How Can Vegans and Vegetarians Get Vitamin B12?

Vitamin B-12 plays an essential role in maintaining our physical and mental health. Vegetarians and vegans need to ensure that they consume enough B-12, which is found in it’s most bioavailable form in dairy, meat, and eggs. One way to ensure you get enough vitamin B-12 is to take a vegetarian multivitamin. 

Vegetarian Multivitamins and Other Sources of B-12

Vitamin B-12 is used by the body to protect the nervous system, provide the body with energy, and much more. The recommended daily allowance of vitamin B-12 is 2.4 mcg (micrograms) for adults and teenagers, 1.8 mcg for kids ages 9-13, 1.2 mcg for kids ages 4-8, and 0.9 mcg for children ages 1-3.

There are several excellent choices for vegetarians looking to up their vitamin B-12 intake. These options can include dairy items such as yogurt, cheese, and low-fat milk. Other viable options for vitamin B-12 include eggs, fortified cereals, fortified plant-based milk, and even nutritional yeasts.

Which Options Have the Highest B-12?

Vegetarians looking to up their vitamin B-12 intake with these foods need to understand the levels of vitamin B-12 found in these food sources. For example, you will find that 8 ounces of yogurt contain roughly 1.1 mcg of B-12. On the other hand, one cup of milk can provide as much as 1.2 mcg of vitamin B-12.

If you opt for cheese, one of the best choices is Swiss. One ounce of Swiss cheese can contain up to 0.95 mcg of vitamin B-12. Alternatively, one large egg holds up to 0.6 mcg of vitamin B-12. Knowing how much B-12 these foods hold allows you to make informed decisions about how much you need to eat regularly.

Fortified Cereals and Nutritional Yeast

Another excellent choice for foods high in vitamin B-12 is fortified cereals. When eating fortified cereals, vitamin B-12 cannot break down before your body absorbs it, upping your intake.

Nutritional yeast is an excellent choice for both vegetarians and vegans because it has a great flavor and can easily be added to your regular dishes. If you are looking for creative ways to add nutritional yeast to your diet, you can:

• Stir it into cream soups
• Add it to pasta
• Mix it into mashed potatoes
• Sprinkle it over your popcorn
• Sprinkle it over eggs or tofu
• Add it to your salads
• Add it to cheese sauces

Vegan B-12 Sources

Vegans must rely on fortified foods for their vitamin B-12 because plants do not produce it. Good alternatives to B-12 include fortified non-dairy milk, fortified breakfast cereals, vegan spreads, nutritional yeast, and meat substitutes. However, it is essential that you always read food labels because these foods may not be fortified with vitamin B-12.

Those who are B-12 deficient may need to look at multivitamins, capsules, or even injections to get them back to healthy levels. Browse our natural supplements in the Panacea Scientific online store to get started on boosting your vitamin B-12 intake and your health journey today.