Vitamin B-12 is an essential nutrient that the body cannot make on its own so must be obtained from food. It is a water-soluble vitamin that naturally occurs in many foods. B-12 is readily available in meat sources but is not found in plant sources. Another major source for B-12 in many people's diet is fortified box cereals. The Food and Drug Administration's Recommended Dietary Allowance for adults for vitamin B-12 is 2.4 micrograms (mcg) a day.
Seafood and Organ Meats
The foods highest in vitamin B-12 tend to be seafoods and organ meats. These include canned clams (84.06 mcg), beef liver (70.66 mcg), turkey giblets (48.21 mcg), and raw clams (42.02 mcg). Pork liver (23.00 mcg), veal (21.00 mcg), raw oysters (16.35 mcg), chicken giblets (13.69 mcg), cooked oysters (13.29 mcg) and salmon fillet (8.99 mcg) are other foods in this category.
Other Foods
Many people don't eat seafoods and organ meats regularly, but other types of foods they may eat every day also supply high amounts of vitamin B-12. Soy milk has 7.00 mcg; Special K fortified cereal has 6.06 mcg; other fortified cereals, dependent on the brand, may have 6.00 mcg; Chex Mix snacks have 3.52 mcg; and a fast food hamburger has 2.22 mcg.
Vegetarian Foods
Vegetarians and strict vegans get their B-12 from meat-free sources. Popular vegetarian foods that supply relatively high or lesser amounts of the vitamin are Morningstar Burgers (14 mcg); hot dog substitute (12 mcg); tofu (9 mcg); soy milk (7 mcg); lacto/dairy yogurt (1 mcg), and ovo-vegetarian egg (0.67 mcg).
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