Do Nuts Provide Vitamin B12?
[TL;DR: Nuts are not a reliable source of Vitamin B12. While they’re packed with other important nutrients, B12 is mainly found in animal products or fortified foods. If you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, fortified products or supplements are usually needed to meet daily B12 requirements.]
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Vitamin B12 (also known as Cobalamin) is an essential nutrient and water-soluble vitamin belonging to the B Vitamin group. It is needed to make red blood cells, protect the nervous system and synthesise DNA. [It also plays a key role in energy metabolism and cognitive health.]
It’s possible to get enough B12 from food sources – animal products such as meat, fish, eggs and dairy products are all good sources to boost your B12 intake.
Unfortunately, for vegetarians and vegans, it’s hard to get the right amount of Vitamin B12 every day.
Vegetarian diets exclude meat and fish and vegan diets exclude dairy and eggs too.
Plant foods aren’t usually good sources of B12 and so it is recommended that veggies and vegans take a B12 supplement or incorporate foods fortified with Vitamin B12 such as cereals and plant-based milk to help meet requirements. [This advice is still widely recommended by nutrition professionals today.]
As this essential nutrient is so important but food sources are limited, it’s always a good safety net to take dietary supplements and include fortified foods which are a potent source of Vitamin B12 (such as nutritional yeast) to avoid Vitamin B12 deficiency.
Nuts don’t provide Vitamin B12 in an amount that would significantly contribute to daily requirements.
However, a popular source of Vitamin B12 in the plant-based community is almond milk.
This plant-based milk alternative is often fortified with vitamins and minerals which aren’t usually abundant in a vegetarian or vegan diet – such as Vitamin B12. In fact, 250ml almond milk (the amount you’d use to make a long drink or coffee) typically provides around 50% of your daily requirement for B12. [Always check labels, as fortification levels can vary between brands.]
Nuts are a great source of plant-based protein, fibre, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals, which all help to boost the intake of essential nutrients in any diet – plant-based or animal-based. While they are not high in B12, they contain a whole spectrum of nutrients that help to optimise overall health and well-being.
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