It is necessary to guarantee the intake of vitamin B12, which is very present in foods of animal origin.
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10 best foods with vitamin B12
Vegetarians and pregnant women should pay special attention to vitamin B12 . They are people at high risk of deficiency in this vitamin for different reasons, and in these cases solutions must be sought such as consuming certain alternative foods or taking supplements.
Below are the best foods with vitamin B12, which are the ones with the highest nutritional value. As you can see, these are basically foods of animal origin. However, there are exceptions, such as fortified food products.
1. offal
The internal organs of animals are the richest foods in vitamin B12 there is . The liver stands out, but it is also present in other organs such as the kidneys and the heart.
Lamb organs are among those with the best concentrations, and are among the most consumed together with veal organs. In a butcher shop it is possible to find many recommended and cheap options.
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2. Carne
Meat is a well-known and excellent source of vitamin B12 . Only with a steak you get more than 150% of the daily recommendations of vitamin B12, being the cuts low in fat the most suitable for it.
In addition, meat also provides very high amounts of other B vitamins, such as B2, B3 and B6, as well as good concentrations of minerals such as iron and zinc. It is one of the foods with vitamin B12 with the best nutritional value in this vitamin group.
3. Fish
Fish is one of the best sources of vitamin B12 . In general, it can be consumed in many ways, and it is common to find this food canned, frozen and fresh.
A serving of fish contains more than 100% of the recommended daily amounts of vitamin B12, as well as other important nutrients (other vitamins, minerals and omega-3 fatty acids).
4. Molluscs
Mollusks are animals that also provide vitamin B12 . Like meat, shellfish such as clams, mussels or snails have high concentrations of vitamin B12.
In fact, it is a lean source of protein that has higher concentrations of this vitamin than meat or fish. In this way, only 10 clams can provide 150% of the daily recommendations of vitamin B12.
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5. Seafood
Seafood is another type of food that should be on the list . Being, after all, animals, the contribution of vitamin B12 is guaranteed if shrimp, prawns, crabs, spider crabs, etc. are consumed.
There are other cheaper options to take foods with vitamin B12, but there is no doubt that they represent a very good option (both for the body and for the palate).
6. Eggs
Eggs contain a lot of vitamin B12 . Some vegetarians consume this food, so it is a very important resource to ensure the intake of micronutrients such as vitamin B12.
Much is said about the proteins that this population should consume, but vitamins such as B9 and B12 are also important. Supplements can be a necessary resource for vegans.
7. Dairy
Dairy is a type of food with vitamin B12 that should also be considered . As in the previous point, some vegetarians drink milk. However, this is not the case for vegans.
Milk is the food from which all its derivatives originate. Consuming any of them (yogurt, cottage cheese, flan, etc.) is a good option to consume a food with vitamin B12.
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8. Enriched Brewer’s Yeast
Brewer’s yeast is a food that complements many breakfasts . It is a food that generally does not contain vitamin B12, however on many occasions this food can be found enriched with the vitamin in question.
It represents a good option for vegetarians, as it also provides a good amount of amino acids. There are many people who do not know its flavor, which is particular but very good.
9. Fortified cereals
There are many products in the food industry that are fortified with vitamin B12 . Aware that there is a demand from certain populations for foods with vitamin B12, some companies add this micronutrient to their products.
One of the most representative examples are breakfast cereals, as well as the enriched vegetable drink. These food products are normally eaten for breakfast or as a snack.
10. Began
Algae are a very unique food . Culturally in the West people are not very used to consuming this type of food, however it has many uses in Asian cuisines such as Japanese.
It is a highly recommended type of food for its contribution in vitamin B12, with spirulina and chlorella being a good way to incorporate its consumption. However, it also provides good amounts of other trace elements, such as iron or iodine.
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Bibliographic references
- Gille, D. y Schmid, A. (2015). Vitamin B12 in meat and dairy products. Nutrition Reviews. 73 (2), 106–115.
- Watanabe , F. , Katsura , H. , Takenaka , S. , Fujita , T. , Abe , K. , Tamura , Y. , Nakatsuka , T. and Nakano , Y. (1999). Pseudovitamin B(12) is the predominant cobamide of an algal health food, spirulina tablets. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 47(11), 4736–4741 .
- Yamada, K., Shimodaira, M., Tool. S, Yamada, N., Matsushima, N., Fukuda, M. and Yamada, S. (2008). Degradation of vitamin B12 in dietary supplements, Int J Vitam Nutr Res., 78 (45), 195-203 .
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