I am a vegan vegetarian and I don't actually worry about vitamin B12. I did notice the other day that the Marmite that my wife eats has B12 in it. I just have a question - where do vegan animals get their B12? It's an honest question. I'm not suggesting we don't need it but I do wonder why they don't need supplements - or do they? Are they eating dirt? This issue puzzles me. Personally, if the S.of P. says we would soon need to leave animal by-products behind due to issues of disease, I'll trust there's divine wisdom there.

If you watch a horse or cow eat, they very rarely get just grass in their mouths if they are grazing in a pasture. They almost always get some tufts of grass that have the roots and therefore dirt into their mouths. I suspect that is where they get their B12. Sheep I'm not so sure about as they graze differently. They bite right down to the base of the grass, so maybe they don't get roots etc. but pick up some dirt or bacteria on their lips or tongues.

Hope that helps!

[ December 06, 2002, 04:48 AM: Message edited by: Wendy ]

Are you saying that the Vitamin B-12 is actually in the dirt???

A bacteria that lives in the dirt Daryl. YUMMY!

So Vitamin B-12 is actually a bacteria?

No no:). It's a by-product of the bacteria. I'd do a google search on it if you are curious about it. I know I am. I might do one and post it here.

Wendy, thanks for the thoughts on B12. I did do a little search on the Net for cyanocobalamin or Vitamin B12 and what I came across was that Dulse is a reasonable source of B12 and B6. I also learned that the lack of B12 can cause irreversible nerve damage to the spinal cord. Maybe I should lbe taking it more seriously! So Daryl, you have a good source out there in the maritimes!

Yes, we do have a good source of dulse here in the Maritimes.

I should, therefore, be eating more of it.

Ummmm... What is "dulse"? And what are some other good sources of B12?

You don't know what dulse is!!!!

I guess only true Maritimers know what dulse is.