Vitamins and minerals are a part of our daily intake, whether intentionally through supplements or through the food we eat. During research for the Food and Nutrition Board, the National Institutes for Health and the Institute for Medicine concluded that vitamin B is a complex vitamin split into two main components: B6 and B12. Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin that aids protein and red blood cell metabolism as well as supporting the nervous and immune systems. Vitamin B12 helps support healthy nerve and red blood cells. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for adults is 1.3 mg for B6 and 2.4 mcg for B12. Because the recommendations are fairly low, it is easy to find foods that contain vitamin B.
B6 and B12: Cereal
A ¾ cup serving of 100-percent fortified cereal contains 2 mg of vitamin B6 and 6 mcg of B12. Eating a bowl of cereal for breakfast would exceed your daily recommended intake.
B6: Vegetables
One medium baked potato contains 0.7 mg of B6. A serving of ½ cup of garbanzo beans (chickpeas) contains 0.57 mg of B6.
B6: Fruits
One medium raw banana contains 0.68 mg of B6.
B6 and B12: Meat and Seafood
Half of a chicken breast contains 0.52 mg of B6 and 0.3 mcg of B12. Three ounces of cooked pork loin and roast beef contain 0.42 and 0.32 mg, respectively, of B6. Three ounces of cooked rainbow trout and salmon contain .29 and .19 mg of B6, respectively. Three ounces of cooked clams contain 84.1 mcg of vitamin B12--that's 1,400 percent of the recommended daily allowance. One slice of beef liver contains 47.9 mcg of B12, which equates to 780 percent of your recommended daily allowance.
B12: Fast Food
Fast food is usually not categorized as healthy, but it has been found that a regular double cheeseburger contains 1.9 mcg of B12 (30 percent of RDA) and one large taco contains 1.6 mcg (25 percent of RDA). No dietitian would suggest that you depend on fast food to get your fruits and vegetables, but it is helpful to know what is included.
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