Question Buying Plant Milk with or without a vitamin/mineral blend?

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Vyb9

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Do you guys like to have a vitamin/mineral mix in your plant milk? I noticed some brands have them and some don't...
 
I definitely prefer them WITH the vitamins and minerals. I would struggle to get enough calcium in my diet without fortified plant milks and plant yogurts. It's also good to have some B12 and D in food in addition to what I get through supplements, just to be sure. The amounts of added vitamins B12 and D in fortified products are low, though, but every little helps.
 
I don't give it too much thought. I mostly buy Trader Joes soy milk, which is only soy beans and water, for yogurt and other cooking. I'll sometimes buy sweetened for dessert things, which is fortified.
I try to think of nutrition in whole foods not supplements. I supplement B12, D, and algae DHA. I look at calcium in dark greens, beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains...
 
I don't give it too much thought. I mostly buy Trader Joes soy milk, which is only soy beans and water, for yogurt and other cooking. I'll sometimes buy sweetened for dessert things, which is fortified.
I try to think of nutrition in whole foods not supplements. I supplement B12, D, and algae DHA. I look at calcium in dark greens, beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains...
What do take the algae DHA for if I may ask? I’ve seen adds for it on FB.
 
What do take the algae DHA for if I may ask? I’ve seen adds for it on FB.
I first heard about it's benefits through Should Vegans Take DHA to Preserve Brain Function? | NutritionFacts.org
I really did find I felt more alert, and had noticeably fewer ADD moments. I really never ate fish to begin with, and it's not as if there's a test for whether you convert the whole omego 3-6-9 ratio into dha. It can be pricey, but I only take one cap, per Dr Greger recommendations. The prices change so I just watch, although Vitacost brand is good, and often buy one get one half price. Now that I can get free shipping from them for 25 dollar orders I'll probably just stick with theirs. The shoprunner site is free with certain credit cards or paypal account.
 
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I first heard about it's benefits through Should Vegans Take DHA to Preserve Brain Function? | NutritionFacts.org
I really did find I felt more alert, and had noticeably fewer ADD moments. I really never ate fish to begin with, and it's not as if there's a test for whether you convert the whole omego 3-6-9 ratio into dha. It can be pricey, but I only take one cap, per Dr Greger recommendations. The prices change so I just watch, although Vitacost brand is good, and often buy one get one half price. Now that I can get free shipping from them for 25 dollar orders I'll probably just stick with theirs. The shoprunner site is free with certain credit cards or paypal account.
Thanks! I think I’ll check it out. My brain can use some help. :)
 
^^^ So can mine!

As I understand it, DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid, and many plant-derived oils are rich in omega-6. Supposedly, if your system is swamped with 6's, your body might have more difficulty processing and absorbing the 3s. I think there was some debate about how easily the body can convert ALA to DHA or EPA, but the WebMD article I quote a passage from, below, didn't seem to mention this, although I might have missed that. Maybe the concern about omega-3 vs omega-6 has gone the way of worrying about protein complementarity.

From the WebMD article on Omega-3 fatty acids:
When it comes to fat, there's one type you don't want to cut back on: omega-3 fatty acids. Two crucial ones -- EPA and DHA -- are primarily found in certain fish. ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), another omega-3 fatty acid, is found in plant sources such as nuts and seeds. Not only does your body need these fatty acids to function, but also they deliver some big health benefits.

I tried a vegan DHA gelcap supplement derived from algae, but didn't notice that much difference. Maybe I didn't use it long enough; I think the container had 20-30 gelcaps, to be taken once a day. Anyway, oversupplementation with omega-3s can cause problems too.