What Is Added Vitamin B12 & What Foods Can I Find It In?
Vitamin B12 is not just one vitamin.
They come in several forms and collectively are called vitamin B or cobalamins because they all contain the mineral cobalt.
Plant foods don't contain vitamin B12.
People who have trouble absorbing vitamin B12 from foods, as well as vegetarians and vegans, who don't eat animal foods, are required to and will benefit from vitamin B12-fortified food.
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Vitamin B12 Added To Foods
Vitamin B12 is found naturally in some foods and added to others.
Food companies add vitamin E to different foods like breakfast cereals, fruit juices, margarine, and spreads.
They fortified the foods by having the vitamin added to them. (source ◳)
You can find benefits of vitamin B12 in Vitamin B12: 6 Research-Backed Benefits .
Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Vegetarians and vegans are at greater risk of developing vitamin B12 deficiency because natural vitamin B12 is only found in animal foods. They need added vitamin B12.
Fortified breakfast cereals and fortified nutritional yeasts are some of the sources of vitamin B12 they can eat. (source ◳)
Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency:
- Lack of appetite
- Anaemia
- Insomnia
- Fatigue
- Confusion
- Headache
- Memory loss
- Depression
Vitamin B12 deficiency is difficult to detect clinically and even more difficult to diagnose by laboratory testing.
Which unfortunately leads to that many people with vitamin B12 deficiency are commonly under-treated or misdiagnosed.
Synthetic Vitamin B12
Synthetic vitamin B12 that is added to fortified foods, is in a free form.
This means that the body can absorb it quicker than when it comes from food sources.
Even people with atrophic gastritis, which can't absorb vitamin B12 from foods, can usually absorb the synthetic vitamin B12. (source ◳)
Foods You Can Find Added Vitamin B12 In
You find added vitamin B12, mostly in breakfast cereals, and snack products.
Examples of food sources include
- Kellogs All-Bran
- General Mills Total
- Kellogg's Product 19
- Special K
- Kashi Heart To Heart Honey Toasted Oat
- Granola
- Special K Low Fat Granola
Foods in our nutrition tool
You can find regularly updated, top ranked lists of foods for over 200+ nutrients in our nutrition tool.
If you are interested in what foods contain the most added vitamin B12, we recommend you visit our tool.
Here's our top ranked list of foods that contain Vitamin B12, added.
