Senior Nutrition - 5 Best Synthetic Sources for Fortified Vitamin B12

By Anna Hazard

Cobalamin (Vitamin B12) Structure

This is the second in our article series regarding Vitamin B12, a necessary nutrient for all ages and of particular interest to the elderly. For a basic introductory guide and list of the best sources of natural B12, please check out last week's blog post here.
 
As the best natural sources for Vitamin B12 are all meat or animal based products, vegans & vegetarians may wish to seek out foods that were fortified with B12 during their production and packaging process instead. Such foods tend to be cereal grain, bean, or seed based with a smattering of fungus based offerings as well.
 
The current recommended daily dose of Vitamin B12 for adults age 14+ is 2.4ug (micrograms) per day.
 
Listed below are the five best synthetic sources for dietary Vitamin B12, further broken down into the best types or brands of food readily available per subtype.

Synthetic Sources

Fortified Cereals

• 3.5 oz serving
• 5 ug of Vitamin B12 per serving (average)
• Daily Recommended Value - 208%
• Best Choices:

• Kellogg's All Bran Complete Wheat Flakes
  • Daily Recommended Value - 875%
  • 21 ug of Vitamin B12 per serving

• General Mills Multi-grain Cheerios
  • 21 ug of Vitamin B12 per serving
  • Daily Recommended Value - 875%

• Kelloggs All-Bran Bran Buds
  • 20 ug of Vitamin B12 per serving
  • Daily Recommended Value - 833%

• Kelloggs Product 19
  • 20 ug of Vitamin B12 per serving
  • Daily Recommended Value - 833%

• General Mills Whole Grain Total
  • 20 ug of Vitamin B12 per serving
  • Daily Recommended Value - 833%

• Kelloggs Special K   
  • 20 ug of Vitamin B12 per serving
  • Daily Recommended Value - 833%

Fortified Soy

• Tofu Sausage (Tofurky Italian Sausage)
  • 3.5 oz per serving
  • 2.9 ug of Vitamin B12 per serving
  • Daily Recommended Value - 120%

• Tofu (Silken)
  • 3 oz serving
  • Average 2 ug of Vitamin B12 per serving
    
  • Daily Recommended Value - 83%

• Soy Burger
  • 2.5 oz per serving
  • Average 1.8 ug of Vitamin B12 per serving
    
  • Daily Recommended Value - 75%

• Light Plain Soy Milk
  • 1 cup serving
  • Average 1.2 ug of Vitamin B12 per serving
    
  • Daily Recommended Value - 50%

Fortified Nutritional Yeast (Red Star)

• 2 tablespoons serving
  
• 2.4 ug ug of Vitamin B12 per serving
  
• Daily Recommended Value - 100%
  

Fortified Vegan Milk (Non-soy)

• Coconut Milk (Silk)
  • 1 cup serving
    
  • 1.2 ug of Vitamin B12 per serving
  • Daily Recommended Value - 50%
    

• Almond Milk (Silk)
  • 1 cup serving
  • 1.2 ug of Vitamin B12 per serving
  • Daily Recommended Value - 50%
    

• Rice Milk (Rice Dream)
  • 1 cup serving
  • 0.6 ug of Vitamin B12 per serving
  • Daily Recommended Value - 25%
    

Fortified Vegan Mayonnaise (Nasoya Nayonaise)

• 1 tablespoon serving
  
• 0.25 ug of Vitamin B12 per serving
  
• Daily Recommended Value - 10%