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Information on Food Sources With Iron & B12

The body needs sufficient supplies of iron and vitamin B12 to produce healthy red blood cells. A deficiency of either nutrient eventually will result in anemia, a condition in which the body has an insufficient number of red blood cells. Iron and vitamin B12 can be obtained naturally from dietary sources, and a number of foods are rich in both nutrients.

  1. Considerations

    • Food sources that supply both iron and vitamin B12 typically are animal food sources because, unlike iron, vitamin B12 can be obtained naturally only from animal food sources. According to the Vegetarian Society, studies indicate that there are no reliable plant food sources for B12. MedLinePlus supports this conclusion, indicating that while non-animal dietary sources exist, they have highly variable and unreliable B12 content.

    Meats

    • Meat products offer a rich source of both iron and vitamin B12. In particular, liver and other organ meats are vitamin-rich and also packed with iron. Duck, pork and chicken liver provide the highest levels of the two nutrients, followed by turkey, lamb and beef liver. Red meat such as beef, venison and lamb as well as pork and poultry also contain high levels of iron and B12.

    Shellfish

    • Shellfish provides a good source of both iron and vitamin B12. According to Canadian Aquaculture, 100 grams of clams contain enough iron to meet the recommended daily intake for both men and women, and the same amount meets the recommended daily B12 intake. Shellfish can be eaten raw, fried, steamed or baked.

    Fortified Foods

    • Certain foods such as breakfast cereals and soy products are fortified with additional nutrients, including iron, B12 and other vitamins. This can be determined from the product packaging, which will indicate the specific amount of each nutrient per serving. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of iron is 18 milligrams and the RDA for vitamin B12 is 6 micrograms. Fortified foods are an important source of B12 for strict vegans who do not eat any animal products.

    Fish

    • Fish can provide another good dietary supply of the two nutrients. Rainbow trout, salmon, cod and tuna are among fish that provide the highest supply. Caviar (fish eggs) also contains high levels of both iron and B12.

    Eggs and Dairy

    • Eggs, particularly egg yolks, are another good food source for these nutrients. Goose and duck eggs contain higher levels than chicken eggs. Milk and milk products provide a good supply of iron and B12 as well.

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