Posted by Rai Cornell | May 10, 2022

Replenish Your Energy With These Vitamin B12 Sources

If we’re honest, a lot of us rely on way too much caffeine to get through the day. But, especially on a plant-based diet, it’s important to make sure you’re getting all the right nutrients. Many Vitamin B12 sources, for example, are found in animal products, so you’ll need to be extra proactive about getting more of them in your diet for more natural energy.

While caffeine does give you a quick boost of energy, consuming too much of it comes with a whole list of adverse effects, including anxiety, insomnia, increased blood pressure, and dependency, not to mention all the sugar and other unhealthy ingredients you may be pumping into your body. 

Reducing caffeine and ensuring you’re getting enough Vitamin B12 will help you maintain healthier, more natural energy levels than those that you might acquire with the help of caffeine.

Read on to learn more about Vitamin B12 sources that will help you stay energized without excessive caffeination.

What Is Vitamin B12?

Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient that helps your body convert food into energy. To be clear: It has not been proven to quickly boost your energy levels like caffeine, but it also won’t lift you up on energy and then make you crash, either. 

More importantly, a lack of Vitamin B12 can cause symptoms such as fatigue, shakiness, and muscle stiffness. Vitamin B12 also helps your body produce red blood cells and DNA elements, fortify your immune system, and more. 

Rather than trying to take extra Vitamin B12 for extra energy (it doesn’t work like that), you simply want to be sure you’re getting enough of this essential nutrient.

Outstanding Foods: Replenish Your Energy with These Vitamin B12 Sources

Unfortunately, most Vitamin B12 sources are things like meat, dairy, and other animal products. Thankfully, there are other ways to make sure you’re getting enough of this essential nutrient, even if you’re meat and or dairy-free.

Plant-based Vitamin B12 Sources

While Vitamin B12 isn’t found in a lot of plant-based foods, there are a number of foods available that have been fortified, meaning they’ve had extra nutrients added — including Vitamin B12. Here are a few fortified Vitamin B12 sources to try:

    • Plant milk: Fortified oat, nut, coconut, or soy milk will give you plenty of vitamins and nutrients without having to resort to dairy. 
    • Cereal: Skip the sugar-encrusted cereal varieties and pick some that are fortified with Vitamin B12 and other important nutrients. That’s at least two healthy choices (less sugar and more nutrients) in one purchase!
  • Fruit juice: Already drink fruit juice on the regular? Why not swap out your favorite flavor for the fortified version and get in some extra nutrients and vitamins?
  • Nutritional yeast: Especially when fortified with vitamins (including Vitamin B12), nutritional yeast can be a healthy, dairy-free seasoning in place of cheese or other savory flavors. It also provides a number of health benefits on its own, including boosting the immune system.
  • Outstanding puffs: Not only are our Outstanding Puffs packed with addictive flavor and plant-based protein, but they’re also excellent Vitamin B12 sources. What’s not to love?

    • Keep in mind that not all fortified foods are good Vitamin B12 sources. You’ll want to check the ingredients to ensure there’s actually Vitamin B12 added. Additionally, watch out for foods that have been fortified with folic acid, as too much of that can actually add to problems caused by Vitamin B12 deficiency.

    Fortify Your Energy 

    While a quick fix sounds tempting, in the long run, it’s far better to boost your energy naturally through healthy, nutrient-rich eating. By supplementing your plant-based diet with some of the above Vitamin B12 sources, you’ll ensure your body gets what it really needs to keep producing energy. 

    Ready to get started with some healthy, delicious snacks? Check out our store today.

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