Vitamin B-12 for a Diet

Because your body is unable to make most vitamins, you must get them from your diet. Although needed in small amounts, vitamins have a vital role in almost all bodily processes. Vitamin B-12, or cobalamin, comes mainly from animal sources. The recommended daily allowance is 2.4 mcg for ages 14 and above. If you are a vegan, you may need supplements to help meet your daily requirement.

Function

You need B-12 for the formation of DNA. This vitamin is also vital for the production of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells which transports oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. B-12 aids in the release of energy by breaking down fats and protein. B-12 deficiency can lead to depression, dementia, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. B-12 deficiency during pregnancy can lead to the baby developing neural tube defects.

Liver, Poultry and Beef

Liver is one of the richest sources of B-12. For example, beef liver provides 70.7 mcg of B-12 in 3 oz. Chicken, beef, lamb and turkey are also good sources of B-12. Chicken giblets provide 13.7 mcg and turkey giblets provide 48.2 mcg per cup. Top sirloin beef contains 1.4 mcg and turkey giblets contain 2.1 mcg in 3 oz.

Seafood

Fish and shellfish are easy to prepare and low in fat, as well as being high i n B-12 and other nutrients. Catfish, haddock, herring, ocean perch, pollock, trout, salmon and rockfish are some of the best seafood sources of B-12. Pollock provides 3.1 mcg and canned pink salmon provides 3.7 mcg per 3 oz. Sockeye salmon contains 4.8 mcg of B-12 and trout contains 3.5 mcg in the same amount.

Other Foods

Milk, yogurt and cheese are good dairy sources of B-12. Cottage, Camembert, ricotta, Swiss and blue cheeses are some of the best source of B-12. Low-fat cottage cheese provides 1 mcg per cup and Swiss cheese provides 0.9 mcg in 1 oz. For vegetarians, VeganHealth.org recommends meat substitutes, nondairy milk and ready-to-eat breakfast cereals, as these products are fortified with B-12.