Plant-based nutrition has a multitude of health benefits. Any movement toward whole food, plant-based eating can greatly improve your health and potentially lower the risk of disease.

However, it can be difficult, if not impossible, to get enough essential nutrients which can lead to deficiencies.

Here are the key nutrients you'll want to supplement if you're moving toward a vegetarian or vegan diet:

Protein - Although plant-based foods contain protein, you often end up eating a simple carb-heavy diet. You'd need to eat 10 cups of raw broccoli to get 20 grams of protein but you can get 20 g of ultra-pure protein with one serving of Shaklee Life Shake a day.

Calcium - The Dieticians Guide to Vegetarian Diets references 45 studies that concluded many vegetarians are only getting 500 - 600 mg per day. The RDA is 1000 - 1200 mg depending on age and sex.

You can shore up your intake with OsteoMatrix that provides 1,300 mg of elemental calcium (100% DV).

Vitamin B12 - Vitamin B12 is not a component of plant foods, so vegans must get it from fortified foods or supplements. Even though B12 is the issue, taking all the B vitamins in combination is an even better option.

B-Complex delivers the perfect balance of all eight B vitamins, including 81 mcg of vitamin B12.

Iron - Iron stores of vegetarians are typically below those of nonvegetarians.

Heme iron, found in animal meat, is better absorbed by the body compared to non-heme iron found in plant foods, which can lead to a deficiency.

Taking Vitamin C enhances the absorption of non-heme iron.

One tablet of Iron Plus C Complex provides 18 mg of iron (100% DV) in a readily bioavailable form with vitamin C to help increase iron absorption.

Vita-Lea Women is a multi that delivers 18 mg of iron (100% DV) per serving, including twice the DV of vitamins C, D, and E - plus beta-carotene.

I started taking Vita Lea for Women about 6 months ago. I can see and feel a huge difference! My hair and nails are thicker and grow like crazy. My skin is glowing. - Audrey L

Omega-3 Fatty Acids - While ALA intakes of vegetarians and vegans are similar to those of nonvegetarians, dietary intakes of EPA and DHA is lower in vegetarians and typically absent in vegans.

Each capsule of Vegan Omega-3 delivers pure, potent, and naturally sourced DHA and EPA omega-3 fatty acids from algae. That's where the fish get it in the first place!

Dreams do come true! Easy to swallow without fishy aftertaste burps! I feel great taking the heart-healthy Omega. - Devini L H

Thanks for reading,

Jody on behalf of Your Shaklee Team