As a vegan, you know vitamin B12 is a key component of a healthy plant based diet. But what are vitamin B12 foods for vegans?
How does food affect my B12 status? Should I supplement?
You’ll want to read this entire dietitian written article to get the scoop. Lets dive in!
Disclaimer: This article is just for educational purposes and is not providing personal medical or dietary advice. Consult your doctor if you have any health/diet concerns or want to take a supplement. Please note, food product ingredients/formulations may change. Check your product for updated information. See our Disclaimers for more details.
This post was originally published on 2/17/22. The updated date is listed above.
9 Vitamin B12 Foods For Vegan
Vegan food sources of vitamin B12 include:
- Nutritional Yeast Fortified with Vitamin B12
- Plant Based Milk Fortified with Vitamin B12
- Vegan Cheese Fortified with Vitamin B12
- Vegan Yogurts Fortified with Vitamin B12
- Vegan Cereals Fortified with Vitamin B12
- Vegan Protein/Meal Replacement Bars Fortified with Vitamin B12
- Impossible and Beyond Burgers fortified with vitamin B12
- Loma Linda Veggie “Meats” (certain ones fortified with vitamin B12 )
- Marmite fortified with vitamin B12
Do you see a common theme here? Vegan sources of vitamin B12 must be fortified with vitamin B12 in order to be a source! (more on this in the FAQ section).
Back to the list!
How much vitamin B12 do these products have? What other notable nutrients might they have? Lets get into those details next!
A Friendly Note: I’ve listed vitamin B12 amounts below in micrograms (mcg) but these are just examples, and your product may be different. Food product formulations can change, so make sure that you check your own product to see the amount of vitamin B12 it contains (if any).
While this is a discussion of vegan foods with vitamin B12, it’s widely accepted that a more consistent/reliable source would be through supplements. Those on diets containing plant foods in abundance (such as various vegetarian or flexitarian diets) or primarily vegan foods, older folks, etc, should especially talk to their doctor about supplementing.
1. Nutritional Yeast Fortified With Vitamin B12
- Vitamin B12: Bobs Red Mill Large Flake Nutritional Yeast has about 17.6 mcg per one-fourth cup serving.
Vitamin B12 fortified nutritional yeast probably has the most vitamin B12 per weight than any other vegan food! They can also provide other B vitamins, like biotin.
But what is it? And why does it smell so… different?
Nutritional yeast is deactivated yeast (aka: unsuitable for rising dough) often from the strain called Saccharomyces Cerevisiae.
We are not talking about bakers yeast (the kind you use for bread making)!
Nutritional yeast has been described as imparting a “cheesy flavor”, and popular uses for it include:
- As a topping for popcorn (here’s the popcorn recipe I use alot!)
- As an ingredient in vegan nut based “cheese” (such as cashew cheese)
- For tofu dishes (ie: tofu scramble, ingredient added to breading for tofu, etc.).
The most important catch is that nutritional yeast may or may not be fortified with vitamin B12. However, many available in the US are fortified with the vitamin- just double check the nutrition facts panel.
2. Plant Based Milk Fortified with Vitamin B12
- Vitamin B12: Silk Unsweetened Organic Soy Milk has about 2.5 mcg per 1 cup serving.
Plant based “milks,” like soy, oat, and almond milk are gaining in popularity.
Depending on the ingredients, some may be described as creamy, nutty, or even grainy! Nonetheless, there are so many varieties you’re sure to find a tasty one.
When it comes to finding a vegan “milk” with B12, make sure you read the ingredients!
Some are fortified, some are not. I tend to see that many in the US are not always fortified with vitamin B12. Still, they may have some (but not all) important nutrients dairy milk may have provided, like calcium and iodine.
3. Vegan Cheese Fortified with Vitamin B12
- Vitamin B12: Violife Just Like Cheddar Slices has around 0.5 mcg per slice.
While it is rare to find vegan “cheese” fortified with vitamin B12 in the US, some do exist! I’ve seen some vitamin B12 in certain Violife and Daiya products for example (double check the label to be sure).
Just like the we’ve seen in our previous section, don’t assume your vegan “cheese” provides the same nutrients as dairy cheese, like vitamin A.
4. Vegan Yogurts Fortified with Vitamin B12
- Vitamin B12: So Delicious Unsweetened Plain Coconutmilk Yogurt Alternative contains about 2 mcg per three-fourths a cup serving.
Finding a plant based yogurt with vitamin B12 in the US may be even harder than the cheese example!
When you do find them, they certainly can contribute to your vitamin B12 intake, and pair nicely with the next item on the list…
5. Vegan Cereals Fortified with Vitamin B12
- Vitamin B12: Great Value Strawberry Awake Cereal may have about 0.84 mcg per one and one fourth cup serving.
B12 fortified vegan cereals are quite hard to find in the US, but they do exist!
And if you pair it with some fortified plant based milk, you up the nutrient content.
6. Vegan Protein/Meal Replacement Bars Fortified with Vitamin B12
- Vitamin B12: Huel’s Peanut Butter Complete Protein Bar has around 0.4 mcg of vitamin B12 per bar.
Many vegan protein or meal replacement bars aren’t vitamin B12 fortified, but some are!
7. Impossible And Beyond Burgers (check that they are fortified with vitamin B12)
- Vitamin B12: Impossible Burgers may have about 3.12 mcg of vitamin B12 per 4 ounces (113 grams).
- Beyond Burgers could have around 2.4 mcg vitamin B12 per 1 patty (113 grams).
Both of these burgers have become very popular, possibly due to their similar taste to beef burgers.
The first time I had an Impossible burger, I wondered if I had actually ordered beef one instead! It’s that realistic of a taste. Wild.
8. Loma Linda Veggie “Meats” (Certain Ones Fortified with Vitamin B12)
- Vitamin B12: Loma Linda’s Simple Franks have 1 mcg of vitamin B12 per link.
I grew up eating the fake frankfurters as a child, so these bring back so many memories! And several (but not all of them) are vegan and fortified with vitamin B12.
Here’s a list of the vegan Loma Linda products that have some amount of vitamin B12 in them last time I checked in the US (of course, ingredients may change so check your product:
9. Marmite (fortified with vitamin B12)
- Vitamin B12: 1.9 micrograms Vitamin B12 per serving unprepared
- Marmite Reduced Salt Yeast Extract Spread: 2 mcg Vitamin B12 per serving unprepared.
What is marmite? A yeast based extract spread (typically put on various types of bread), that has been described as having a umami flavor.
Vegemite 40% Less Salt may contain some vitamin B12 fortification as well-check the labels!
FAQ About Vegan Food and Vitamin B12
First of all, everyone needs an adequate amount of vitamin B12! But vegans must either supplement or get sufficient vitamin B12 fortified foods consistently (and spaced throughout the day).
That’s because this essential nutrient is only found in vitamin b12 rich bacteria and in animal products that vegans avoid, ( dairy, meat, fish, and eggs). Using a supplement is widely accepted as a more consistent way to get vitamin B12. This essential nutrient is important to support the function of of our nerves and red blood cell formation(1).
The RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) for non pregnant or lactating adults is 2.4 micrograms (mcg) per day(1).
The EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) suggests an Adequate Intake (AI) of at least 4 mcg per day for adults who are not pregnant or lactating(2).
While we have an RDA, Vitamin B12 absorption is a bit complicated. In large doses, not all vitamin B12 is absorbed.
For the cyanocobalamin form of vitamin B12, NutritionFacts.org suggests a vitamin B12 supplement of about 50 mcg per day for adults under 65 years old.
Many factors could increase the amount of vitamin B12 you need, such as those who have malabsorption, gastrointestinal disorders or surgery on the GI tract.
Older adults and those who have reduced Intrinsic Factor (a protein from the stomach that helps absorb vitamin B12 may also need more.
Talk to your doctor about an appropriate vitamin B12 supplement regimen for you.
A vitamin B12 deficiency can have severe consequences including: megaloblastic anemia (larger red blood cells), nervous system disorders (such as cognitive impairment), gait problems. It can also cause neural tube defects and developmental delays in infants born to vitamin B12 deficient mothers(5).
Case in point: make a plan to get a reliable source of this essential nutrient!
We aren’t quite sure how much is too much vitamin B12. An UL (upper limit) has not yet been set for vitamin B12 by the Food and Nutrition Board(1).
However, this doesn’t mean that there are zero consequences for taking lots of vitamin B12, nor does it mean that an UL will not be set in the future. We need more research in this area. As a water soluble vitamin, excess can be removed.
Chat with your doctor if you need a vitamin B12 supplement.
If you are vegan, you will need to supplement vitamin B12 or meticulously plan intake of vitamin B12 foods spread throughout the day.
If you are plant based or vegetarian you also want to strongly consider supplementing vitamin B12 to supplement as it can be more challenging to get enough(3). Again, while you could meet your needs through foods fortified with vitamin B12, you would need to be consistent, get enough, and space intake of these foods throughout the day. That’s a a lot of stuff to keep in mind!
It’s widely accepted that the easiest way to be consistent is to take a supplement. Talk to your doctor about the appropriate type and dosage for your situation. He or she may want to check your B12 levels and other labs to assess your B12 intake, and decide on an appropriate dose.
Injections are also available for certain uses (1).
Additionally, those with kidney disease should talk to their doctor about some additional things. (learn more in this Vegan Health.org article).
Finally, other forms of vitamin B12 in supplements include methylcobalamin, adenosylcobalamin, and hydroxocobalamin but they have been less studied.
Some multivitamins may have enough vitamin B12, and others do not. Talk to your doctor about whether or not your multivitamin has enough vitamin B12 for you. Remember, your needs will vary depending on your health conditions, life stage, etc.
Fruits and vegetables do not provide vitamin B12. You may have seen some chatter about contamination with vitamin B12 containing bacteria, however this is not consistent, and we don’t have any evidence for it being a reliable way to maintain normal vitamin B12 status.
Again, active vitamin B12 in food is only found in animal products and foods that have been fortified with this nutrient.
It’s really important to be clear about this if we want to be the best advocates for animals! Taking care of your nutrient needs as a vegan shows compassion for yourself and the values you hold as a vegan.
No. Some may have inactive B12 “analogues” (for lack of better word), but these are not the active form of vitamin B12 in the body. Furthermore, these analogues could actually suppress active vitamin B12 and contribute to symptoms of deficiency(6).
Again, the only vegan foods that contain useable vitamin B12 are B12 fortified foods – like we have discussed in the list above.
Final Words
Vitamin B12 foods for vegans include vitamin B12 fortified nutritional yeast, plant based milks and fake meats.
Remember, vegan foods must be fortified with vitamin B12 to be a food source. Other plant based foods do not provide active vitamin B12.
Vegans need to ensue they are getting a reliable and adequate amount of this essential nutrient. For questions, talk to their doctor about an appropriate supplement regimen.
Relying on fortified foods alone may not be the best strategy for several reasons, including the risk of being inconsistent or not eating enough for your unique needs.
Did this post help clarify your questions about vitamin B12 foods for vegans? Leave us a comment below!
If you enjoyed this topic about nutrition, you should check out these other helpful articles about vegan food and nutrition such as:
–High Calorie Vegan Foods
–Iodine Sources for Vegans
–Biotin for Vegans
–Vitamin A, and more!
If you want to learn more about being or staying vegan: