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In this article we will be looking at some of the best vitamin B12 foods and explaining why B12 is so important. We’ll also share some fantastic workouts tips for vegans! 🙂

Three B12 Foods Suitable for Vegan Lifestyles

In terms of importance, vitamin B12 is right up there as far as the human body is concerned. This water-soluble vitamin is responsible for a whole host of physiological processes. It also plays a key role in bodily functions, which literally keep you alive!

We need vitamin B12 in order for our metabolisms to function as they should. We need it for the metabolization of fats and proteins, and it plays a vital role in the production of haemoglobin, and much more!

From an athletic standpoint, vitamin B12 is not only important for athletic performance, but also vital for a healthy body composition too.

Vegans, (and those who follow a plant-based diet), often struggle to consume enough vitamin B12. This is because it is largely found in animal-derived ingredients. However, there are numerous plant-based foods out there which are rich in this very vitamin. This is what we’ll be looking at in this article.

Here are several B12 foods suitable for vegan lifestyles:

Tempeh

This is one of the best B12 foods that is suitable for vegan diets and lifestyles.

Tempeh is an Indonesian soy product that is packed full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and probiotic benefits.

Made from soybeans, along with added whole grains and other beans, the soybeans are cooked and then fermented, before being pressed into a block. You may be wondering where the B12 comes from, (this is because the beans don’t actually contain it). Well, the B12 is actually produced during the fermentation process!

A 100g serving of tempeh will provide you with as much as 14.8mcg of this vitamin, and it also goes great in salads and stir fries.

Chlorella

As well as B12 foods, vegan-friendly supplements such as chlorella have proved to be very popular over the last several years, as people are finally realising just how healthy they really are.

Chlorella is an algae, which is a nutritional powerhouse. It is loaded full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fibre, and other nutrients which the human body thrives upon.

Chlorella can only be consumed as a supplement, since in its natural state it has a tough cellular wall which the human digestive system cannot digest and breakdown. So instead, it’s processed and turned into supplements in the form of powder, capsules, tablets, and liquid extracts.

100g of chlorella provides between 80 and 100mcg of vitamin B12.

Fortified Breakfast Cereals

Another great example of vitamin B12 foods is fortified breakfast cereals.

The B12 found in these cereals is synthetic, so is not derived from animals. Although cereals are often not recommended for healthy diets and lifestyles, if you choose the right cereals you can increase your nutrient intakes quite noticeably!

For example, cereals such as bran flakes are loaded full of dietary fibre. They also contain iron, folate (B12) niacin, and much more!

Many athletes will often eat fortified cereal before a race. This is not only for the carbohydrate content, but also because it is required to produce new and healthy red blood cells. Thus, enabling oxygen to be shuttled around the body, where required. The more oxygen these cells can transport to our muscles, the harder they will work and the higher our anaerobic thresholds will become.

Put simply, the B12 in fortified cereals will help to increase your energy levels and ensure that your muscles can work harder before they succumb to fatigue.

Different cereals have different ratios of B12, so read the packaging and see what works for you! 🙂

Workouts for Vegans

Years ago, if you dined out and wished to order a vegan-friendly meal, you’d be lucky if you were offered anything more exciting than garlic mushrooms on toast! Nowadays, more restaurants, cafes, and fast-food outlets are offering vegan-friendly meals. So, this alone is proof of the popularity of veganism!

That said, in this section we’re not looking at vegan diets, we’re looking at workouts for vegans.
As vegans consume foods which are sometimes lacking in certain macronutrients, finding the right workouts for vegans can be tricky.

For example, a vegan looking to tone up (and maybe burn a couple of pounds of fat), would not follow the same workout program as a 280-pound meat-eating bodybuilder who is looking to bulk up before his next contest! 🙂

If you’re a vegan who is looking to get in shape but aren’t sure where to begin, here are a few tried and tested workouts for vegans which are ideal.

Vegan Weight Training Guidelines

Forget what people say about vegans not getting enough protein to be able to build muscle, that is absolute nonsense! There are countless plant-based protein sources out there that are ideal for vegans. Not to mention the many different vegan protein supplements.

Plant-based dieters can follow similar workouts for vegans that would be suitable for meat eaters. The only real exception here is that workouts should be kept slightly shorter.

Stick to these workouts for vegan guidelines and you’ll be absolutely fine:

Keep workouts short and aim for no more than 45-minutes per session

Train one muscle group each week

Train heavier and aim for lower reps

Stick with 4 exercises for big muscle groups and 3 exercises for smaller muscle groups

Muscle Building Workouts for Vegans

Sunday – Off
Monday – Chest and triceps
Tuesday – back and biceps
Wednesday – Off
Thursday – Legs
Friday – Shoulders
Saturday – Off

Chest & Triceps

Flat bench barbell bench presses – 4 sets of 6 - 10 repetitions
Incline dumbbell press – 4 sets of 4 – 6 reps
Push ups – 4 sets of 10 reps
Cable crossovers – 3 sets of 10 reps
Triceps overhead cable extensions – 3 sets of 15 reps
EZ bar or dumbbell skull crushers – 4 -5 sets of 12 - 16 reps
Close-grip flat barbell bench presses – 3 sets of 10 - 15 reps

Back & Biceps

Lat pulldowns – 5 sets of 5 – 8 reps
Deadlifts – 5 sets of 3 reps
T-bar rows – 5 sets of 5 – 8 reps
Dumbbell rows – 4 sets of 8 reps per arm
Spider curls – 2 sets of 12 - 18 reps
Hammer curls – 3 sets of 10 reps per arm
Preacher curls – 3 sets of 10 reps

Legs

Barbell back squats – 4 sets of 5 reps
Leg curls – 4 sets of 8 reps
Heavy machine leg presses – 4 sets of 6 – 8 repetitions
Hamstring curls – 4 sets of 10 reps
Walking lunges – 4 sets of 10 - 12 repetitions per leg
Calf raises – 4 sets of 20 reps

Shoulders

Heavy seated dumbbell shoulder presses – 4 sets of 5 – 8 repetitions
Standing barbell military press – 4 sets of 8 reps
Lateral raises – 4 sets of 10 reps
Viking presses on a machine – 4 sets of 8 - 10 reps
Barbell upright rows – 4 sets of 5 – 8 reps
Heavy barbell shrugs – 4 sets of 6 – 10 reps

The Importance of Efficient Workouts for Vegans

There are of course many workouts for vegans for you to follow. This ranges from workouts based on burning fat and getting fit, to workouts for vegans which are designed to promote strength increases.

As long as you are following a vegan diet and lifestyle that is healthy and balanced, and you’re getting the right macros and micronutrients, you’ll find these workouts for vegans will work wonders!

You can also check out our Personalised Grocery List service. This will provide you with tailored vegan and plant-based grocery list. It's specially put together for you, based upon the food preferences that you select!

Also, consider joining our community  - our “Healing through food” movement! 🙂