You need vitamins for normal growth and development. B-complex vitamins are water soluble and consist of eight vitamins: thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, B6, B12, biotin and folate. These vitamins work together to carry out important functions in your body. They are found in many foods and are available in supplement form.
Function of B12
Vitamin B12, or cobalamin, aids in the production of DNA and red blood cells, which carry oxygen around your body. It is also important in metabolism and maintaining a healthy nervous system. The recommended dietary allowance for ages 14 and older is 2.4 micrograms, states the National Institutes of Health. A B12 deficiency can lead to weakness, dementia and nerve damage. B12 is found mainly in animal sources and can be stored in the body for years.
Poultry and Shellfish
Vitamin B12 is found in chicken, lamb and turkey, notes the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Chicken provides 13.7 mcg and turkey provides 48.2 mcg per 1-cup serving. Clams are suggested as a top B12 source by the USDA National Nutrient Database. A 3-oz serving of this food provides 34.2 mcg of B12. This is also present in sardines, salmon, herring and trout. Atlantic sardines contain 7.6 mcg and rainbow trout contains 4.2 mcg per 3-oz. serving.
Dairy Foods
Yogurt, cheese and milk are good sources of B12. Select low-fat or fat-free varieties. Swiss, mozzarella, provolone and cottage cheeses are listed as good B12 sources by the USDA. Low-fat cottage cheese provides 1.4 mcg per cup and Swiss cheese provides 0.9 mcg per oz. Plain and fruit yogurts provides 0.8 to 1.4 mcg of B12 per 8-oz. serving.
Other Foods
Eggs and liver are good sources of B12. Beef liver provides 70.7 mcg per 3-oz. serving, and one chicken liver provides 3.3 mcg. If you are a strict vegetarian, eat foods enriched with vitamin B12 to avoid a deficiency. Some breakfast cereals provide enough B12 to fulfill your daily requirement in one serving. A 1-cup serving of Kellogg's Corn Flakes contains 2.7 mcg, and a cup of General Mills Total Raisin Bran contains 6 mcg. Other B12-fortified foods include meat substitutes and nondairy milk, reports VeganHealth.org.
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