Posted by If you’ve recently discovered you are low in vitamin B12 you may be wondering how do I effectively increase my B12 consumption. Sure you could pick up high quality vitamin B12 on Amazon, but isn’t there a more delicious method to get enough B12?
If you happen to be vegetarian or vegan unfortunately food sources of vitamin B12 are pretty slim (nuts and beans are your best friend), unless you look for fortified foods. This synthetic form of B12 found in fortified foods is most likely cyanocobalamin. Unfortunately, cyanocobalamin is the synthetic form of B12 and many of us can’t utilize it effectively in our bodies.
It has been discovered that around 60% of Americans have a genetic mutation that prevents the conversion of cyanocobalamin to an active form of B12. When this conversion does not work properly we can develop a vitamin B12 deficiency (even if our blood levels of B12 are in the normal range)
But vitamin supplements are boring right?
It would be much preferred if we could get all the B12 we need from food sources of course. You are looking at nuts and beans if you are vegan, you can throw in eggs if you are vegetarian.
For those that eat meat your options expand a bit to include beef (especially the liver), clams, poultry, fish and dairy products like milk, yogurt and cheese.
With that mix I’m sure you can come up with some delicious ways to get more vitamin B12 in your diet.
Let’s take for example this tasty meal plan:
I’m a big fan of dessert first so let’s warm up with a nutritious high energy “dessert”. Whole grain raspberry bars.
These yummy bars are high in lots of B vitamins including B1, B3, B6 and B9. You’ll also get plenty of healthy fats from walnuts, flax seeds and wheat germ.
Now on to a quick appetizer before the main meal, white wine mussels. Just throw together some shallots, chili pepper, garlic, lime juice and simmer that up with white wine and a little olive oil – oh and don’t forget the muscles.
Muscles are a wonderful source of B2 and B12. 400% of your daily value of B12 in fact if you eat 20 of them. Let’s not ruin our appetite quite that much though because we have a scrumptious main menu item coming.
We’re talking Salmon kababs!
Salmon is one heck of a powerhouse in the vitamin B department. Salmon gives you B1, B3, B5, B6 and B12 all in one tasty bite. Spruce up your kababs with a light pesto with plenty of basil and Parmesan cheese and you have a winning main course.
Even though vitamin deficiencies are serious business you always need to have fun with food. When you can design a tasty menu that also fortifies your health you have a winning combination.
Speaking of fun, look at the benefits of methyl folate vs folic acid in the video below
