Hacker News Reader

Comment by amelius | Hacker News Reader

> your brain really does want you to eat more veggies

Meat/fish is also important for the brain as it is a good source of vitamin B12. Even a slight deficiency of this vitamin can cause mental problems. This is something to be aware of when following a vegetarian diet.

View on HN

Most animal produce is only a good source of B12 because the animals have been supplemented themselves. Lack of B12 is more an effect of industrialization of the food production. Less of the type of diet you choose.

Here in the UK a single 250ml 'energy drink' gives you 80% of the RDA for B12 (depending on brand), though as with lots of RDA's when you start really digging in you find a lot of them are old and possibly dated.

What are non meat dietary sources of B12? Or does it mean you'd need to consider supplements?

This list seems to think its present in some dishes?

http://www.dietandfitnesstoday.com/vegetables-high-in-vitami...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_B12#Sources

Supplements mainly.

An interesting anecdote about B12 is that it's actually coming from bacteria, usually found in the ground.

Animals are rich in B12 because they eat grass. Technically if you don't wash your vegetables you would get more B12, but you would also increase your chances of catching a bad bug.

B12 isn't synthesised by any animals or plant, we just get it by proxy. (and by the way, industrially raised cattle who don't see the light of day are supplemented in B12 just so you don't have to)

So to come back to your original question, I have my B12 mainly from:

- Marmite (if you fancy that, but I would understand if you disliked it very much)

- Some supplements flakes to put on my salads (byproduct of beer I believe, something like Engevita). It doesn't look like it but I actually enjoy it on my greens (lettuce, cucumber, or any salad)

- The very occasional meat/fish. I'm neither vegan nor vegetarian, but I changed my diet to consider these as a treat.

You are correct: Animals and plants don't synthesize B12, bacteria do. However, these bacteria are also found in the small intestine of humans. So you might want to add them to your list of contributors.

Check out this study [1]. This fact is usually not mentioned in the livestock industry fear-mongering propaganda ("You will eventually die without meat").

[1] http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v283/n5749/abs/283781a0...

Mainly yeast, via products fermented with yeast. So beer, marmite, fermented vegetable foods, etc.

Yeah, you can get B12 from eggs, milk without consuming meat/fish.. it's not vegan though.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com