Foods high in Vitamin B12
Water-soluble B-vitamin essential for red blood cell formation and the nervous system. Only found naturally in animal foods, vegans need fortified foods or supplements.
About Vitamin B12
B12 is needed to make red blood cells, maintain the myelin sheath around nerves, and recycle homocysteine. Severe deficiency causes irreversible neurological damage if left untreated for long.
B12 is only found naturally in animal foods, meat, fish, eggs, dairy, because it's produced by bacteria, not plants. Vegans MUST get B12 from fortified foods or supplements; reliable fortified sources include some plant milks, breakfast cereals, and yeast extracts (Marmite).
UK adult RI: 2.5 µg/day. Absorption requires intrinsic factor secreted by a healthy stomach lining; many older adults absorb B12 poorly and may benefit from supplements. Deficiency develops slowly because the liver stores 3-5 years' worth, by the time symptoms appear, depletion is advanced.
Foods high in vitamin b12, cockles, liver, mollusks, and more
Ranked by how much you get per calorie, so foods are not rewarded for simply being dry or concentrated. Values from USDA FoodData Central, McCance & Widdowson's CoFID, ANSES Ciqual, and other public nutrition databases. Amounts in UG.
Per calorie is the default here because it answers what to eat: ranked purely by amount, a list of the richest foods fills up with dried and concentrated things nobody eats a plateful of. Switch to per 100 grams above if concentration is what you are after.
- Cockles, boiled 88.68µg per 100 grams
- Liver, ox, raw 70.97µg per 100 grams
- Mollusks, clam, mixed species, cooked, moist heat 66.82µg per 100 grams
- Liver, calf, raw 65.38µg per 100 grams
- Lamb, variety meats and by-products, liver, raw 64.78µg per 100 grams
- Beef, New Zealand, imported, variety meats and by-products liver, cooked, boiled 64µg per 100 grams
- Beef, New Zealand, imported, variety meats and by-products, liver, raw 63.53µg per 100 grams
- Lamb, New Zealand, imported, kidney, raw 59.96µg per 100 grams
- Lamb, variety meats and by-products, kidneys, cooked, braised 57.59µg per 100 grams
- Mangrove worm 56.54µg per 100 grams
- Liver, ox, stewed 55.56µg per 100 grams
- Lamb, liver, raw 55.38µg per 100 grams
Common questions about Vitamin B12
- How much vitamin B12 do I need?
- UK adult RI: 2.5 µg/day.
- Where do you get vitamin B12?
- Only animal foods naturally contain it, meat, fish, eggs, dairy. Vegans must get B12 from fortified foods (plant milks, breakfast cereals, Marmite) or supplements.
- Can you store vitamin B12?
- Yes, the liver holds 3-5 years' worth. Deficiency develops slowly; by the time symptoms appear, depletion is advanced.
- Who should consider supplementing?
- Vegans, vegetarians with low dairy/egg intake, people on long-term metformin or proton pump inhibitors, and many older adults who absorb B12 poorly.