Vegetarians should supplement B12, D3, K2, iodine and zinc.
B12 & K2 are produced by soil bacteria and only abundant in animals and unwashed produce. Iodine is only abundant in seafood and kelp.
D3 requires more sunlight than many people get, especially when people live in latitudes not suited to their skin pigmentation. You may get enough from sunlight in summer but will probably want to supplement in winter.
The phytic acid in grains & beans bonds to minerals and makes them unabsorbable. This is true for zinc/iron and to a lesser extent calcium/magnesium. You can compensate by eating nutrient-rich produce, but its hard to get enough zinc. If you don' eat oysters then you should aim to supplement ~10mg of zinc/day.
I take Fuhrman's multivitamin and give myself a monthly B12 shot. His diet is rich in almost all other nutrients.
Hi and welcome.
Some of your statements are mistaken, though.
1. Vegans need B12, not healthy vegetarians who eat dairy and/or eggs. It also takes a while for the body's stores of B12 to be used up after going vegan. Taking weekly injections of B12 is not recommended unless you have pernicious anemia or another condition. You can have too much B12 if you don't allow your body time to excrete it.
2. Take too much K and you are endangering yourself. It's for blood clotting and does not leave the body readily. Most veg*ns get plenty of vitamin K through their vegetables and fruits. I know about the whole new "K2 is the greatest" propoganda from Mercola/Weston-Price, the meat pushers. Coincidently K2 is found in things like animals' organ meats. Do you have studies (not Mercola/Weston-Price, from real journals) touting K2 as helpful? I have not seen any proof yet.
3. D2 is vegan and also raises your levels of D. Vitamin D is a serious deficiency in all groups, no matter their diet, especially people who avoid the sun, live in non-sunny climes, and/or who are darker-skinned. This is for veggies or meat eaters.
4. There are non-cruelty foods rich in zinc. Pumpkin seeds, for one. Please dont talk about eating sea creatures.
5. Iodine is added to table salt, and is also found in some edible seaweeds. Careful supplentation is important, since too much iodine affects the thyroid.
6. This whole phytase scare is overblown. A balanced vegan diet with beans and grains is not going to cause some phytase crisis.
This article is interesting.
http://info.breadbeckers.com/phytic-acid/
" Phytic acid's "chelating" ability is considered by some to be a detriment to one's health. On the other hand, many researchers embrace this ability to bind with minerals as its most powerful asset.
In her book, Diet for the Atomic Age, Sara Shannon, lists 11 nutrients in particular that protect against heavy metal toxicity and radiation damage. Phytates bind with radioactive and toxic substances and carry them out of the body. Aware of phytic acid's mineral binding properties, Shannon states that an adequate diet will more than compensate.
One must also remember that whole grains themselves are an abundant source of iron, calcium, and zinc. After extensive research, Shannon found that the more toxic our environment becomes, grains are our best source of protection, particularly due to the phytate content. She believes that "for optimal health, at least half of every meal should be grains". Why would one want to denature something that is so beneficial? In fact, a supplement company is actually isolating this "powerful antioxidant" because of its anti-tumor, anti-carcinogenic, and blood sugar regulating properties!
Studies show that phytic acid, particularly from wheat bran, actually stimulates the productions of phytase in the small intestine. The fact that phytase can be produced in the small intestine eliminates the necessity of fermenting all grains before consuming them, as in the case of unleavened breads, quick breads (that do not use yeast as a leavening), and parched or boiled grains. Phytase activity in the small intestine actually increased, not decreased, the absorption of minerals, especially, calcium. (Journal of Nutrition 2000:130: 2020-2025)."