15 Best Foods for Vitamin B12
B12 deficiency is sneaky and common — especially for plant-based eaters. These foods have the most.
Data-backed ranking of the strongest food sources
Daily value context so the numbers mean something
Usage tips and tradeoffs, not just a list of names
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EatAndAchieve Editorial System
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This content is assembled from USDA FoodData Central data, in-house ranking logic, and reusable editorial templates to make nutrition information easier to understand.
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This ranking focuses on foods that meaningfully deliver vitamin b12 per 100g, using USDA FoodData Central as the source of truth. It is a concentration ranking, not a full health score, so the most useful way to read it is to look for foods that fit both your nutrient target and your normal portion sizes.
Why it matters
Vitamin B12 is essential for nerve function, red blood cell formation, and DNA synthesis. It is found almost exclusively in animal foods, making it the nutrient of greatest concern for vegans and vegetarians. Deficiency develops slowly but can cause irreversible nerve damage if left untreated.
Daily target
The FDA daily value is 2.4mcg. Absorption decreases significantly with age — up to 30% of adults over 50 cannot efficiently absorb B12 from food and may need supplements or fortified foods. Strict vegans should supplement.
How to use the list
Clams, liver, and fish are the richest sources. Nutritional yeast and fortified plant milks provide B12 for plant-based eaters. B12 is stored in the liver, so deficiency can take years to develop — but by the time symptoms appear, damage may already be done.
Screening rule
Foods had to clear basic practicality filters before ranking so the list stays useful, not just technically correct.
Best use case
Use this template when you want the single strongest sources of one nutrient and you are willing to compare foods mainly on that axis.
Main caveat
Per-100g leaders are not always everyday staples, which is why calorie density and tradeoffs are called out inside the list.
Goose, liver, raw sits at the top because 54mcg of vitamin b12 per 100g is hard for anything else to match. 2250% of the daily value is enough to make this a serious contributor rather than a token source. It also brings useful amounts of protein (33% DV) and iron (169% DV), so it is not just a one-stat food.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 515mg per 100g.
Mollusks, octopus, common, cooked, moist heat belongs in the top tier of this ranking, with 36mcg of vitamin b12 per 100g. You are looking at 1500% of the daily value per 100g, which is why it stands out in a nutrient-specific ranking like this. There is more here than the main number alone, especially the protein (60% DV) and iron (53% DV). Because protein is high too, it is easier to build a full meal around than some single-purpose nutrient sources.
Worth knowing
High in sodium at 460mg per 100g, so it may not be the best fit for a low-sodium diet.
Mollusks, oyster, Pacific, cooked, moist heat stays near the top because 29mcg per 100g is still a very aggressive number for vitamin b12. 1200% of the daily value is enough to make this a serious contributor rather than a token source. It also brings useful amounts of protein (38% DV) and iron (51% DV), so it is not just a one-stat food.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 100mg per 100g.
Mollusks, mussel, blue, cooked, moist heat stays near the top because 24mcg per 100g is still a very aggressive number for vitamin b12. You are looking at 1000% of the daily value per 100g, which is why it stands out in a nutrient-specific ranking like this. There is more here than the main number alone, especially the protein (48% DV) and iron (37% DV).
Fish, herring, Atlantic, kippered makes the cut on substance, not hype: 19mcg per 100g is enough to matter in an actual diet. You are looking at 779% of the daily value per 100g, which is why it stands out in a nutrient-specific ranking like this. A secondary plus is its protein (49% DV).
Worth knowing
High in sodium at 918mg per 100g, so it may not be the best fit for a low-sodium diet.
Turkey, all classes, heart, cooked, simmered holds its spot because 14mcg of vitamin b12 is still comfortably strong. 579% of the daily value is enough to make this a serious contributor rather than a token source. The extra protein (50% DV) and iron (39% DV) help this entry hold up outside of the headline nutrient.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 359mg per 100g.
Fish, mackerel, salted makes the cut on substance, not hype: 12mcg per 100g is enough to matter in an actual diet. 500% of the daily value is enough to make this a serious contributor rather than a token source. It also chips in with some protein (37% DV).
Worth knowing
High in sodium at 4450mg per 100g, so it may not be the best fit for a low-sodium diet.
Fish, tuna, fresh, bluefin, cooked, dry heat holds its spot because 11mcg of vitamin b12 is still comfortably strong. That translates to 454% of the daily value, so it can materially move your intake in one serving. It also chips in with some protein (60% DV). The strong protein content makes it more practical than foods that only win on one micronutrient.
Emu, fan fillet, cooked, broiled is not the flashiest name on the page, but the nutrient density is real at 9.4mcg per 100g. That translates to 390% of the daily value, so it can materially move your intake in one serving. It also brings useful amounts of protein (63% DV) and iron (25% DV), so it is not just a one-stat food. Because protein is high too, it is easier to build a full meal around than some single-purpose nutrient sources.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 82mg per 100g.
Fish, sardine, Atlantic, canned in oil, drained solids with bone lands lower on the page, but 8.9mcg per 100g is still better than what you get from most foods. You are looking at 373% of the daily value per 100g, which is why it stands out in a nutrient-specific ranking like this. The extra protein (49% DV) and calcium (29% DV) help this entry hold up outside of the headline nutrient.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 142mg per 100g.
Emu, top loin, cooked, broiled is here because even the back half of this list still offers respectable vitamin b12 density. That translates to 363% of the daily value, so it can materially move your intake in one serving. The extra protein (58% DV) and iron (28% DV) help this entry hold up outside of the headline nutrient. Because protein is high too, it is easier to build a full meal around than some single-purpose nutrient sources.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 88mg per 100g.
Emu, ground, cooked, pan-broiled is here because even the back half of this list still offers respectable vitamin b12 density. 355% of the daily value is enough to make this a serious contributor rather than a token source. There is more here than the main number alone, especially the protein (57% DV) and iron (28% DV). The strong protein content makes it more practical than foods that only win on one micronutrient.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 87mg per 100g.
Game meat, muskrat, cooked, roasted lands lower on the page, but 8.3mcg per 100g is still better than what you get from most foods. That translates to 346% of the daily value, so it can materially move your intake in one serving. There is more here than the main number alone, especially the protein (60% DV) and iron (39% DV).
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 121mg per 100g.
Game meat, opossum, cooked, roasted lands lower on the page, but 8.3mcg per 100g is still better than what you get from most foods. That translates to 346% of the daily value, so it can materially move your intake in one serving. There is more here than the main number alone, especially the protein (60% DV) and iron (26% DV).
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 129mg per 100g.
Game meat, raccoon, cooked, roasted rounds out the ranking with 8.3mcg per 100g, which is still enough to be useful if it already fits your meals. You are looking at 346% of the daily value per 100g, which is why it stands out in a nutrient-specific ranking like this. There is more here than the main number alone, especially the protein (58% DV) and iron (39% DV).
Worth knowing
High in saturated fat with 4.07g per 100g, which is worth watching if you are managing heart health or cholesterol.