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isn’t common, but can be serious, leading to nerve damage and anemia. The body also uses B12 to protect nerve fibers and metabolize and use carbohydrates, fat, and protein. The most common sign of B12 deficiency is fatigue, which can be avoided with a well-planned diet that includes B12-rich foods or regular supplementation.

B2, also known as riboflavin, is easier to find in plant foods than B12, but it’s still important to be aware of the vegan sources you can get it from. Important for overall skin and eye health, B2 is also necessary for cellular energy production. Deficiencies of B2 can lead to mouth and lip sores, a swollen tongue, and dermatitis.

I give you the lowdown on vitamins B2 and B12 in the following sections, including where to find them and how much to consume.

Finding B12 and B2 in vegan foods

These days B12 is often added to a variety of vegan foods, so be sure to have these items on your weekly shopping list:

Fortified cereals

Nutritional yeast flakes, like Red Star

Fortified soy, rice, and hemp milks

Fortified fake meats made from wheat gluten and soy

Note: Some fermented soy foods like miso, natto, and tempeh, as well as some sea vegetables, have been reported to contain vitamin B12. The amounts found in these foods are too small to make them reliable sources.

B2 is a bit easier to find in natural vegetables. The following items are easy sources to work into your menu on a regular basis:

Almonds

Asparagus

Bananas

Broccoli

Brussels sprouts

Mushrooms

Nutritional yeast

Peas

Soybeans

Soymilk, fortified

Spinach

Whole grains

Wheat germ

Wild rice

Getting enough of the right kind

Even though many foods are fortified with B12, vegans can still be deficient. This deficiency isn’t due to the amount they consume; instead it’s due to the fact that their body isn’t absorbing the B12 from the intestines well. In this case, a probiotic, to improve the health and ability of the digestive system to absorb nutrients properly, and a B-complex vitamin would be useful. You also may try other measures to ensure that the intestines are healthy and working properly. A daily probiotic can help ensure that the good bacteria are present to help digest and absorb nutrients in the gut. A high-fiber diet, which isn’t difficult to achieve as a vegan, helps keep the digestive system clean and clear.

Luckily, the human body doesn’t need a huge amount of B12; however, it does need a little bit on a regular basis. The current RDA for B12 is 2.4 micrograms a day. About 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast fortified with B12 can provide your daily dose. Sprinkle nutritional yeast on air-popped popcorn, salads, and pasta; stir it into soups; or use one of the many vegan recipes that use nutritional yeast to imitate cheese. Try the Hungry Man Tofu Scramble or the Tempeh Hash recipes in Part IV with Red Star Nutritional Yeast — it’s fortified with B12.

Counting on Calcium for Strong Bones

Have you ever seen a cow or elephant up close? These enormous animals carry around their hefty weight on strong bones, much like ours. Where do you think these gigantic animals get the calcium to create their bones? Do they drink cow’s milk as the USDA recommends? Of course not. They eat plants.

While humans and animals certainly don’t build their bodies in the same way — or even digest food in exactly the same way — humans, like animals, can get the required calcium needed to build bones from plant foods. Our bones hold the largest store of the calcium in our bodies; when they’re healthy, bones are firm and rigid. The body doesn’t just use calcium to build bones, however; it also needs the mineral to clot blood and for many muscle and nerve functions.

Plant foods, like leafy green vegetables, have a better bioavailability of calcium than dairy products. This means that our bodies can better absorb and use the calcium present in these greens as compared to dairy foods. While dairy foods are rich in calcium, they are also rich in protein, which inhibits the