Supplements

A varied and balanced diet, especially one rich in whole grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables and moderate amounts of eggs and dairy, will provide all the nutrients that most people need. Fruits and vegetables that provide vitamins also provide important things like fibre and antioxidants which can’t be obtained from supplements. Supplements should not be thought of as a shortcut in place of healthy eating. If you do choose to use supplements be careful not to exceed your daily requirements, especially for Iron and vitamin A as this can negatively affect your health.

However supplements can be useful where an additional intake of specific nutrients is advised. Women with a heavy menstrual cycle can benefit from iron supplements and women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant are advised to take 400 micrograms of Folic Acid daily. Older people and those who are not readily able to expose their skin to sunlight could consider taking 10 micrograms of vitamin D supplement. Vegans can increase their vitamin B12 intake with 10 micrograms per day of a proprietary supplement. 

Many supplements available in the shops are not vegetarian. The Vegetarian Society approves a wide and growing range of food supplements, vitamins and minerals suitable for men, women and children. You can search our Vegetarian Society Approved website to find what you're looking for.

IMPORTANT: When taking supplements and planning your diet,  be careful about dosages. It's easy to make mistakes between grams (g), milligrams (mg) and micrograms (ug). Note, and make sure you don't exceed, the maximum recommend dose.