Vitamin B12 is the most chemically complex of all the vitamins, and the only one your body cannot obtain from plants. It is found almost exclusively in animal foods such as meat, fish, eggs and dairy, which is why vegans are routinely advised to supplement. Working hand in hand with folate, B12 keeps your blood, nerves and DNA in good repair. Because the body stores it in the liver, a shortfall can take years to surface, often appearing first as fatigue, tingling hands or a curiously sore tongue.
What is Vitamin B12?
Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin that plays a critical role in building healthy red blood cells, copying DNA and maintaining the protective myelin sheath that insulates your nerves. While many general diets overlook it, maintaining optimal levels of Vitamin B12 is frequently tracked by people working to optimize their Homocysteine.
Top Foods High in Vitamin B12
A data-driven breakdown of the foods with the highest concentration of Vitamin B12 per 100 g.
| Food | Vitamin B12 | % DV |
|---|---|---|
| Mussels | 12 µg | 500% |
| Sardines | 8.94 µg | 372.5% |
| Mackerel | 8.71 µg | 362.9% |
| Salmon (Atlantic) | 5.7 µg | 237.3% |
| Rainbow Trout | 4.3 µg | 179.2% |
| Tuna (canned, light) | 2.55 µg | 106.3% |
| Mozzarella | 2.28 µg | 95% |
| Lean Beef (95% lean) | 2.24 µg | 93.3% |
| Scallops | 1.41 µg | 58.8% |
| Parmesan | 1.2 µg | 50% |
| Shrimp | 1 µg | 41.5% |
| Cod | 0.91 µg | 37.9% |
| Eggs | 0.89 µg | 37.1% |
| Cheddar Cheese | 0.88 µg | 36.7% |
| Tilapia | 0.76 µg | 31.6% |
How Vitamin B12 Impacts Homocysteine
Research links diets rich in Vitamin B12 to changes in Homocysteine. Diets naturally abundant in this compound often support lower Homocysteine markers by donating a methyl group that, alongside folate, remethylates homocysteine back into the amino acid methionine rather than letting it accumulate.
Written by the Nutrition Encyclopedia team · medically reviewed by Dr. Sunaina Tariq, MBBS
Last updated 22 June 2026
How we source & verify data · Medical disclaimer
Nutrition values are approximations compiled from public food-composition databases (USDA FoodData Central) and are provided for educational purposes only — not medical advice.
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