Vitamin B12 or Cobalamine is a water soluble vitamin and it is essential for the metabolism of fatty acids and amino acids in the body. It is generally advised to consume 2.4 micro grams of Vitamin B12 per day for an adult to fulfill the requirements of the body. In this article we’ll know about the best foods rich in Vitamin B12, which will help you to complete your Vitamin B12 requirements.
You can exceed the amount of Vitamin B12 taken by your body based on your requirements. Dairy Products and Sea Foods generally contains high amount of Vitamin B12.
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What is Vitamin B12?
Vitamin B12 is produced naturally by certain bacteria in the gut flora of humans and animals. Plant Foods generally do not contains any Vitamin B12 in them. It occurs naturally in meat and other animal products. Vitamin B12 has the most complex structure out of all eight Vitamin B. Deficiency of Vitamin B12 also known as Anemia can cause you Fatigue, Weakness and Shortness of Breath.
Vitamin B12 Deficiency:
- Maintains Health of Hair, Skin and Nails – Vitamin B12 is helpful in the production of red blood cells and cell production in the body which helps in improving and maintaining the health of skin, hair and nails.
- Prevents Anemia – Low production of red blood cells in the body can cause you anemia which causes you weakness, fatigue and shortness of breath due to less amount of oxygen in the body.
- Boosts the Nervous System and Brain Function – Vitamin B12 is also helpful in boosting the Nervous System and Brain Function and thus it is also used for the treatment of various nerve disorders and in the prevention of loss of neurons and depression.
- Metabolism in the Body – Vitamin B 12 is essential for the metabolism of fatty acids and amino acids in the body and it is also used in synthesizing of DNA.
- Provides Energy to the Body – All eight Vitamin B are good source of energy thus Vitamin B 12 is also helpful in providing energy to the body.
- Prevents Pregnancy Complication – Deficiency of Vitamin B12 can increase the risk and complications during pregnancy thus it is advised to take the required quantity of Vitamin B12 to prevent these complications.
- Foods rich in Vitamins B12 may also be helpful for improving the health of bones and in the prevention of osteoporosis.
Top 10 Foods Rich in Vitamin B12:
Vitamin B12 is generally found in animal products like meat, cheese, etc. Vitamin B12 can also be found in cereals. Below are Top 10 Foods rich in Vitamin B12:
- Clams – Clams are the best source of Vitamin B12. You can eat them raw or steam as you like. 100 gm of Clams contains 98.9 micro grams of Vitamin B 12. About 3 gm of Clams can fulfill your daily requirement of Vitamin B12.
- Beef Liver – Beef Liver is also a great source Vitamin B12. 100 gm of beef liver contains 59.3 micro grams of Vitamin B12.
About 4 gm of Beef Liver can fulfill your daily requirement of Vitamin B12.
- King Crab – Crabs are also a great source of Vitamin B12.
100 gm of king crab contains 11.5 micro grams of Vitamin B12. About 20 gm of king crab can fulfill your daily requirement of VitaminB12.
- Fortified Cereals – Fortified cereals are the best vegan source of Vitamin B 12. 100 grams of Fortified cereals contains 21 micro grams of Vitamin B 12. ¼ cup of fortified cereals can fulfill your daily requirement of Vitamin B12.
- Soy Milk – Soy Milk is also a great source of Vitamin B12 for Vegetarians. 100 ml of Soy Milk contains 1.2 micro grams of Vitamins B12. About 200 ml of Soy Milk should fulfill your daily requirements of Vitamin B12.
- Eggs – Eggs are one of the most commonly eaten sources of Vitamin B 12. 1 egg contains about 0.6 micro grams of Vitamin B12.
About 4 can fulfill your daily requirement of Vitamin B12.
- Yogurt – 1 cup of Yogurt contains 1.1 micro grams of Vitamin B12. 2 cups of Yogurt can fulfill your daily requirement of Vitamin B12.
- Chicken Breast – Chicken is also a commonly eaten food.
100 gm of chicken can provide you 3.5 micro gram of Vitamin B12.
- Tuna – Tuna Fish is a great source of Vitamin B 12.
100 gm of Tuna contains 10.9 micro grams of Vitamin B12.
- Fortified Tofu – It is also a good vegetarian source of Vitamin B12.
100 gm of Tofu can provide you 1.5 micro grams of Vitamin B12.
All the foods mentioned above are healthy and are great sources of Vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is important for production of red blood cells in the body and it improves metabolism in our body. Please maintain a good amount of Vitamin B12 in your body for good health and better lifestyle.