Top 10 Great Food Sources of Vitamin B12

The vitamin B12 is essential for the health of the nervous system and the formation of new blood cell in our body, it is crucial for DNA synthesis of human body cells.

You may have to face problems like: glossitis ( redness of tongue) , anemia , tingling in the extremities, memory loss etc.

Here in India, 

a different philosophy and beliefs are behind the taking of diet and we classify them as –

Vegetarian diet , non-vegetarian diet , ovo-vegetarian diet , vegan diet , Jain diet .

Remember that,

Vitamin b12 is synthesized in nature by only microorganisms! ( bacteria & algae ) and enters the food chain through incorporation into food of animal or plant origin

Animal source of diet (meat, fish , egg & milk) provides an incredible amount of vitamin B12, and a little amount will be gotten from plant sources.

Bioavailability means how much free vitamin b12 can be available from food for absorption in the human body, who has normal, healthy gastric functioning.

Let’s see!

Some of the great sources of vitamin B12:

1. Meats (mutton, chicken, pork):

The animal body requires vitamin B12 for DNA synthesis; therefore, they store vitamin B12 in the liver and various tissues, and becomes excellent food source for getting vitamin B12 easily

But,

Meat contains protein-bound vitamin B12, which is not easily removed from it, and its requires healthy digestive functioning.

If you eat processed, packaged, frozen, overcooked, spicy, oily, or unhygienic meat, which is not easy to digest and requires a much more amount of digestive juice & bile juice from the stomach and liver to digest this meat completely!

eventually,

It will lead to indigestion, acidity, and abdominal pain, and this vitamin B12 will not be available freely to be absorbed in the body.

I will suggest you that,

next time you consume meat , you should make some simple recipe out of it

so , it will be easy to digest and you will get full benefits out of it rather than getting complain of abdominal pain , acidity , bloating and flatulence .

2. Fish and sea food :

Oysters contain 20 mcg per 100 gm

Salmon contain 3 mcg per 100 gm

Shrimp contain 2 micrograms per 100 gm

Lobster contain 1 micrograms per 100 gm

With bioavailability of average 40 %

Fish is also one of great source of vitamin b12

But,

fish or seafood is sometimes found to be allergenic diet for humans so if you start those kind of food for the first time ..

I will suggest you ,

If you are consuming it first time , you take it in little amount and wait for next 6 to 12 hours for check that , are you getting any allergic reactions or not ?

like a rashes , urticaria , sneezing , nauseating feeling , vomiting , diarrhoea , asthmatic episodes like difficulty in breathing etc.

Food allergy is one of serious condition which leads to major health issues

So , don’t try to make major changes in your routine diet .

3. Eggs :

Whole egg contain 1.26 micrograms per 100 gm

Eggs yellow portion contain 9.26 mcg per 100 gm

Egg white portion contain 0.1 micrograms per 100 gm

With bioavailability of 4 to 9 %

Egg yellow is good source of vitamin b12, vitamin A , vitamin D ,and vitamin b6

While , egg white is good source of protein and vitamin b12

Egg yellow contain too much amount of fat especially bad cholesterol That’s why if you having any cardiovascular diseases like high blood pressure , stroke , heart attack in past , heart blockage than you must be avoid it in your diet .

4. Milk and milk products :

Indian Buffalo Milk contain 0.36 mcg per 100 gm

Sheep Milk contain 0.7 micrograms per 100 gm

Goat Milk contain 0.065 micrograms per 100 gm

Human Milk contain 0.064 micrograms per 100 gm

mozzarella Cheese contain 2.3 mcg per 100 gm

swiss Cheese contain 3.1 micrograms per 100 gm

Yogurt whole milk contain 0.37 mcg per 100 gm

Buttermilk whole milk contain 0.46 mcg per 100 gm

Buttermilk low fat contain 0.22 mcg per 100 gm

Paneer contain up to 0.3 micrograms per 100 gm

Ghee contain up to 0.4 micrograms per 100 gm

With bioavailability of milk up to 55 to 65 %

Milk are called “ sampurna ahar “ it means whole meal . .

Because , it contains enormous amount of protein , fat , all vitamins and necessary electrolytes too ..

If adult human consumes daily 250 ml of milk , it will full fill your daily basic requirement of nutrition’s .

Milk and milk products like a cheese , yogurt ( curd ) , buttermilk , paneer and ghee are one of great source of vitamin b12 for vegetarians

But remember ,

Milk is little heavy to digest because of its high concentration of nutrition

That’s why ,

People who is suffering from gastric complaints like – indigestion or gastritis , they will get difficulty in digesting milk or milk products

Some peoples are lactose intolerance , and get adverse reaction after taking milk or milk products .

I will say , if you having gastric complaints & you are lactose intolerance Try to avoid it and choose other source of vitamin b12 in your diet

5. Spirulina & sea weeds :

Spirulina and seaweeds contain up 50 to 70 mcg per 100 gm

Spirulina and seaweeds are lower plants , who synthesize vitamin b12 in nature and one of leading source in ayurveda for provide plant based vitamin b12 for vegetarian.

dried form of spirulina or seaweed is available for use as supplement of vitamin b12

in clinical trial we found that , they frequently causes bloating , nauseating feeling if you took empty stomach and indigestion if you took after meal

so , you have to minimize daily consumption of such vitamin b12 source according to your healthiness

6. fortified foods and Dishes made up of Fermented batter :

Fortified food packages contain in variable amount according to % RDA

Fermented food contains trace amount

With bioavailability upto 90%

Fortified food are those that have nutrients added to them

Exp : added vitamins like vit-A , vit-D , vit-B12 etc.

They are easily available in market in the form of Fortified – milk ; yogurt ; breakfast cereals ; breads ; fruit juices.

This is The most reliable and consistent food source of vitamin B12 on a vegan diet .

Fermentation process is bacterial process in which macro molecules are breakdown in to smaller easily absorbable nutrition .

Thus , its full of essential nutrition and also too easy to digest , It will also provides trace amount of vitamin b12.

7. soya chunks :

soya chunks contain up to 8 micrograms per 100 gm

fermented soybean-based food called Tempe or natto contains a considerable amount of Vitamin b12 due to fermentation process in soya beans .

study is shown,

it causes hormonal changes and also linked to thyroid trouble and gynecomastia (male boobs)

so , its good to take 2 times a week up to 100 gram.

if you are using soya chunks in diet for muscle building as rich protein source.

I will suggest you to do not take it more than 3 times a week.

8. Sprouts (germinated beans ) :

Mung sprout contain up to 0.7 mcg per 100 gm

Mung bean sprouts is one of best food source of vitamin b12 for vegetarians Because , Pulses gets vitamin b12 from microorganisms harboured in their root nodules.

sprouts are good source of antioxidents , various body salts , protein and vitamins . it will helps you to maintain your good health.

9. Nutritional yeast :

Neutritional yeast contain 150 mcg per 100 gm

Nutritional yeast is good source of vitamin b6 and vitamin b12 and nine essential amino-acids.

nutritional yeast also contains the powerful antioxidants These compounds may help protect your cells from damage caused by free radicals and heavy metals and help your body eliminate environmental toxins.

You can find nutritional yeast in market and you can made delicious dishes from it like a various kind of breads , kulchas , naan itc.

10. Mushrooms :

dried shitake mushroom contain 5.6 mcg per 100 gm

yes it’s true that you can obtain vitamin b12 from mushroom but its not reliable source and further more its allergenic too.

conclusion :

those are the various food sources of vitamin b12 and u can add them in to your diet to get full nutritional benefits from it . it will cure your nutritional deficiency like a vitamin b12 deficiency.

this sources , surely relieve your vitamin B12 deficiency sign and symptoms and also improve your serum vitamin – B12 report!

if it’s not convenient for you to add those source in your diet than you have options of fortified foods packages , vitamin b12 supplements ( powder or tablets ) and vitamin b12 injections for correct your vitamin b12 deficiency effectively.