Vitamin B12 is vital to proper nerve, DNA and blood cell function, according to the National Institute of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements, or ODS. When there isn't enough B12 in the diet, people can develop a form of anemia that causes fatigue and weakness or experience neurological damage. The average adult requires 2.4 mcg of B12 each day. B12 occurs mostly in animal foods but it is added to some fortified products.
Natural Sources
Beef, liver and clams contain the highest amounts of vitamin B12, according to the ODS. Fish, meat, poultry and eggs are also good sources of vitamin B12. Milk and other dairy products can also provide healthy amounts of B12. However, boiling milk destroys most of its B12, as does the fermentation involved in making yogurt, according to the Vegetarian Society.
Fortified Foods
Many breakfast cereals, soy milk and other soy products, are fortified with B12, according to ODS. Many processed foods marketed to vegans, who don't eat any animal products at all, are also fortified with B12. These include soy margarines, vegan cheeses, veggie burgers and the like. To find out whether a food contains B12, and how much, consumers should check the nutrition labels.
Vegan Sources
Many plant foods, such as fermented soy products like miso and tempeh, have been proposed as vegan alternatives to animal sources of B12. But these plant products are not reliable sources of B12 either because they don't provide enough B12 or the form of the vitamin they provide is not easily absorbed by the body, according to the Vegetarian Society. For this reason, the Vegetarian Society recommends that vegans rely on fortified foods for their supply of B12. Another option is nutritional yeast, which is different from traditional or brewer's yeast and has been formulated to provide a vegan source of B12. Supplements are also an option.
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