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How do vegans and vegetarians get cholesterol?

In my health class today we were talking about various nutrients and where they're found in food. I guess I never realized before that cholesterol, which is needed for fat digestion, making hormones, etc., is only found in animal products. So, I was wondering- how do vegetarians & vegans get the cholesterol they need?

Public Comments

1. Your body produces the needed cholesterol.
2. Yep, your body produces cholesterol.
3. Your body produces it on its own. If you have a deficiency, a vegetarian can eat eggs. I'm not quite sure what a vegan would do. There are probably foods out there that would help encourage production, though.
4. Your body produces some cholesterol, but, not enough if you don't eat any fat. Most vegans that do not eat milk and eggs, which are good cholesterol, are in a starvation mode. Their body uses their fat and then muscles to get the cholesterol they need.
5. LOL!!!! Starvation mode? Really? Avocados, nuts, seeds- all of them contain good fats. A person who does not eat a varied diet- veg or omni- will not get the needed nutrients. However, veg*ans who eat a varied diet get all the nutrients they need (except B12, which is not due to not eating meat, it's due to the sanitation process we put everything through). Anywho, yes, the body makes cholesterol.
6. As everyone's said- we require no cholesterol from food- your body makes it. All I can reccommend for any questions related to veganism is to listen to Colleen Patrick-Goudreau's podcast. Go to www.compassionatecooks.com and read about it there. Seriously though...really informative and helpful.
7. Hi. Your body makes its own cholesterol. However, most vegetarians eat dairy and/or eggs which are animal products so they will get cholesterol from them. I'm a vegetarian and I eat dairy and eggs (eggs in things like cakes, etc). Vegans can eat nuts for cholesterol. Hope this helped.
8. Oils
9. your body produces it vegetarians consume animal by-products that contain cholesterol
10. Your body makes cholesterol on it's own. No meat required!
11. Your body produces it. You don't need extra cholesterol. Extra cholesterol is bad for you.
12. Cholesterol is NOT only found in animal foods.
13. Our livers make cholesterol, so we don't need to eat any. .
14. Cholesterol is food in many vegetable oils. Even if we stop consuming oil and other cholesterol foods, Our body has the ability to produce required cholesterol from the carbohydrate or sugar we consume.