Mega Foods Multi Vitamins

[Miranda]

Hi, all! I have recently made the decision to go vegan for health, ecological, and ethical reasons. Since I am getting started, I wanted to make sure I had a good multi vitamin/ mineral tablet. I choose the Mega Foods Once Daily and the bottle said Vegetarian Formula. However, I was reading about the different kinds of Vitamin D and I noticed that this formula has D3.

I emailed the company for clarification and this was the reply I received:

Thank you for your interest in MegaFood. The original D3 is source from sheep wool which would make it a non-vegan formula. This is the active form of D3 most easy to utilize. It has been processed through our grow process and integrated into Food cells which means that is no longer considered the
USP isolated form of nutrient.

I am now so revoted I can barely think straight. I just wanted to share so you can avoid the same problem.

[EricP]

Of all the "vegetarian" products out there... I believe vitamin D is the most overused ANIMAL INGREDIENT.

Thanks for the update... it really is sad how some companies 'ruin' good product for one ingredient (vitamin D3, honey, lactose, etc).

I wonder if these companies even realize that most people who are looking at the 'vegetarian' formulas are actually Vegan, and it would be to their benefit to just make the product 100% vegan.

Regards,

EricP

[sarahrose]

Welcome and congratulations! D3 is the most annoying additive because some people even add it to soymilk-so watch out! Even more annoying- I asked Avon about their cosmetics and asked if they have any vegan products. They said "yes, our products are vegan, the only animal products we use are milk powder, honey, collagen, and elastin- only things that cause no harm to the animal" I thought "huh???" I guess some people think as long as you don't eat steak and pork you are a vegan.

[Erin Pavlina]

Whenever I pick up a package that says 100% vegetarian I am almost certain it is not vegan. I think if it was they would have said 100% vegan.

So watch out... just cuz it says vegetarian doesn't mean it's vegan.

I love it when things are vegan certified though. I don't even bother reading the ingredients, such is my joy.

[Miranda]

Thanks for the hints. I know most of the obvious animal products to watch for, but I still have a lot to learn.

[VeganEternity]

Here try these out from Pangea.
Best price and Ingredients I have found so far.

http://www.pangeaveg.com/cgi-bin/miv..._Code=firstaid

[mabelkitty]

What about when a package just says "Vitamin D"? Should I assume that it is from an animal source? Silk lists vitamin D2 on their packages, but now I'm starting to wonder when I see plain old vitamin D on my cereal box.... where does it come from? Do companies have to list vitamin D3, or can they just list vitamin D and hope that nobody cares?

[Miranda]

In my experience, I assume that unless the package specifically states D2, the vitamin D is from an animal source.

[mabelkitty]

I was afraid of that.

Thanks for that info, Miranda! Looks like I'll be looking for some new cereal...

[Miranda]

I am still in transition. I don't eat anything of obvious animal origin, but the Vitamin D thing slips past me an awful lot. I am starting with my vitamins for the time being and then onto cereal and other baked/processed goods.

[Jenica]

Hear hear, Miranda. It's important to remember that being vegan is a process, not a commitment that all of us can make in 100% of our actions. Don't drive yourself crazy trying to eradicate every little animal ingredient when you first start. You're much more likely to be able to make a lasting commitment to this lifestyle if you take it at your own pace.

[annie7]

Besides, all of us are vegan in theory (so to speak). There's no way to be 100% vegan all the time.... If you drive or ride in a car, if you use public restroom hand soap, If you use certain plastic wraps or waxed papers....on and on... We just do the best we can with what information we have, and try to make our own corner of the world a little better.