How Crucial is Vitamin B12 for Vegans, Vegetarians, and Seniors?
Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is a crucial nutrient that plays a vital role in maintaining nerve health, supporting red blood cell formation, and ensuring proper DNA synthesis. However, its absorption and availability can present unique challenges for specific groups, including vegans, vegetarians, and seniors.
Vegans and Vegetarians need alternative vitamin B12 supplementation
Vitamin B12 is predominantly found in animal products such as meat, dairy, and eggs. Consequently, vegans who avoid all animal-derived foods are at a higher risk of vitamin B12 deficiency. Vegetarians may struggle to get enough while consuming dairy and eggs if their diet is not well-planned. Since vitamin B12 is not naturally present in plant-based foods, vegans must rely on fortified foods or supplements to meet their needs. Vegans and vegetarians must ensure they consume enough vitamin B12 or consider supplementation if their intake is insufficient.
The impact of age on vitamin B12 absorption
As people age, the body’s ability to absorb vitamin B12 from food diminishes. This is partly due to decreased stomach acid production, which is necessary to absorb vitamin B12 from animal sources. Seniors might also experience atrophic gastritis, which further impairs B12 absorption. As a result, even those with a diet rich in vitamin B12 might still be at risk of deficiency.
Red Star® Nutritional Yeast: A Powerhouse Source of Vitamin B12
Red Star® Nutritional Yeast is also easily incorporated into a diet to make it healthier. Red Star® Nutritional Yeast can enhance a variety of recipes: dips, starters, main courses, snacks, and even desserts.
Why Is It Important To Consume Enough Fiber?
Consumers are looking for healthier food for their diet. They want to consume food full of key nutrients including fiber.
Red Star® nutritional yeast is a crucial solution to boost fiber content in your diet.
Fiber, an essential part of our diet, often goes unnoticed despite its significant health benefits. Fiber is crucial for maintaining overall health and well-being and is found in plant-based foods such as nutritional yeast, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.
One of the primary benefits of fiber is its ability to support digestive health. Dietary fiber adds bulk to the stool, helping prevent constipation and promoting regular bowel movements.
Fiber also plays a pivotal role in weight management. High-fiber foods are typically more filling than low-fiber foods, which can help control appetite and reduce overall calorie intake. This satiety effect is particularly beneficial for those looking to maintain or lose weight, as it can prevent overeating and help sustain energy levels throughout the day.
Red Star® nutritional yeast, the fiber supplier
Red Star® Nutritional Yeast is a good source of fiber. This excellent nutritional nugget offers 20% of dietary fiber per dose. In addition, Red Star® Nutritional Yeast is a complete ingredient packed with B vitamins, non-animal protein, and minerals.
Why are Americans increasingly interested in healthy eating?
The United States has recently witnessed a growing interest in healthy food. This trend, which spans diverse demographics and regions, is driven by health concerns, environmental awareness, and evolving cultural values.
One of the primary drivers of the healthy food trend is a heightened awareness of health and wellness. As chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease continue to affect a significant portion of the population, many Americans are seeking ways to improve their overall health. Scientific research and widespread dissemination of information about the benefits of a balanced diet have made people more conscious of what they consume. The link between diet and health outcomes is now more widely understood, prompting individuals to make healthier food choices to prevent illness and enhance longevity.
The increasing availability and popularity of natural foods have further fueled this trend. Farmers’ markets and local food co-ops have gained popularity, providing fresh, locally sourced produce that appeals to health-conscious individuals.
Environmental sustainability and ethical considerations also influence food choices. Many Americans are becoming more aware of the environmental impact of their food consumption, including the carbon footprint of meat production and the benefits of plant-based diets. Ethical concerns about animal welfare and the use of pesticides and GMOs in conventional farming practices are prompting consumers to seek out more sustainable and humane options. This shift towards ethical eating often aligns with healthier dietary choices, such as increased consumption of fruits, vegetables, and plant-based proteins.
Cultural values around food and health are also evolving. The traditional American diet, characterized by fast food and processed meals, is increasingly challenged by a culture that values fitness, self-care, and holistic well-being. Millennials and Generation Z are driving this change, with a preference for foods that support their active lifestyles and align with their values of sustainability and wellness. This cultural shift is reflected in the popularity of fitness trends, wellness retreats, and holistic health practices that emphasize the importance of nutrition.
The growing interest in healthy food among Americans is a multifaceted phenomenon driven by health and wellness awareness, media influence, availability of organic foods, environmental and ethical concerns, changing cultural values, government support, and the convenience of healthy options. As these factors continue to influence consumer behavior, the trend towards healthy eating is likely to persist, shaping the future of the American diet and contributing to the overall well-being of the population.
Red Star® Nutritional Yeast to support the trend
Red Star® Nutritional Yeast is entirely in line with the interest of US consumers regarding healthy food. This nutritional yeast is full of key nutrients:
- Non-animal protein
- Fibers
- B vitamins including B12
- Minerals
Moreover, nutritional yeast is produced through fermentation, one of the most sustainable production processes. Indeed, to make nutritional yeast, we use a by-product from the sugar industry: the molasse. The other added ingredients are entirely natural: air and water.
All these features make nutritional yeast an excellent healthy solution for daily nutrition.
Red Star® Nutritional yeast to supply non-animal protein
A protein is a complex, large molecule comprising one or more long chains of amino acids. Proteins are essential to the body’s tissues and organs’ structure, function, and regulation. They play a crucial role in various biological processes.
Proteins are found in a wide variety of foods, mainly from animal:
- Meat
- Poultry
- Fish
- Seafood
- Dairy products
- Eggs
Plant sources can also supply protein in limited quantities compared to animal. Nutritional yeast is an excellent source of protein. Due to their diet, vegans and vegetarians must be supplemented with alternative protein. A solution is nutritional yeast.
Red Star® nutritional yeast, an alternative to animal product
Nutritional yeast is an excellent alternative to animal products for obtaining protein. Indeed, the nutritional profile of Red Star® Nutritional Yeast comprises 50% of non-animal protein. In addition, nutritional yeast offers a good Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS). PDCAAS corresponds to evaluating amino-acid composition and the digestibility of a protein-based. It measures the presence of essential amino acids in the protein. Essential amino acids are those that the body cannot synthesize on its own and must obtain from the diet. It considers how well the body digests and absorbs the protein for digestibility.
The PDCAAS of Red Star® Nutritional Yeast is superior to one. That means the protein profile of nutritional yeast is excellent.
In addition to an excellent nutritional profile, Red Star® Nutritional Yeast can be considered as a golden nutritional nugget full of key nutrients such as:
- B vitamins
- Fibers
- No sugar
- No fat
- No salt
Discover more in our brochure.
Discover Red Star® Nutritional Yeast, the B Vitamins Booster
B vitamins are key nutrients for human health and are essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Red Star® nutritional yeast is packed with five B vitamins, including vitamin B12
B vitamins, also known as the B-complex vitamins, are a group of vitamins that play a crucial role in maintaining good health. They are essential for various metabolic processes, including energy production, DNA synthesis, and the formation of red blood cells. B vitamins help support the immune and nervous systems and promote overall well-being. A deficiency in B vitamins can lead to various health problems, including fatigue, anemia, and weakness. As many of these vitamins cannot be produced by the body, consuming foods rich in B vitamins is important.
A nutritional yeast rich in B vitamins
Red Star® Nutritional Yeast is the perfect solution to boost B vitamins. Indeed, thanks to a specific production process, the B vitamin content in Red Star® Nutritional Yeast is important.
Red Star® Nutritional Yeast is packed with 6 B vitamins:
- Vitamin B1
- Vitamin B2
- Vitamin B3
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin B9
- Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is a key vitamin for everyone, but even more for vegans, vegetarians, and seniors.
Indeed, vitamin B12 is unique among the B vitamins because it is only found in animal-derived products and is not present in plant-based foods. Natural food sources of vitamin B12 include:
- Meat and poultry
- Seafood
- Dairy products
- Eggs
As a result, vegans and vegetarians may struggle to get enough vitamin B12 in their diet.
Seniors are also sensitive to vitamin B12 deficiency mainly due to malabsorption and other factors:
- Constraints in chewing or swallowing
- Restricted motility
- Economic & social factors
- Lack of appetite
- Drug treatment
All make Red Star® Nutritional Yeast an excellent source of B vitamins, especially vitamin B12, for everyone.