Some Ways to Get Vitamin B12 as a Vegan or Vegetarian

So, you’re a vegetarian or vegan looking to get some b12 in your body. While some of us find it a simple task, others find it to be one of the most difficult parts about being herbivorous!

We can all agree that b12 is pretty important for the human body. And if we can’t, we can lean on Harvard to tell us that “Vitamin B12 is needed to form red blood cells and DNA. It is also a key player in the function and development of brain and nerve cells.”

B12 is an easy one for omnivores as it tends to be found in high quantities in meats, seafood, milk and eggs. But where can a vegan get their b12?

Some fortified foods like alternate meats and milks, spreads and cereals have b12

If you look at the nutritional table of many plant based alternative foods you’ll find that they have been fortified with b12. This is to help you include them in your diet just as an omnivore would with the traditional version. That is, a vegan chicken-style product may be fortified with b12 to emulate the b12 you would typically get from a traditional chicken. This is quite common across alternative meats and milks, however it is certainly not guaranteed. If you’re on the lookout for b12, make sure to read the nutritional table before assuming (some popular products don’t have any b12 in them!).

Other foods like breakfast cereals and spreads are fortified with b12 as they are a regular food that’s eaten by many people, so it’s a quick sure way to ensure b12 availability to the masses. Personally, this has been my choice of b12. Specifically, I’m a big Marmite fan boy - it’s banging full with not only b12 but also iron and is honestly just delicious.

Tablets or liquids for b12 supplement

A quick search on Google will show you a bunch of b12 tablets or liquids that you can take orally or sublingually. If you’re happy to take tablets then this may be a simple way for you to get b12 in your diet.

You can view all vegan vitamins and supplements you can buy in Australia here.

Injection of b12 supplement

If you’ve been struggling to get enough b12 in your diet and you’re getting low, your doctor may recommend that you receive a b12 injection. This will pump your body full of b12. Ideally, you’re not at the place where you need to be receiving injections, but if you get too far down the rabbit hole then this is a way to pump you back up.

And now toothpaste! 

And this is why I decided to write this article. I recently discovered that Rocc Naturals makes a toothpaste with b12. I asked them whether this can be helpful for getting b12 into the body and they told me that “We formulate based off this academic study showing that a B12 toothpaste is an effective way to supplement into the body”, linking to this research paper. To say the least, I was gobsmacked. 

So, there you have it. Looking for b12? You’ve got a few new pathways up above.

Looking for vegan products? Browse Buy Vegan to find vegan products you can buy in Australia. We’ve listed over 2,500 of them!