sources of vitamin B12

Last edited 05/2022 and last reviewed 05/2022

Vitamin B12 is naturally present in foods of animal origin, including fish, meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products (milk, eggs, cheese), yeast extracts and fortified breakfast cereals.

• It is the only vitamin not found in vegetables.
• Note that meats vary with respect to amount of vitamin B12 they contain e.g. beef liver is a much richer source of vitamin B12 than a chicken breast (see table below).

A variety of foods and their vitamin B12 levels per serving are detailed in the table below:

Notes:

• the recommended daily allowance for a person aged 14+ years are:
• male 2.4 mcg
• female 2.4 mcg
• during pregnancy 2.6 mcg
• during lactation 2.8 mcg
  
• *DV = Daily Value
• DVs were developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help consumers compare the nutrient contents of foods and dietary supplements within the context of a total diet. The DV for vitamin B12 is 2.4 mcg for adults and children aged 4 years and older. FDA does not require food labels to list vitamin B12 content unless vitamin B12 has been added to the food. Foods providing 20% or more of the DV are considered to be high sources of a nutrient, but foods providing lower percentages of the DV also contribute to a healthful diet.

Reference: