November 12-18, 2017 has been designated National Health Product week by the Canadian Health Food Association (CHFA).
https://wealworldtravel.com/2017/11/08/wellness-wednesday-nhp-week/
The CHFA cite four pillars for health and immunity (exercise, nutrition, mindfulness, sleep) and offer suggestions on natural products that may benefit one’s wellness. Nutritional supplements were amongst the recommendations. But did you know…your multivitamin may not be vegan/vegetarian? Certain brands may contain gelatin, bone meal, oyster shells, lanolin and stearic acid while some products are derived from fish.
Gel capsules and gummy vitamins can be made with gelatin. Calcium supplements may be made from ground oyster shells or bone meal. Vitamin D3 may have been made from lanolin (sheep’s wool). Stearic acid is an additive used to improve the consistency of a supplement and can be animal-derived. Omega-3 supplements may be derived from the fish in which this fatty acid is abundant.
As always, read the ingredient list of any supplements you take and look for a veg-friendly label/symbol on the packaging to determine if the product is vegetarian/vegan friendly. See the following links for a few guides on supplements for vegetarians/vegans.
https://www.vegetariantimes.com/health-and-nutrition/veg-supplement-guide
