Vitamin B12 is the most complex vitamin that is currently known. It is a water soluble vitamin that helps to maintain the health of the brain and nerves, and it also creates your body’s red blood cells.It is a very important vitamin, but most people don’t eat enough of it; studies have found that around 40% of Americans have a vitamin B12 deficiency. A deficiency can cause fatigue, depression, anemia, constipation, asthma, low sperm count and mania, and a long-term vitamin B12 deficiency can permanently damage the brain and nervous system. This is because a deficiency can cause the body to produce immature red blood cells that can’t carry oxygen.Thankfully it is easy to include more vitamin B12 rich foods in your diet. This will help to boost your energy and reduce sugar cravings, as well as reducing depression. It will also lower your cholesterol and blood pressure, protect your body against cancer and reduce your chances of brain degeneration.But which foods contain vitamin B12?
The vitamin is manufactured by bacteria and it is only found in natural animal products, such as meat, milk and eggs. However, synthetic food options are now available, such as cereals and tofu. Although you only need 2.4 mcg of vitamin B12 a day, eating too much won’t cause a problem; the excess is either excreted or stored by the body for later use. These stores can last for up to a year!If you have a vitamin B12 deficiency and you want to reduce your symptoms, try these foods.Vitamin B12 per 100g: 83.1μg (1386% DV)Per cup: 70.7μg (1178% DV)Per Serving: 67.3μg (1122% DV)Beef liver also contains vitamin A, and traces of minerals including zinc, copper and phosphorous. Click here to read the recipe for beef liver with caramelized onions.Vitamin B12 per 100g: 98.9μg (1648% DV)Per cup: 84.1μg (1401% DV)Per serving: 187.9μg (3132% DV)Clams also contain lots of potassium; three ounces of clams contains 15% of your daily recommended allowance! Click here to read the recipe for garlic clams.
Vitamin B12 per 100g: 19.0μg (317% DV)Per cup: 16.2μg (269% DV)Per serving: 16.7μg (279% DV)Mackerel is a good source of vitamin B12, vitamin D and selenium. Click here to read the recipe for grilled mackerel with lime and ginger.Vitamin B12 per 100g: 6.0μg (100% DV)Per cup: 5.1μg (85% DV)Per serving: 2.0μg (34% DV)Beef is a great source of protein and zinc, as well as vitamin B12. Click here to read the recipe for beef goulash.Vitamin B12 per 100g: 2.4μg (40% DV)Per cup: 2.0μg (34% DV)Per serving: 2.2μg (37% DV)Tofu contains all eight essential amino acids, as well as lots of protein. Click here to read the recipe for tofu chocolate pie.Vitamin B12 per 100g: 0.5μg (8% DV)Per cup: 1.2μg (21% DV)Per serving: 4.9μg (82% DV)Skimmed milk is a great source of vitamin B12, and it is also filled with calcium and vitamin D. Click here to read the recipe for skimmed milk chocolate pudding.Vitamin B12 per 100g: 2.0μg (33% DV)Per cup: 0.3μg (6% DV)Per serving: 0.36μg (6% DV)Much like milk, eggs are also a great source of vitamin B12 and vitamin D. Click here to read the recipe for Spanish omelettes.
Vitamin B12 per 100g: 11.5μg (192% DV)Per cup: 9.8μg (163% DV)Per serving: 15.4μg (257% DV)Crab contains vitamins B12, A, B and C, as well as zinc and magnesium. Click here to read the recipe for curried crab with chilli and coconut.Vitamin B12 per 100g: 3.1μg (51% DV)Per cup: 0.86μg (14% DVPer serving: 3.3μg (55% DV)Swiss cheese is a great source of vitamin b12, calcium and protein. Click here to read the recipe for Swiss cheese meatloaf.Vitamin B12 per 100g: 20.0μg (333% DV)Per cup: 18.0μg (300% DV)Per serving: 6.0μg (100% DV)Bran cereal is rich in both vitamin B12 and fibre: in fact, there are 5 grams of fibre in one serving! Click here to read the recipe for All Bran muffins.You should consult your doctor if your symptoms persist after introducing more vitamin B12 to your diet.Los Angeles is filled with B12 devotees who swear by injections (or lozenges, sprays or vitamins) of the vitamin. We asked experts whether B12 supplements live up to the hype: "B12 is essential for everyone," says Dr. Zhaoping Li, director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
The National Institutes of Health says B12 helps keep nerve and blood cells healthy and prevents a particular type of anemia. Deficiencies can cause tiredness, weakness, constipation and loss of appetite, and are linked to numbness including tingling in the hands and feet, depression, poor memory and more. "The best thing to do to find out if vitamin B12 supplements would be beneficial to you is to have your doctor test your B12" levels, says Paulette Lambert, director of nutrition at the California Health & Longevity Institute.B12 is found primarily in animal products, "including fish, meat, poultry, eggs and milk products. B12 is generally not present in plant foods unless added," says Paul R. Thomas, a scientific consultant with the NIH. "If you get enough [B12] from the food you eat, you don't require it as a supplement. If you're B12 deficient, it can be treated by eating B12-containing foods and/or by taking a supplement." Vegetarians, patients who have had bariatric surgery, chronic alcoholics (who tend to need supplements), and some older people with the condition atrophic gastritis, which prevents them from absorbing much of the B12 naturally present in food.
Liver, clams, salmon, beef, turkey, sardines, milk, cheese and yogurt are among the foods highest in B12. Fortified cereals and grains abound, and many brands are also jumping on the B12 bandwagon. (Powerade ION4, Red Bull 5-Hour Energy and Starbucks' Blueberry Acai Refreshers all tout their B12-boosting properties.) The recommended daily allowance of B12 for adults is 2.4 micrograms a day. What's the best way to take B12?"The evidence suggests no difference in effectiveness between oral, sublingual (under the tongue) and spray forms. One should pay more attention to the amount of B12 in the product rather than the form," says Thomas. "If you are or think you're B12-deficient, you should be speaking to your healthcare providers about restoring normal B12 levels and what amount to take."Does B12 really boost energy?"B12 helps your body convert the food you eat into energy, but unless you're deficient in B12 there isn't evidence B12 supplements give you more energy," Lambert says. "Injections give you larger amounts and we don't know the safety of that."