Vitamin B-12 is found in fish, meat and dairy products. B-12 is necessary for the body to make DNA and to maintain healthy red blood cells and nerve cells. Because plant foods don't contain vitamin B-12, many vegetarians and vegans are prone to B-12 deficiency. Choose fortified foods and dietary supplements if you need to get vitamin B-12 without eating dairy or meat products. Adults need 2.4 mcg of vitamin B-12 a day.
Step 1
Choose a breakfast cereal fortified with vitamin B-12. Many bran cereals contain B-12; consult the Nutrition Facts label on the cereal to be sure.
Step 2
Add B-12 fortified soy milk to your breakfast cereal or drink a glass of soy milk between meals.
Step 3
Eat a meat analog fortified with vitamin B-12 for your lunch or dinner meal. Choose a meat substitute with a taste and texture you enjoy.
Step 4
Add B-12 fortified nutritional yeast to your diet. Select cheese substitutes containing nutritional yeast or use it in place of Parmesan cheese.
Step 5
Take a vitamin B-12 dietary supplement. According to the National institutes of Health, vitamin B-12 is found in almost all multivitamins, in supplements containing only B-12, and in combination with other B vitamins.
Tips and Warnings
- Adults should include three good sources of B-12 in their daily diet, reports the Mckinley Health Center at the University of Illinois. A good source of B-12 has 20 percent or more of the Daily Value of B-12 listed on the Nutrition Facts Label, adds the Center.
- According to the National Institutes of Health, vitamin B-12 has the potential to react with certain medications. Consult your doctor before taking a B-12 dietary supplement.
Things You'll Need
- B-12 Fortified Cereal
- B-12 Fortified Soy Milk
- B-12 Fortified Meat Analogue
- B-12 Fortified Nutritional Yeast
- B-12 Dietary Supplement
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