What Is Vitamin B12 ?
Vitamin B12 is one of the essential vitamins needed by the human body for its daily processes and work. It is water soluble and is also known as cobalamin. Eva De Angelis, a Dietitian Nutritionist, says, “Vitamin B12 is a vitamin that can only be found naturally in animal products. Fish, shellfish, meat, poultry, organ meat, eggs, and dairy products are examples of these foods. Additionally, there are many plant foods fortified with vitamin B12, like breakfast cereals, plant-based milk, and nutritional yeast. Beef liver contains the most vitamin B12 of these foods.”
Vitamin B12 And Its Role In Human Body
The human body is a complex system of many organs and systems, which work in tandem. Each cell in the body works to make it a highly effective individual unit. Vitamin B12 plays an important role in:
Cellular level metabolism to help cell division (1). Plays an important and major role in the synthesis and regulation of DNA in the human body (1), (2). Plays a major and essential role in synthesis of fatty acids in the body (3). Important role in blood cell formation in the body (2). Required for normal work and functioning of the nervous system and the human brain (2).
Normal functioning and maintenance of the nervous system (2).
Some symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency include tiredness, lightheadedness, pale skin, heart palpitations, diarrhea, vision issues, muscle weakness, and mental issues like depression or memory loss.
Sources Of Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is rarely found in nature in its true form, where it does exist. It is due to the contamination of the natural occurring vitamins by bacteria. It is found mostly in animal foods like dairy, meat, eggs etc. However, if you are a vegetarian like the majority of Indians, you would need to include diverse sources of Vitamin B12 In your diet.
Vitamin B12 is naturally present in soy milk and related products (2) . Vitamin B12 is also found in meat and other non-veg foods, and these should be added to daily food intake to ensure the vital level of Vitamin B12 is supplied to the body (2). Many of the sources of Vitamin B12 are seafood like shellfish, mackerel fish, sardines, tuna, salmon, cod, shrimp, scallops, crab, and red meat (2). One should also consume foods like tofu or soy products for optimum levels of B12 (2). Skimmed milk is also a rich source of Vitamin B12 and so are cheese and eggs. In short, all milk products provide the required levels of Vitamin B12 to the human body (2). It is also found in sufficient quantities in cow’s milk and mushrooms as well.
All morning breakfast cereals are rich in Vitamin B12. You can also add muesli of any brand to your daily breakfast to get vital quantities of Vitamin B12. Cereals with all bran foods are also rich in Vitamin B12 (2).
Cereals High In Vitamin B12
The following breakfast cereals have a high amount of Vitamin B12. These numbers are per serving of 100 g of the cereal. Vitamin B12 is not freely occurring in nature like many other vitamins, so it means one has to ensure more variety in the food one eats to get the required amounts of Vitamin B12 into the body.
However, if you suffer from any medical condition due to lack of Vitamin B12, feel free to reach out to your doctor for health and treatment. He/she might recommend you certain supplements and foods based on your daily diet and lifestyle. How much B12 Do I need a day? Check out the infographic below for the best breakfast cereals you can buy that are packed with vitamin B12. Eva De Angelis, Dietitian Nutritionist, says, “The daily value for each micronutrient varies depending on age, gender, and stage of life. The DV (daily value) for vitamin B12 is 2.4 mcg for adults and children aged 4 and up. Yet, the DV for pregnant women and those in the lactation stage is 2.6 and 2.8 mcg, respectively.” Which vegetarian foods are high in B12? Eva De Angelis, Dietitian Nutritionist, says, “Vegetarian foods containing at least 20% of the daily value of vitamin B12 are considered a source of this vitamin. As a result, it’s critical to always check the nutrition label of processed plant foods, such as breakfast cereals, plant-based milk or yogurt, and crackers, to see if they’re high in vitamin B12. Depending on the brand, nutritional yeast can contain between 300% and 1000% of vitamin B12 DV.” Does beetroot have B12? “Yes, beetroot does have B12. The vitamin is found in the dark green parts of the plant. While the root is typically eaten, it’s important to eat the leaves as well to get the most benefit from the plant”, says, Isabella Bazzaro, Registered Dietitian. Is B12 present in bananas? Isabella Bazzaro, Registered Dietitian, says, “Vitamin B12 is not present in bananas. However, B12 can be found in foods that are fortified with it, such as breakfast cereals and some plant milk. Does almond milk have vitamin B12? In its natural form, almond milk is low in vitamin B12. However, the process of fortification makes it rich in this vitamin. Does oat milk have vitamin B12? Plant-based milk, like oat milk, is low in vitamin B12. The process of fortification makes it rich in vitamin B12. Do almonds have B12? No, almonds do not contain vitamin B12.
