As a vegetarian, likelihood is that you can smell chicken at 10 paces. There’s no way anyone could wave a kebab in your face and tell you that it’s tofu, you just have a sixth sense for these things. But what about the hidden ingredients in so many unassuming products?
Your grandma has likely gone on and on at you about taking your vitamins, because of course as a vegetarian she will assume you can only eat cheese sandwiches and are about to collapse in a fainted heap. Of course, we know that’s far from the truth, vegetarians get plenty, if not more nutrients in their diet than most, but if you do occasionally feel the need to supplement with a vitamin then it definitely pays to read the label.
So what might be in a packaged vitamin that you ought to be aware of? Well first of all bear in mind that more and more producers of health food supplements are shying away from animal products so don’t be too alarmed thinking that you’ve eaten the equivalent of a petting zoo in the last year. But let’s take the worst case scenario, what could be in vitamins that you don’t want to take.
Really as a vegetarian, all you need to be aware of is vitamins that come in a capsule. These capsules are often made from gelatin, yes that’s right from the collagen found in the boiled down remnants of animal skin, ligaments and tendons.
Be aware also that many vitamins are packed full of fillers and often the ingredients can be difficult to pin down and may include animal by-products. As a vegetarian you are likely also conscious of consuming chemicals and potentially harmful substances. Look for vegan supplements and vitamins where you can, they are readily available.
