The benefits of most vitamins and minerals are well-known by consumers. People have studied Vitamin C, D, and B enough to know that they provide everything from antioxidants to increased energy. These days, people are looking beyond the benefits of the vitamins themselves and searching deeper into how they are made and manufactured. When people look at the private label vitamins and supplements that they take, two of the most common things that they are looking for in production are vegan or non-GMO.
Important Vegan Vitamins
People who eat a vegan diet are strict about avoiding all animal products, including meat, eggs, and dairy. They also avoid using products that are tested on animals, products that are made from animals (such as fur), and items that include anything that comes from any part of an animal. Gelatin is one substance that vegans need to be careful to avoid as it is made from the skin, bones, or cartilage of animals.
Due to their multiple dietary restrictions, vegans often need to take different types of vitamins to get the important nutrients that they need. Some of the most important vitamins and minerals that vegans need to supplement in their diet include:
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin D
- Iron
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- Calcium
- Zinc
These are all very common and easy to find, but vegans need to be very careful to read the ingredient list on private label vitamins and supplements to be sure that they do not include animal products. Many different vitamins contain gelatin, from popular multivitamins to simple supplements such as vitamin E. Look for products listed as Vegan to ensure zero animal products.
The Need For Non GMO
Many people do their best to avoid Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). A GMOs is any organism that has been altered from its natural state. Typically, the organism’s DNA has been modified or merged with another organism. Science changes the genetic code to produce an item that performs differently than the original organism. Though the FDA and other organizations deem that GMO’s are “safe” to consume, other believe that there is not yet enough evidence to support this.
Those who choose non GMO items are reading labels furiously, even on their private label vitamins, looking for the words non GMO. Vitakem offers several of the most common private label vitamins and supplements in non GMO form, such as Krill Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Calcium, and Vitamin D just to name a few.