Top 10 Foods Highest in Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)

Vitamin B-12, or Cobalamin, is the largest and most complex vitamin currently known to man. A slight deficiency of vitamin B-12 can lead to anemia, fatigue, mania, and depression, while a long term deficiency can cause permanent damage to the brain and central nervous system. Vitamin B12 can only be manufactured by bacteria and can only be found naturally in animal products, however, synthetic forms are widely available and added to many foods like cereals.

Vitamin B12 can be consumed in large doses because excess is excreted by the body or stored in the liver for use when supplies are scarce. Stores of B12 can last for up to a year.

Foods high in Vitamin B12 include shellfish, liver, fish, crab, fortified soy products (tofu, soymilk), fortified cereals, red meat, low fat dairy, cheese, and eggs. Below are the top 10 foods highest in vitamin B12 by common serving sizes, click here for high vitamin B12 foods by nutrient density, here for an extended list of vitamin B12 rich foods, and here for other foods high in vitamin B. For even more see the articles for vegan and vegetarian sources of vitamin B12.

#1: Shellfish (Cooked Clams)

Vitamin B12 in 100g	3oz (85g)	20 small clams (190g)
98.9μg (1648% DV)	84.1μg (1401% DV)	187.9μg (3132% DV)

Other Shellfish High in Vitamin B12 (%DV per 3oz serving cooked): Oysters (408%), and Mussels (340%). 

#2: Liver (Beef)

Vitamin B12 in 100g	3oz Serving (85g)	Per Slice (81g)
83.1μg (1386% DV)	70.7μg (1178% DV)	67.3μg (1122% DV)

Other Liver Products High in Vitamin B12 (%DV per 3oz serving): Liverwurst Sausage (189%), Pate de Foie Gras (133%) and Chicken Liver Pate (114%). 

#3: Fish (Mackerel)

Vitamin B12 in 100g	3oz Serving (85g)	Per Fillet (88g)
19.0μg (317% DV)	16.2μg (269% DV)	16.7μg (279% DV)

Other Fish High in Vitamin B12 (%DV per 3oz serving cooked): Smoked Salmon (257%), Herring (186%), Tuna (154%), Canned Sardines (126%) and Trout (106%). 

#4: Crustaceans (Crab)

Vitamin B12 in 100g	3oz Serving (85g)	Per Leg (134g)
11.5μg (192% DV)	9.8μg (163% DV)	15.4μg (257% DV)

Other Crustaceans High in Vitamin B12 (%DV per 3oz serving cooked): Crayfish (44%), Shrimp (24%) and Lobster (20%). 

#5: Fortified Soy Products (Silken Tofu)

Vitamin B12 in 100g	3oz Serving (85g)	Per 1/5 package (91g)
2.4μg (40% DV)	2.0μg (34% DV)	2.2μg (37% DV)

Light Plain Soymilk contains (50% DV) of Vitamin B12 per cup. 

#6: Fortified Cereals (All Bran)

Vitamin B12 in 100g	Per Cup (90g)	Per Serving(1/3 Cup - 30g)
20.0μg (333% DV)	18.0μg (300% DV)	6.0μg (100% DV)

#7: Red Meat (Beef)

Vitamin B12 in 100g	3oz Serving (85g)	Per Medallion (34g)
6.0μg (100% DV)	5.1μg (85% DV)	2.0μg (34% DV)

Lamb is also High in Vitamin B12 with (45% DV) per 3oz serving cooked. 

#8: Low Fat Dairy (Skim Milk)

Vitamin B12 in 100g	Per Cup (245g)	Per Quart (980g)
0.5μg (8% DV)	1.2μg (21% DV)	4.9μg (82% DV)

Other Dairy Foods High in Vitamin B12 (%DV per cup): Nonfat Yogurt (25%), Reduced Fat Milk (22%), Whole Milk (18%), and Full Fat Yogurt (15%). 

#9: Cheese (Swiss)

Vitamin B12 in 100g	1oz Serving (28g)	Per Cup Shredded (108g)
3.1μg (51% DV)	0.86μg (14% DV)	3.3μg (55% DV)

Other Cheeses High in Vitamin B12 (%DV per 1 oz serving): Reduced Fat Mozzarella, Parmesan and Gietost (11%), Tilsit (10%) and Feta (8%). Full list of High Vitamin B12 Cheeses. 

#10: Eggs (Chicken)

Vitamin B12 in 100g (Yolk)	Per Yolk (17g)	Per Whole Egg (50g)
2.0μg (33% DV)	0.3μg (6% DV)	0.36μg (6% DV)

Other Eggs High in Vitamin B12 (%DV per whole egg, raw):Goose (122%), Duck (63%), Turkey (22%), and Quail (2%). 

Source: healthaliciousness