What Are The Benefits Of Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)?
Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is an essential nutrient that plays a crucial role in nerve function, red blood cell formation, and DNA synthesis. Unlike many other vitamins, B12 is primarily found in animal products, making it especially important for vegetarians and vegans to pay close attention to their intake.
- Nerve function: it helps maintain the protective sheath around nerves.
- Red blood cell formation: it prevents anemia.
- DNA synthesis: it's crucial for cell growth and division.
- Brain health: it supports cognitive function and memory.
NIH (National Institutes of Health) recommends the daily intake of vitamin B12, it varies across different life stages:
- Children 4-8 years: 1.2 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Children 9-13 years: 1.8 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Teens and Adults: 2.4 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Pregnant women: 2.6 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Breastfeeding women: 2.8 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
Where Can You Find Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)?
B12 is primarily found in animal products, but there are some fortified options for those following a plant-based diet. Let's explore the foods that can help you meet your daily B12 needs. According to the USDA database, a 3.5-ounce (100-gram) raw portion provides the following nutritional information:
Animal Food, Best Sources
- Octopus: 20 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Blue mussel: 12 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Clam: 11.3 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Crab: 9 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Fish, Atlantic salmon: 5.7 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Fish, sockeye salmon: 5.16 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Fish, pink salmon: 4.15 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- 1 duck egg (70g): 3.78 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Cuttlefish: 3 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Eel: 3 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Fish, coho salmon: 2.67 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Fish, catfish: 2.27 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Fish, skipjack tuna: 1.9 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Fish, butterfish: 1.9 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Fish, haddock: 1.83 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Fish, swordfish: 1.7 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Fish, pollock: 1.63 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Lamb: 1.62 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Fish, surimi: 1.6 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Fish, tilapia: 1.58 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Fish, carp: 1.53 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Fish, sablefish: 1.5 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Scallop: 1.41 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Fish, rockfish: 1.39 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Fish, yellowtail: 1.3 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Fish, pompano: 1.3 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Squid: 1.3 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Lobster: 1.25 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Turkey: 1.22 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Shrimp: 1.11 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Fish, halibut: 1.1 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Fish, whitefish: 1 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Fish, cod: 0.91 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Beef: 0.73 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Pork: 0.7 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Duck: 0.67 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Chicken: 0.56 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- 1 chicken egg, jumbo (63g): 0.56 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- 1 chicken egg, grade A (50.3g): 0.51 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- 1 chicken egg, extra large (56g): 0.498 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- 1 chicken egg, large (50g): 0.445 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- 1 chicken egg, medium (44g): 0.392 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- 1 chicken egg, small (38g): 0.338 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- 1 chicken egg yolk, large (17g): 0.33 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
Plant-Based Food, Best Sources
- Kiwifruit, ZESPRI SunGold: 0.08 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Yeast extract spread: 0.5 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin) or 0.03 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin) per teaspoon
- Soy milk, 1 quart (976g): 3.8 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Almond milk, 1 quart (976g): 3.32 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Soy milk, 1 cup (244g): 0.95 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Almond milk, 1 cup (244g): 0.83 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
Almonds and soybeans naturally lack vitamin B12, which is primarily found in animal products and produced by bacteria. However, almond milk and soy milk is frequently fortified with synthetic B12 during manufacturing to cater to those with plant-based diets, so it's essential to check product labels to confirm vitamin B12 fortification.
Diary Food, Best Sources
- Sheep's milk, 1 quart (976g): 6.96 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Milk, 1 quart (976g): 4.59 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Cheese, swiss: 3.02 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Sheep's milk, 1 cup (244g): 1.74 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Cheese, feta: 1.69 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Cheese, fontina: 1.68 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Cheese, brie: 1.65 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Cheese, gruyere: 1.6 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Cheese, edam: 1.54 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Cheese, gouda: 1.54 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Cheese, port de salut: 1.5 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Cheese, muenster: 1.47 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Cheese, provolone: 1.46 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Cheese, mexican, queso anejo: 1.38 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Cheese, camembert: 1.3 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Cheese, brick: 1.26 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Cheese, Mexican blend: 1.23 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Cheese, blue: 1.22 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Milk, 1 cup (244g): 1.15 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Cheese, romano: 1.12 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Cheese, cheddar: 1.06 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Cheese, limburger: 1 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Cheese, colby: 0.83 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Cheese, monterey: 0.83 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Cheese, cheshire: 0.83 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Cheese, ricotta: 0.78 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Greek yogurt: 0.75 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Cheese, roquefort: 0.64 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Cheese, cottage: 0.63 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Yogurt: 0.37 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Sour cream: 0.3 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Cheese, cream: 0.22 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
- Butter: 0.17 mcg vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
