5 Rich Vegetarian Sources Of Vitamin B-12

Dairy products

Unlike vegans, vegetarians include dairy products in their diets. These foods are naturally high in vitamin b-12. An 8-ounce glass of milk, for example, provides 0.9 micrograms of vitamin b-12. As the dietary reference intake is 2.4 micrograms, a glass of milk provides 37.5 percent of your daily vitamin b-12. An 8-ounce cup of yogurt provides the same amount, while 1 ounce of cheese contains 0.2 micrograms, or 8.3 percent of your daily vitamin b-12.

Yeasts

Yeast extract spreads are a good vegetarian source of vitamin b-12 and are also suitable for vegans. A 1-tablespoon serving of these spreads -- typically served on toast or crackers -- contains 0.09 micrograms of vitamin b-12, or 3.75 percent of your daily intake. Although most brewer's and nutritional yeasts do not naturally contain vitamin b-12, fortified yeasts are another good source of this vitamin. These products are typically labeled as vegan or vegetarian nutritional yeast flakes. Depending on the brand, adding as little as 2 teaspoons to your breakfast cereal or smoothie or with a spread on toast can provide 100 percent of your daily vitamin b-12 intake.

Eggs

Eggs are naturally high in vitamin b-12. One large chicken egg yolk contains 0.33 micrograms of vitamin b-12, or 13.8 percent of your daily intake. In comparison with chicken's eggs, the eggs of other birds contain much more vitamin b-12. For example, a single duck egg contains 3.78 micrograms of vitamin b-12, while a goose egg contains 7.34 micrograms. As there are no known risks of excessive vitamin b-12 intake, it is safe for you to use duck and goose eggs as a daily b-12 source. You can use duck and goose eggs in place of chicken eggs in most dishes. However, goose eggs are three to four times larger than chicken or duck eggs, so you will need to adjust recipes accordingly.

Fortified foods

Fortified foods are a good vegetarian source of vitamin b-12. These include soy products, dairy alternatives and breakfast cereals. For example, a single veggie burger patty contains 1.41 micrograms and a cup of fortified bran flakes contains 1.5 micrograms of the nutrient. Respectively, these amounts account for 58.8 and 62.5 percent of your daily vitamin b-12 intake. Because not all fortified soy products and breakfast cereals contain vitamin b-12, read nutritional information labels before making a purchase.