We should not confuse vitamin B with vitamin B12, as it brings different benefits to the body. Counting on good reserves of B12 will help us to enjoy a higher quality of life, as it is a nutrient that brings us benefits such as improving the immune system, strengthening muscles, protecting the health of neurons, preventing anemia, etc.
It is an essential vitamin for the optimal functioning of our body, but we do not have it naturally. It is through the diet that we have to introduce this vitamin so that we can have a state of health in full shape. Below, we explain what foods rich in vitamin B12 are to include in your diet.
List of foods rich in vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 deficiency has been associated with the loss of cognitive functions and its relationship to dementia is even being studied. So far it has been possible to identify as consequences of its deficit in the body – by consumption or because it is not able to assimilate it – with anemia, weakness, loss of appetite, or tingling in hands and feet. It is also known that it can cause damage to the nervous system.
Our body is not able to produce it, so we must ingest it in the food. Since their highest concentration is found in food of animal origin, vegan people will require dietary supplements. Generally speaking, babies up to 6 months should ingest just 0.4 mcg. Children between the ages of 1 and 3, 0.9 mcg, rising to 1.2 mcg in early childhood, and 1.8 in puberty. Teens and adults should consume 2.4 mcg.
Foods of animal origin rich in vitamin B12
– Beef Liver
– Fresh pasteurized milk and brie cheeses
– Fish like mackerel and salmon
– Mollusks and seafood, like mussels and clams
– Bird meat, beef, and lamb
– Eggs
Plants with important vitamin B12 inputs
– Fermented beans
– Vegetables
– Seaweed
– Mushrooms
clams and other molluscs
Clams are one of the foods with the highest proportion of vitamin B12, as well as being an important source of iron and protein. It is easy to introduce them into the diet as they are very versatile to combine with other foods. In addition to clams, other mollusks such as oysters or mussels are also interesting for diet.
The beef liver
While all livers have a high vitamin B12 content, the calf content is the one that provides the most. If the casing is impossible to drink, any lean beef will be a good contribution of vitamin B12.
Bluefish, foods rich in vitamin B12
Most bluefish contain a good amount of vitamin B12, although it is not salmon that provides the most mackerel or even sardines and herring. All of them are also rich in proteins and other fatty acids like omega 3.
Dairy
Animal milk such as fresh milk or even cheese is an important source of vitamin B12. As for cheeses, it will depend on cure: soft or poorly cured have less vitamin ratio, while cured and brie cheeses are the types of cheese with the most vitamin B12.
The egg
In addition to containing a good proportion of protein, egg is also a food rich in vitamin B12. In this case, it concentrates on the yolk.
Vitamin B12 function:
Vitamins, whatever they are, play a vital role in the proper functioning of the body and, consequently, in our health. One of the most complex and at the same time necessary vitamins is vitamin B12 or cobalamin. This vitamin is responsible for providing cobalt to the body, a basic nutrient to maintain brain health and red blood cells.
It also plays its role in cell metabolism, assimilation of amino acids, and DNA creation. Known as the vitamin of energy, it is responsible for reducing the feeling of fatigue and tiredness and increasing energy.