Vitamin B12 deficiency is a common health problem that can have serious consequences

"B12 is scarce in the diet, and it is found only in foods from animal sources." This statement is actually not correct, there are plant based sources of B12, including shiitake mushrooms and seaweed. A major source for many vegans is nutritional yeast. I am very concerned that this kind of misinformation is being published by a major news outlet. As a long term vegetarian (for over 30 years) and now vegan (for around 5 years), I have never had any B12 issues.

I think they meant digestible forms of any significance and this article explains how hard it is to get it from plants sources: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4042564/.

I was vegetarian for about a year and I felt awful. I really recommend against it unless you have such extreme beliefs that you're willing to risk your health for them. I feel much better eating organ meats and dairy...

WELL said Helen Addams.....There are many sources of Vit B12 besides the flesh of dead animal carcasses.

Very misleading ' Wobot ' !! ...you should have had a BALANCED vegetarian diet, which you obviously didnt.

there are plant based sources of B12, including shiitake mushrooms and seaweed

Are you sure about that? I've read they contain zero B12. I may be wrong, but I wouldn't want people to think shiitake and seaweed contain B12 if they don't. The link below lists some vegan sources of B12.

https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/the-health-hub/vitamins-and-supplements/vitamins/vitamin-b/sources-of-vitamin-b12/

I find it interesting that the vegan issue was totally avoided.

How politically correct of the author.

The fact that Vegans followed by vegetarians have the highest percentage of B12 deficiency with a German study showing pure vegetarians (no Milk eggs, cheese ) vegans has as high as 92% of the population having B12 deficiency.

In India it is 45% with the percentage lower among those that consumed dairy products.

even though B12 deficiency is a common health problem that affects an estimated 6% to 20% of the U.S. population.

In the rich countries like the USA Vegans still have an average of 20% the upper scale and why I continually say the concept of vegan is a rich country only idea.

Fruits like apples, bananas, blueberries, and oranges are some fruits that are high in vitamin B12. B12 foods for vegetarians that contain a very high amount of Vitamin B12 namely- Spinach, Beetroot, Potatoes, Mushrooms, alfalfa, and others.

B12 foods for vegetarians that contain a very high amount of Vitamin B12 namely- Spinach, Beetroot, Potatoes, Mushrooms, alfalfa, and others.

If these foods are modified (GMO) versions, then the amount of B12 in them could be a lot less than people realize.