg sausage I’ve ever had - hint of apple - even the skin breaks convincingly - incredible.

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#262

I made the cashew cheese sauce yesterday for Isa’s Philly cheesesteak casserole: absolutely delicious.

I’ll be making it again!

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