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Thread: Vegemite B12 in NZ/Australia

  1. #1

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    Default Vegemite B12 in NZ/Australia

    I've read online that Vegemite and Marmite have B12,
    so I went to the cupboard and read the packet of Vegemite to determine how much Vegemite one should eat to get enough B12 (had my suspicions I must be eating enough if it comes from Vegemite hehe and wouldn't need to buy fortified rice milk anymore). BUT it says nothing about B12 in the nutritional information box. It says Niacin (B3), Thiamine (B1) riboflavin (B2), folate (B9).
    But no mention of (cobalamin) B12.

    So does it not have any B12?
    Why does the internet insist that it does?
    *confused*

    Should I switch to Marmite..?

  2. #2
    I eve's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegemite B12

    Marmite contains b12, but that is the Australian one - it is different in the UK.
    Eve

  3. #3
    broccoli love bugaboo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegemite B12

    I have always read that vitamin B12 only occurs in animal products. I take a B12 supplement but I'm really interested in which source my vitamin gets their source.

    The vitamin B12 supplement I take is, scientifically, called Cyanocobalamin. If B12 only comes from animal products, then what is a "vegetarian" B12 supplement? Where do they get a plant-based B12? Am I ingesting a supplement that is really not veg?
    Do the Vegan Boogie!!

  4. #4
    Cake Fairy Cherry's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegemite B12

    According to the marmite site it has 60% of the RDA per 4g serving. Marmite's made by unilever though so you might want to think twice, and isn't vegemite made in NZ? So vegemite's better for air miles too

    Maybe you should eat something else that's fortified with b12 if you're worried about it. I know nothing about what you can get in NZ, but cereals and soya milks are often fortified with b12.

  5. #5
    Cake Fairy Cherry's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegemite B12

    Quote bugaboo View Post
    Am I ingesting a supplement that is really not veg?
    No, fret not, it's from micro-organisms

  6. #6
    baffled harpy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegemite B12

    Yes, AIUI vitamin B12 is made by micro-organisms that normally live in an animal's gut, but the B12 that is used in supplements and to fortify food is made by micro-organisms cultured in a laboratory.

  7. #7
    BlackDog
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    Default Re: Vegemite B12

    Quote Cherry View Post
    Marmite's made by unilever though so you might want to think twice, and isn't vegemite made in NZ? So vegemite's better for air miles too
    Marmite is not made by Unilever in Aus. (And this is the Au / NZ) forum!

    Sanitarium are in NZ / Aotearoa too and distribute Marmite there too.

    Vegemite is made by multinational, Kraft, I believe.

  8. #8
    Cake Fairy Cherry's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegemite B12

    Oops, sorry. I was only trying to be helpful I don't even like marmite!

    Yep, I shall research more thoroughly in future. I thought marmite was a British thing. It seems that it's only unilever if you live in Belgium, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan
    or United States. NOT Aus/NZ

  9. #9

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    Default Re: Vegemite B12

    Marmite is made in NZ (it's slightly different to the UK one), Vegemite comes from Aussie.

    I suppose I could just send an e-mail to Kraft and ask, I grew up with Vegemite so I like it better than Marmite.
    Remember this?
    We're happy little Vegemites, as bright as bright can be,
    We all enjoy our Vegemite for breakfast, lunch and tea,
    Our mummies say we're growing stronger every single week,
    Because we love our Vegemite!
    We all adore our Vegemite!
    It puts a rose in every cheek.

  10. #10
    BlackDog
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    Default Re: Vegemite B12

    Quote Poppet View Post
    I suppose I could just send an e-mail to Kraft and ask, I grew up with Vegemite so I like it better than Marmite.
    When you do, you could ask this huge multinational how many animals they, and their associated companies, have performed tests on and abused in other ways.

    'I like the taste' is a reason I've heard from many a meat eater as justification for continuing the habit.

  11. #11

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    Default Re: Vegemite B12

    I didn't know they did that.. They say it is suitable for Vegetarians and Vegans!
    Does Sanitarium also do that?

  12. #12
    BlackDog
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    Default Re: Vegemite B12

    Quote Poppet View Post
    I didn't know they did that.. They say it is suitable for Vegetarians and Vegans!
    Does Sanitarium also do that?
    Sanitarium is a vegetarian company, associated with the Seventh Day Adventist Church, so I feel safer buying their products.

    Kraft were owned by Philip Morris, who use animals to test tobacco products, but that seems to have changed recently.

    In any event, I'd rather use the products of a smaller vegetarian company than a multinational with dubious connections.

    I'm sure that many Nestlé products, for example, are suitable for vegetarians and vegans but a thinking compassionate person wouldn't buy them.

  13. #13
    DFL Guacamole Gal's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegemite B12

    Quote Poppet View Post
    Marmite is made in NZ (it's slightly different to the UK one), Vegemite comes from Aussie.

    I suppose I could just send an e-mail to Kraft and ask, I grew up with Vegemite so I like it better than Marmite.
    Remember this?
    We're happy little Vegemites, as bright as bright can be,
    We all enjoy our Vegemite for breakfast, lunch and tea,
    Our mummies say we're growing stronger every single week,
    Because we love our Vegemite!
    We all adore our Vegemite!
    It puts a rose in every cheek.
    I remember that song, only with slightly different words!!

    Hmm, I'm going to have to look into this..I remember there was another (very lengthy) thread on here somewhere about vegemite, to the tune of it only being kosher and/or vegan for 6months of every year in certain parts of the world because they share a factory (or at least factory equipment- the huge mixing vials) with another company who use them for meat products, say, the first half of the year, before swapping with vegemite production.

    Fraid I'm not being of much help as I can't remember the exact whens and wherefores, but I shall post the link if I find it...But look out for a "K" for Kosher on the label guys..

    In saying that, Black Dog has given some very valid food for thought, so maybe avoid altogether? I have been a lifelong vegemite eater (out of ignorance to some of the background behind the company), so I definitely need to look into this and sounds like probably eschew it forever after. Oh well, byebye vegemite I guess. Let's face it, there are several vegan alternatives around so it shouldn't be a big deal.
    ~ United we stand..Divided we fall ~

  14. #14

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    Default Re: Vegemite B12

    I couldn't care less if it was kosher or not personally, It doesn't bother me if they share factory equipment used for meat. Seriously, it's not like I'm gonna start saying "I'm not going to shop at the supermarket anymore because they also stock meat products". That's just ridiculous to me. But there seems to be a case for switching to Marmite regardless, so that's what I'll be getting next time.

    I hope I didn't offend anyone who does follow kosher food guidelines. I don't have any ties to the jewish faith, so for me it doesn't mean anything, I understand that for some it does hold great significance and meaning.

  15. #15
    cobweb
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    Default Re: Vegemite B12

    Quote BlackDog View Post
    Sanitarium is a vegetarian company, associated with the Seventh Day Adventist Church, so I feel safer buying their products.

    Kraft were owned by Philip Morris, who use animals to test tobacco products, but that seems to have changed recently.

    In any event, I'd rather use the products of a smaller vegetarian company than a multinational with dubious connections.

    I'm sure that many Nestlé products, for example, are suitable for vegetarians and vegans but a thinking compassionate person wouldn't buy them.


    I wonder exactly where a 'thinking, compassionate' person would buy their food from, and how they would choose the companies that supply these foods? . I would say it's extremely hard to source everything from 100% 'whiter than white' companies/shops, etc these days.

    I also find your attitude towards others extremely rude, comparing them to meat-eaters, etc .

    I have had vegan friends like this in the past, whose track record with actual animals that they encounter is sketchy, to say the least, and yet they seem to enjoy nothing more than to sit in judgment on other vegans (who, afterall are trying their best) as though they were some kind of divine spirit . Just noting my annoyance .

  16. #16

    Default Re: Vegemite B12

    I don't think there is any real way of knowing that yeast spreads are vegan (unless it was made by a vegan company, sourcing their product from vegan friendly breweries). So, i wouldn't buy any unless it was.

  17. #17
    Memma33's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegemite B12

    I did read somewhere that the B12 in vegemite and marmite are animal derived. Try Freedom Foods vege spread - just as tasty but less of a salty taste and fully vegan. I find it in health food shops and Coles.
    "If you are what you eat, does that make you dead meat?"

  18. #18
    Ex-admin Korn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegemite B12

    Quote harpy View Post
    Yes, AIUI vitamin B12 is made by micro-organisms that normally live in an animal's gut, but the B12 that is used in supplements and to fortify food is made by micro-organisms cultured in a laboratory.
    I'd like to (again) clarify that B12 isn't originally an animal product only to be found in animals' guts - B12 has been found in soil, water, bark, leaves and various plants (look here: B12 in plants?) - it's a fragile vitmain, and can easily be destroyed/reduced, but it doesn't originally come from animals gut's or only from micro-organisms that live in animals.


    In addition to being found in nature, B12 can be also produced either synthetically or by a using a natural fermentation process that does not involve any animal products. The reason I stress this is that people who believe that B12 only occurs naturally in animals/insects easily can think that going vegan doesn't make sense if a plant based diet can't contain the nutrients that humans need. Some people claim that if B12 is found in/on plants, it comes from insect droppings, and not from natural, healthy bacteria/micro-organisms - but I have yet to see one study that documents this and shows how much B12 that can be found on plants with insect droppings compared with how little B12 that can be found in plants that hasn't been in touch with any insects. It looks like a theory based on the assumption that 'if it's B12 there, some animal/bird/fish/insect must have been there first'.

  19. #19
    I eve's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegemite B12

    Blackdog, these days of globalisation make it almost impossible to be quite sure that a company that is 'lily white' will remain that way. Like vegemite and Kraft, and whoever else takes over, or like the bodyshop and the multinational it was sold to, or Green & Black and the Cadbury takeover.

    As far as the '-mites' are concerned, whilst I liked the yeast spread, now I buy vegespread that is made by Freedom Foods - as I've mentioned somewhere, it looks like vegemite, tastes like vegemite, smells like vegemite, contains B12 but is GM free, purely vegan, and I like it! I've since been told that Freedom Foods now has another company, something to do with fish! Can I help that? It's globalisation!
    Eve

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