vitamins

The B vitamins are commonly grouped together as “B-complex,” but each one plays a unique role in your everyday health, metabolism, and body functions. Here’s why the B vitamins are so important, which ones may deserve extra attention, and where you can find them on a plant-based diet.

Vitamin B12 is a hot topic in the vegan community since it’s one of the few nutrients hard to obtain on an entirely plant-based diet. That doesn’t mean meat-eaters should gloat, though: many omnivores suffer from B12 deficiency as well. So what is B12, why is it important for health, and how do you know if you’re getting enough?

Vitamin D has been making headlines as an immunity booster, but it’s so much more than that. This misunderstood compound — produced when sunlight hits our skin — is crucial for health in many other ways. But how much vitamin D do you need, where can you find it, and why is it so important to get enough? Here’s what you need to know about the role of vitamin D in your health.