I live in Canada most of the time, and there are 6 seasons here. There’s fall, winter, fake spring, winter: part 2, actual spring, and then summer. So when actual spring rolls around, we get really excited to get outside and have adventures.

And, since we’re not hibernating anymore, we burn a lot of energy and our diets need to keep up. I made a list of some of my favorite foods that provide you with your daily B12 fix so your body can keep on going.

But first.

What is Vitamin B12?

B-12 is an essential vitamin in creating red blood cells and DNA. It’s also important in promoting healthy nerve function. It’s primarily found in animal products like meat and dairy, but you can also get them in fortified cereals and in supplements if you have dietary restrictions.

So, B12 is pretty important, agreed?

Are you Getting Enough B12?

The short answer? Probably. Most diets in developed countries are rich in B12-dense foods like beef, fish and dairy. But it can happen that some people aren’t getting a sufficient amount of their B12 because it’s not present in all fish or meat. Learning some of the symptoms could help you identify if you might need to see a doctor to confirm if you’re B12 deficient and why.

Some symptoms of B12 deficiency include:

Tingling hands or feet

B12 is crucial to your nervous system, so a symptom can be a persistent tingling in your extremities. Without B12, your body may not be able to produce enough of the myelin that coats nerves and prevents them from being damaged.

Trouble Walking

As the nerves deteriorate, deficient people can also experience limited mobility due to numbness in their feet. This can be accompanied by muscle weakness and slow reflexes.

Fatigue

This one’s obviously tougher to call a symptom because who hasn’t experienced fatigue? But if you experience general fatigue lasting for more than a few days, you should find out why.

Cognitive problems

Less red blood cells means less oxygen being carried throughout your body, including your brain. This can lead to problems with concentration and general memory loss.

Some medical conditions can increase your chances of developing a vitamin deficiency like Crohn’s Disease, Celiac Disease, gastritis, or problems with alcohol abuse.

As you can tell by now, B12 deficiency can be serious business, so let’s make sure you know how to introduce healthy foods into your weekly meal planning that are rich in B12. Luckily, your liver can store B12, but don’t take that to mean that you have the ability to stockpile and release the vitamin when you need it. Just make sure you aim for your daily required 2.4mg per day, which is doable.

So let’s talk about what delicious foods can give you your daily dose of B12.

Eggs

Eggs are plentiful, nutritious and pack a healthy dose of B12. Eating a couple of eggs will give you close to 35% of the daily recommended amount, make sure to keep that in mind when you’re whipping up some breakfast. At about 70 calories a pop and with notable saturated fats, there’s definitely a balance to be found with less fatty sources of this B vitamin.

Oysters and Clams

Seafood in general can give you a very high yield of this important vitamin. In fact, oysters and clams are packed with B12. Whether they’re fresh or canned, 100 grams of oyster or clam will deliver (on average) a whopping 300+ percent of your daily value of B12. Basically, a handful of clams can put you over the top. So if you’re not cooking with these awesome mollusks, do it!

Sardines

Sardines are affordable, full of protein and omega 3s. These three reasons alone would be enough to convince you to add them to your grocery list, but they’re also a huge source of B12. One can, which is about 80 grams once you drain it, gives you 250% of the daily recommended dose of B12. if canned fish isn’t your thing, buy them fresh and grill them with salt and olive oil.

Tuna and salmon

While there are lots of fish that are B12-rich, I’ll focus on the big two since they are the most well-known and you’ll have a better chance of remembering them when you go out to eat or do your shopping. Tuna and salmon can help you reach your goal easily since less than a 100gram serving will give you more than your recommended amount. Plus you can get them fresh, canned, or you can go get some sushi.

Liver

Since our livers can store B12, it’s not surprising to find out that beef and chicken liver are also an abundant source. Liver might not be popular with everyone, but you can’t beat the iron, protein and B12 it brings to the table with it. Just 1 cup of liver is enough to fetch you over 100% of your necessary requirements.

Milk, cheese and yogurt

Dairy products are another abundant source of B12. About 2 cups of dairy in your diet can help you give your body its necessary dose of vitamins, and let’s face it, if you’re going to eat something fatty once in a while, you can’t go wrong with yogurt and cheese.

Don’t worry, I didn’t forget you. Let’s explore some options for those of you who choose not to consume animal products. It’s more difficult I’ll admit, but it’s not impossible. Let’s do this.

Tofu

I’m reluctant to add this since it’s not in all tofu, but there are some commercially-available tofu products that contain a good enough amount of B12 so I thought it was worth adding it to the list.

Fortified food and drink

Luckily for vegans and vegetarians alike, there is a growing number of B12-fortified products to make it easier to keep their bodies working optimally. This includes fortified cereals, almond and cashew milk and nutritional yeast. Just make sure to do your research and confirm that these products are in fact B12 fortified. This post goes into more detail about the specific products you can buy, check it out.

The takeaway on this one is pretty straightforward. B12 good! B12 deficiency...bad! And it gets more important to monitor your intake as you get older or the more alcohol you drink, so make sure to develop a winning game plan to introduce healthy sources of this important vitamin into your diet.

I live in Canada most of the time, and there are 6 seasons here. There’s fall, winter, fake spring, winter: part 2, actual spring, and then summer. So when actual spring rolls around, we get really excited to get outside and have adventures.

And, since we’re not hibernating anymore, we burn a lot of energy and our diets need to keep up. I made a list of some of my favorite foods that provide you with your daily B12 fix so your body can keep on going.

But first.

What is Vitamin B12?

B-12 is an essential vitamin in creating red blood cells and DNA. It’s also important in promoting healthy nerve function. It’s primarily found in animal products like meat and dairy, but you can also get them in fortified cereals and in supplements if you have dietary restrictions.

So, B12 is pretty important, agreed?

Are you Getting Enough B12?

The short answer? Probably. Most diets in developed countries are rich in B12-dense foods like beef, fish and dairy. But it can happen that some people aren’t getting a sufficient amount of their B12 because it’s not present in all fish or meat. Learning some of the symptoms could help you identify if you might need to see a doctor to confirm if you’re B12 deficient and why.

Some symptoms of B12 deficiency include:

Tingling hands or feet

B12 is crucial to your nervous system, so a symptom can be a persistent tingling in your extremities. Without B12, your body may not be able to produce enough of the myelin that coats nerves and prevents them from being damaged.

Trouble Walking

As the nerves deteriorate, deficient people can also experience limited mobility due to numbness in their feet. This can be accompanied by muscle weakness and slow reflexes.

Fatigue

This one’s obviously tougher to call a symptom because who hasn’t experienced fatigue? But if you experience general fatigue lasting for more than a few days, you should find out why.

Cognitive problems

Less red blood cells means less oxygen being carried throughout your body, including your brain. This can lead to problems with concentration and general memory loss.

Some medical conditions can increase your chances of developing a vitamin deficiency like Crohn’s Disease, Celiac Disease, gastritis, or problems with alcohol abuse.

As you can tell by now, B12 deficiency can be serious business, so let’s make sure you know how to introduce healthy foods into your weekly meal planning that are rich in B12. Luckily, your liver can store B12, but don’t take that to mean that you have the ability to stockpile and release the vitamin when you need it. Just make sure you aim for your daily required 2.4mg per day, which is doable.

So let’s talk about what delicious foods can give you your daily dose of B12.

Eggs

Eggs are plentiful, nutritious and pack a healthy dose of B12. Eating a couple of eggs will give you close to 35% of the daily recommended amount, make sure to keep that in mind when you’re whipping up some breakfast. At about 70 calories a pop and with notable saturated fats, there’s definitely a balance to be found with less fatty sources of this B vitamin.

Oysters and Clams

Seafood in general can give you a very high yield of this important vitamin. In fact, oysters and clams are packed with B12. Whether they’re fresh or canned, 100 grams of oyster or clam will deliver (on average) a whopping 300+ percent of your daily value of B12. Basically, a handful of clams can put you over the top. So if you’re not cooking with these awesome mollusks, do it!

Sardines

Sardines are affordable, full of protein and omega 3s. These three reasons alone would be enough to convince you to add them to your grocery list, but they’re also a huge source of B12. One can, which is about 80 grams once you drain it, gives you 250% of the daily recommended dose of B12. if canned fish isn’t your thing, buy them fresh and grill them with salt and olive oil.

Tuna and salmon

While there are lots of fish that are B12-rich, I’ll focus on the big two since they are the most well-known and you’ll have a better chance of remembering them when you go out to eat or do your shopping. Tuna and salmon can help you reach your goal easily since less than a 100gram serving will give you more than your recommended amount. Plus you can get them fresh, canned, or you can go get some sushi.

Liver

Since our livers can store B12, it’s not surprising to find out that beef and chicken liver are also an abundant source. Liver might not be popular with everyone, but you can’t beat the iron, protein and B12 it brings to the table with it. Just 1 cup of liver is enough to fetch you over 100% of your necessary requirements.

Milk, cheese and yogurt

Dairy products are another abundant source of B12. About 2 cups of dairy in your diet can help you give your body its necessary dose of vitamins, and let’s face it, if you’re going to eat something fatty once in a while, you can’t go wrong with yogurt and cheese.

Don’t worry, I didn’t forget you. Let’s explore some options for those of you who choose not to consume animal products. It’s more difficult I’ll admit, but it’s not impossible. Let’s do this.

Tofu

I’m reluctant to add this since it’s not in all tofu, but there are some commercially-available tofu products that contain a good enough amount of B12 so I thought it was worth adding it to the list.

Fortified food and drink

Luckily for vegans and vegetarians alike, there is a growing number of B12-fortified products to make it easier to keep their bodies working optimally. This includes fortified cereals, almond and cashew milk and nutritional yeast. Just make sure to do your research and confirm that these products are in fact B12 fortified. This post goes into more detail about the specific products you can buy, check it out.

The takeaway on this one is pretty straightforward. B12 good! B12 deficiency...bad! And it gets more important to monitor your intake as you get older or the more alcohol you drink, so make sure to develop a winning game plan to introduce healthy sources of this important vitamin into your diet.