💡 Quick Answer
The richest food sources of vitamin B12 are animal foods: 50 g of raw lamb liver has 45.0 µg, 100 g of clams 11.3 µg and 100 g of mackerel 8.7 µg, against a daily need of 2.4 µg. For vegetarians, the practical sources are milk (1.1 µg per glass), curd (0.6 µg per 150 g), cheese and fortified foods. Plant foods such as dal, vegetables and mushrooms have almost none.
- Non-veg: liver, clams, sardines, mackerel, salmon, trout and eggs, in that order of strength.
- Vegetarian: skimmed milk powder (1.2 µg per 30 g), cheese, milk, curd and fortified cereal.
- Vegan: only fortified foods or a B12 supplement.
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Vitamin B12 is the nutrient Indian vegetarians are most likely to run short of. It is made by bacteria, not by plants, so it sits almost entirely in animal foods, and a mostly vegetarian diet can leave you low without any warning for years. People search for it in many forms: "vitamin b12 rich foods", "b12 veg foods", "b12 kisme hota hai", "b12 foods in Hindi". This page answers all of them with real amounts per serving, not just a list of names.
The daily value used throughout is 2.4 µg (micrograms) for adults, the US Recommended Dietary Allowance from the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Needs are higher in pregnancy and breastfeeding. Percentages below are against 2.4 µg.
Vitamin B12 in Non-Vegetarian Indian Foods
The table lists a typical serving of each food with its B12, calories and protein. The ranking is stark: organ meats and shellfish are in a different league from everything else.
| Non-vegetarian source | Serving | Calories | Protein | Vitamin B12 per serving | % of 2.4 µg daily value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lamb liver, raw (mutton kaleji) | 50 g | 70 kcal | 10.2 g | 45.0 µg | 1876% |
| Chicken liver, raw | 50 g | 60 kcal | 8.5 g | 8.3 µg | 345% |
| Clams, raw | 100 g | 86 kcal | 14.7 g | 11.3 µg | 470% |
| Sardines, canned in oil | 85 g (1 small tin, drained) | 177 kcal | 20.9 g | 7.6 µg | 317% |
| Mackerel, raw | 100 g | 205 kcal | 18.6 g | 8.7 µg | 363% |
| Rainbow trout, raw | 100 g | 141 kcal | 19.9 g | 4.3 µg | 179% |
| Salmon, farmed, raw | 100 g | 208 kcal | 20.4 g | 3.2 µg | 135% |
| Carp (rohu is a carp), raw | 100 g | 127 kcal | 17.8 g | 1.5 µg | 64% |
| Lamb leg, lean, raw (mutton) | 100 g | 125 kcal | 20.5 g | 2.6 µg | 110% |
| Shrimp, cooked | 100 g | 119 kcal | 22.8 g | 1.7 µg | 69% |
| Egg, hard-boiled | 1 large egg (50 g) | 78 kcal | 6.3 g | 0.6 µg | 23% |
| Chicken breast, roasted | 100 g | 165 kcal | 31.0 g | 0.3 µg | 14% |
Source: USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy). IFCT 2017 does not report vitamin B12, so USDA is the source for every value. Raw rows are weighed raw. Rohu is a carp, but USDA carp is common carp, so treat it as a close guide.
A few points that matter in daily eating. Liver is the strongest source by a distance, but it is also very high in vitamin A, so most people should eat it occasionally rather than daily, and pregnant women should check with a doctor before eating it often. Among everyday foods, oily fish such as mackerel (bangda) and sardines give a full day's B12 in a single portion. Eggs and chicken are modest: a boiled egg gives 0.6 µg and 100 g of roasted chicken breast only 0.3 µg, so you need several servings across the day. In Hindi, the key words are kaleji (liver), machhli (fish), ande (eggs) and mutton.
Vitamin B12 in Vegetarian Foods
This is the list most Indian readers need. Dairy is the main natural vegetarian source, and fortified foods are the second.
| Vegetarian source | Serving | Calories | Protein | Vitamin B12 per serving | % of 2.4 µg daily value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skimmed milk powder | 30 g (about 3 tbsp) | 109 kcal | 10.8 g | 1.2 µg | 50% |
| Cheese, Swiss | 30 g slice | 118 kcal | 8.1 g | 0.9 µg | 38% |
| Cheese, mozzarella, whole milk | 30 g | 90 kcal | 6.7 g | 0.7 µg | 28% |
| Fortified cereal (corn flakes) | 30 g bowl | 115 kcal | 1.8 g | 1.6 µg | 67% |
| Cow milk, whole | 250 ml glass (about 250 g) | 152 kcal | 7.9 g | 1.1 µg | 47% |
| Curd (plain whole-milk yogurt) | 150 g (small katori) | 92 kcal | 5.2 g | 0.6 µg | 23% |
| Cottage cheese, low fat | 100 g | 74 kcal | 12.4 g | 0.6 µg | 26% |
| Mushrooms, white, raw | 100 g | 22 kcal | 3.1 g | 0.0 µg | 2% |
| Tempeh | 100 g | 192 kcal | 20.3 g | 0.1 µg | 3% |
Source: USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy). Fortified cereal values vary by brand and recipe; the row is USDA's Ralston corn flakes entry. Paneer is not in USDA tables, so cottage cheese is shown as the closest cheese.
Read the table carefully. A glass of milk covers about 46 percent of the daily value, a small katori of curd about 25 percent, and a 30 g bowl of fortified cereal about 67 percent. That means a lacto-vegetarian eating milk, curd and cheese daily can reach the target, but only with steady intake. The last two rows show why plant foods do not count: mushrooms and tempeh give almost nothing, and the B12 sometimes claimed for them, or for sprouts, spirulina and seaweed, is mostly inactive analogues that do not meet the body's needs. In Hindi: doodh (milk), dahi (curd), paneer and chaas. Paneer and chaas are less well characterised in food tables, so treat them as modest sources.
Best Vegetarian Sources of B12, Ranked
- Fortified foods and supplements. The most reliable route, especially for vegans.
- Milk and milk powder. Skimmed milk powder is concentrated: 1.2 µg in 30 g.
- Cheese. Swiss gives 0.9 µg per 30 g slice; mozzarella 0.7 µg.
- Curd and buttermilk. Useful but lower, around 0.5 to 0.6 µg per katori of curd.
- Eggs for eggetarians: 0.6 µg each.
Who Is at Risk of B12 Deficiency?
Strict vegetarians and vegans, older adults (absorption drops with age), people on metformin or long-term acid-reducing drugs, and anyone with gut conditions such as coeliac or Crohn's disease. The body stores B12 in the liver for years, which is why deficiency creeps in. Tiredness, tingling in the hands and feet, mouth ulcers, memory trouble and mood changes can all be signs, but only a blood test can tell. Our guide to B12 deficiency symptoms in vegetarians covers the signs and what to ask your doctor, and iron and B12 for women covers the overlap with anaemia.
How to Build a B12-Safe Day
- Vegetarian, with dairy: a glass of milk at breakfast, a katori of curd at lunch and cheese or a fortified cereal as a snack gets you about 1.7 µg from milk and curd alone, more with cheese or cereal.
- Eggetarian: add two eggs for about 1.1 µg.
- Non-vegetarian: fish twice a week, with the occasional liver, covers weekly needs easily.
- Vegan or doubtful: use a fortified food daily or a supplement, and test your level. Dose and form should come from your doctor.
Cooking loses some B12, but milk and eggs hold most of theirs. These figures are for typical foods; actual amounts vary by animal feed and brand.
If you track meals in the UltraFit360 app, protein and calories log automatically, and you can use the protein calculator to set a daily target alongside this nutrient check. Other pages in the nutrition hub cover protein in curd, protein in milk and protein in egg.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which foods are richest in vitamin B12?
Liver (45.0 µg in 50 g of raw lamb liver), clams (11.3 µg per 100 g), sardines, mackerel, trout and salmon are the richest. Eggs, milk, curd and cheese are lower but easier to eat daily.
What are the best vitamin B12 veg foods?
Milk, curd, cheese and skimmed milk powder are the main natural vegetarian sources, plus fortified foods. A glass of milk gives about 1.1 µg and 150 g of curd about 0.6 µg, against a daily need of 2.4 µg.
Do dal, vegetables or mushrooms have vitamin B12?
Not in useful amounts. Dal, vegetables, fruit and mushrooms have close to zero active B12 in food tables. Be careful with claims about sprouts, spirulina or seaweed: they often contain inactive analogues.
Vitamin B12 kisme hota hai (in Hindi)?
B12 doodh, dahi, paneer, ande, machhli, mutton aur kaleji (liver) mein hota hai. Shakahari logon ko doodh, dahi aur fortified khane se milta hai; vegan logon ko supplement ki zarurat padti hai.
Is one egg enough for daily B12?
No. A hard-boiled egg gives about 0.6 µg, which is under half of the 2.4 µg daily value. Combined with milk or curd it helps, but fish or fortified foods get you there faster.
Can a vegetarian get enough B12 from diet alone?
A lacto-vegetarian who has milk, curd and cheese every day can get close to 2.4 µg, but the margin is thin. Vegans cannot get reliable B12 from unfortified food. A blood test and, if advised, a supplement is the safe route.
How much B12 do adults need per day?
The US RDA for adults is 2.4 µg a day (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements), higher in pregnancy and breastfeeding. Your doctor may advise more if you are deficient.
Sources: USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) for every food value; IFCT 2017 (ICMR-NIN) does not list vitamin B12. The 2.4 µg daily value is the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements adult RDA. This page is general information, not medical advice.
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