B12

[rawrobert]

I am so utterly confused. I am doing my best to listen to my body. In many ways, I enjoy reading books and articles on Raw eating - however, after awhile the conflicting views/styles/proof/evidence all differs.

Many rawfoodies say it is "nature's way" "everything Mother Nature gave us is to be eaten without altering" - but then explain B12. From what I gather - very very little is found in any plants including the few that many people list. Personally - i love eggs so I'll probably just keep eating them as the one "cooked" item on my diet. Isn't that what this is all about? I mean I dont want to have a fridge packed full of vitamin supplements because I am deficient - that is the LAST way I want to live. It reminds me of convalescent homes and those extra large day to day pill dispensers sold at Walgreens. Yikes!

Any input? Advice? I mean if a raw diet was perfect -why'd we need to supplement at all? So that leaves me thinking then that it isn't perfect. I would love to hear from you all.

Thank you - Merci...
Robert

[luckitri]

There is much B12 info on here if you use the banana. Most of the longtimers are sick of discussing it. . . I think because so many start out here constantly and it is always a big question and none of us really has the answer. Also under the information about raw section there are a couple of good articles about it. There used to be a detailed article about the topic by Dr. Gabriel Cousens but it seems to have gone missing or moved and I have not been able to find it. . . . as I often like to re-read and reassure myself about those things.

I find that my body gives me the best answers of all.

[Sharon in Colorado]

Just to let you know, ANYBODY can have a B12 deficiency, and it was originally discovered in meat eaters. If you weren't concerned about B12 before you were raw, it doesn't really need to be a concern now.

[dreamrawalwz]

B12 is found in and on bacteria. The bacteria on produce, as well as bacteria within your body have B12. Your body can make B12 daily and is in small amounts. A little bit of B12 from raw food is about 80-90% assimilated, while B12 from meats and other cooked foods are about 10-15% assimilated by the body.

[DavidZaneMason]

My experience:

-I am the healthiest guy I know...and I have been all-raw for well over 5 years. All fruit for number of years now. I stopped supplementing after only a year or two..because they made me ill. My opinion is that issues like B-12 or protein deficiencies are non-issues for those that are eating a wide variety of foods....and have been eating healthy for some time. Those that are just transitioning...or those with underlying health / digestive disorders might want to consider supplementation until they feel healthy enough to wean themselves off of processed items.

-Just my opinions. What do you think?

-David Z. Mason

[salsababy]

I understand your concerns. I have those conversations with myself too from time to time. Sometimes it really is hard when there is conflicting info. Of course I always relate to the fact that there is conflicting info with SAD as well. First this food is good, now it's not, now it is, now it's not again. Etc.

Concerning vitamins- our soil has lost a lot of it's basic nutrients over time which yields produce losing some of their vitamins. Also toxins in the air, spraying, etc. Even people who may not be "health nuts" like ourselves understand about the deficiencies in our soil. I don't take a bunch of pills when I am eating a mainly fruit and vegie diet. But some people prefer to take a multi-vitamin. Also, they may choose to do so, because (just like SAD) if you daily eating is not varied, you won't get those vitamins that day. For example, if all you want to eat is 1/2 a watermelon and a salad the whole day, you may want to take a daily supplement to even out those vitamins you didn't eat. A few years ago, I used to eat a SAD diet that consisted of chocolate, more chocolate, loads of carbs and uhh...more chocolate. Even SAD I was deficient.

If you are eating a varied diet, sometimes you just may need additional suport in the form of a supplement from time to time. Especially if you cannot eat as much as your body needs of that item. I take a B12 supplement now. I know it is contraversal. Mine is vegan. But I feel better safe than sorry. Research is still being conducted as to whether B12 is mandatory to stay healthy, but I want to have kids sometime soon, so I don't want to chance my health.

All this to say, I am not against vitamin supplements. But please don't feel you need to have a fridge full of them. If you want to have one, maybe have just one really good multi-vitamin.

[mima4nyc]

...I have discussed this topic with my proffesor at the university when learning about the vitamins and minerals in my Clinical Nutrition course. This is what she said and I agree ( since I read and learned about it ) - our body needs such a small amounts of vitamin B-12, that people who go vegan ( or raw ) at the time when they are already adults, are almost at no risk at all of becoming B-12 deficient, since the adequate amounts of B-12 have already been stored in our liver to last long enough.
Again - this is what my proffessor said....but just though you would like to hear :-)

[rawrobert]

Thank you so much for the input! I love this board.

[rawrobert]

Thank you for this. I am so new to this so I am certain to have many questions. I appreciate the input.

[luckitri]

Yeah I love this site too! My recall tells me that B12 has been found in the lower intestine where to the best of our knowledge - it does not get absorbed back into the body. B12 is a water soluble vitamin so even though it may be found in meat - does it not get destroyed in the cooking? I think that a varied diet will prevent problems.

[Ariannah]

http://www.thegardendiet.com

Storm Talifero has been 100% raw for over 30 years. He's going to be 58 years old in January. He has never supplemented and just take a look at him!

The fact that he is 100% for that long, fit and exercising, is inspiration to me.

My own opinion and belief is that a body, when allowed to be in its correct natural state, needs no "supplementation" in any way.