Vitamin B12 is found naturally in many foods from animal sources, where it binds to proteins inside the foods. After people eat foods that contain vitamin B12, their stomachs release it from the food and combine it with proteins secreted by stomach cells so the body can absorb it, the National Institutes of Health reports. Eating foods from several key groups regularly can give people the vitamin B12 they need.
Meats
Meats are one of the richest sources of vitamin B12, according to amounts listed by the National Institutes of Health. Just one slice of liver or braised beef provides 48 micrograms of vitamin B12, which is 800 percent of the 6 micrograms that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends that people consume of vitamin B12 daily. One 3-oz serving of clams provides 34.2 micrograms of vitamin B12, which is 570 percent of the recommended daily amount. Some meats contain lower amounts of vitamin B12 but are still good sources of it, such as sockeye salmon, which offers 4.9 micrograms---80 percent of the daily recommended amount---in one 3-oz serving. However, some meats contain just small amount of vitamin B12. Half a breast of roasted chicken contains just 0.3 micrograms of vitamin B12, which is only 6 percent of the recommended amount per day.
Dairy Products
Dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and cheese are also good sources of vitamin B12. One cup of plain yogurt provides 1.4 micrograms of vitamin B12, which makes up 25 percent of the amount people should consume each day, reports the National Institutes of Health, and either one cup of milk or one ounce of Swiss cheese provides 0.9 micrograms of vitamin B12, which is 15 percent of the recommended daily amount. The American Society for Nutrition says that dry milk and fermented cheeses contain higher amounts of vitamin B12 than fresh milk and other dairy products.
Eggs
Egg yolks contain a moderate amount of vitamin B12, reports the American Society for Nutrition. Eating one large whole egg provides 0.6 micrograms of vitamin B12, the National Institutes of Health says, which is 10 percent of the recommended amount per day.
Fortified Cereals
Vegetarians who don't eat meat and vegans who don't eat eggs or dairy products can get vitamin B12 from breakfast cereals that have been fortified with it. The National Institutes of Health says that many cereals have been fortified to provide at least 25 percent per serving of the amount of vitamin B12 that people should consume each day, and some cereals contain 100 percent of the recommended amount in each serving.
