Meat and poultry high in vitamin B12 (per serving)
48 meat and poultry ranked by vitamin B12 per common serving, from USDA FoodData Central. Beef leads with 70.66 µg per 3 oz (2,944% of the Daily Value), followed by Turkey, all classes (23.95 µg) and Lamb, New Zealand (7.55 µg).
Top 10 at a glance
Top 10 meat and poultry highest in vitamin B12
- Beef, variety meats and by-products (liver, cooked, pan-fried)3 oz (85 g) · 149 kcal70.66 µg2,944% DV
- Turkey, all classes (liver, cooked, simmered)3 oz (85 g) · 161 kcal23.95 µg998% DV
- Lamb, New Zealand (imported, testes, cooked, soaked and fried)3 oz (85 g) · 106 kcal7.55 µg314% DV
- Beef, plate steak (boneless, outside skirt, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, choice, cooked, grilled)3 oz (85 g) · 247 kcal6.95 µg290% DV
- Game meat, rabbit (wild, cooked, stewed)3 oz (85 g) · 147 kcal5.53 µg231% DV
- Beef, chuck (shoulder clod, top blade, steak, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 0" fat, select, cooked, grilled)3 oz (85 g) · 180 kcal5.25 µg219% DV
- Beef, shoulder top blade steak (boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, select, cooked, grilled)3 oz (85 g) · 159 kcal4.55 µg190% DV
- Beef, loin (tenderloin steak, boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, choice, cooked, grilled)3 oz (85 g) · 179 kcal4.4 µg184% DV
- Beef, top loin petite roast (boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 1/8" fat, select, cooked, roasted)3 oz (85 g) · 152 kcal3.95 µg165% DV
- Game meat, deer (tenderloin, separable lean only, cooked, broiled)3 oz (85 g) · 127 kcal3.08 µg128% DV
All 48 meat and poultry ranked
Sort any column. Serving sizes are USDA household measures (a cup, a medium fruit, 3 oz of cooked meat or fish, 1 oz of nuts or cheese). %DV is based on the FDA Daily Value of 2.4 µg.
| # | Food | Serving | Vitamin B12 (µg) | % Daily Value | Per 100 g | kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beef, variety meats and by-products (liver, cooked, pan-fried) | 3 oz (85 g) | 70.66 | 83.13 | 149 | |
| 2 | Turkey, all classes (liver, cooked, simmered) | 3 oz (85 g) | 23.95 | 28.17 | 161 | |
| 3 | Lamb, New Zealand (imported, testes, cooked, soaked and fried) | 3 oz (85 g) | 7.55 | 8.88 | 106 | |
| 4 | Beef, plate steak (boneless, outside skirt, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, choice, cooked, grilled) | 3 oz (85 g) | 6.95 | 8.18 | 247 | |
| 5 | Game meat, rabbit (wild, cooked, stewed) | 3 oz (85 g) | 5.53 | 6.51 | 147 | |
| 6 | Beef, chuck (shoulder clod, top blade, steak, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 0" fat, select, cooked, grilled) | 3 oz (85 g) | 5.25 | 6.18 | 180 | |
| 7 | Beef, shoulder top blade steak (boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, select, cooked, grilled) | 3 oz (85 g) | 4.55 | 5.35 | 159 | |
| 8 | Beef, loin (tenderloin steak, boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, choice, cooked, grilled) | 3 oz (85 g) | 4.4 | 5.18 | 179 | |
| 9 | Beef, top loin petite roast (boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 1/8" fat, select, cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 3.95 | 4.65 | 152 | |
| 10 | Game meat, deer (tenderloin, separable lean only, cooked, broiled) | 3 oz (85 g) | 3.08 | 3.62 | 127 | |
| 11 | Lamb, Australian (imported, fresh, shoulder, arm, separable lean only, trimmed to 1/8" fat, cooked, braised) | 3 oz (85 g) | 3.03 | 3.56 | 202 | |
| 12 | Veal, ground (cooked, pan-fried) | 3 oz (85 g) | 3 | 3.53 | 183 | |
| 13 | Lamb, shoulder (whole (arm and blade), separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, cooked, broiled) | 3 oz (85 g) | 2.64 | 3.11 | 178 | |
| 14 | Lamb, cubed for stew or kabob (leg and shoulder) (separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, cooked, broiled) | 3 oz (85 g) | 2.58 | 3.03 | 158 | |
| 15 | Game meat, elk (tenderloin, separable lean only, cooked, broiled) | 3 oz (85 g) | 2.52 | 2.96 | 138 | |
| 16 | Game meat, bison (separable lean only, cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 2.43 | 2.86 | 122 | |
| 17 | Lamb, leg (shank half, separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 2.3 | 2.71 | 153 | |
| 18 | Lamb, rib (separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, cooked, broiled) | 3 oz (85 g) | 2.24 | 2.64 | 200 | |
| 19 | Bison, ground (grass-fed, cooked) | 3 oz (85 g) | 2.07 | 2.44 | 152 | |
| 20 | Turkey, ground (93% lean, 7% fat, pan-broiled crumbles) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.61 | 1.9 | 181 | |
| 21 | Veal, foreshank (osso buco, separable lean only, cooked, braised) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.6 | 1.88 | 133 | |
| 22 | Turkey, skin (from retail parts, from dark meat, cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.57 | 1.85 | 352 | |
| 23 | Turkey, retail parts (breast, meat only, cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.5 | 1.76 | 116 | |
| 24 | Turkey, whole (skin (light and dark), roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.45 | 1.71 | 390 | |
| 25 | Turkey, back (from whole bird, meat only, with added solution, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.45 | 1.7 | 108 | |
| 26 | Veal, shank (fore and hind) (separable lean only, cooked, braised) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.39 | 1.64 | 150 | |
| 27 | Game meat, goat (cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.01 | 1.19 | 122 | |
| 28 | Pork, ground (72% lean / 28% fat, cooked, crumbles) | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.99 | 1.17 | 334 | |
| 29 | Chicken, canned (no broth) | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.85 | 1 | 157 | |
| 30 | Pork, shoulder (petite tender, boneless, separable lean and fat, cooked, broiled) | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.65 | 0.76 | 132 | |
| 31 | Pork loin, fresh (backribs, bone-in, cooked-roasted, lean only) | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.64 | 0.75 | 217 | |
| 32 | Pheasant, cooked (total edible) | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.61 | 0.72 | 203 | |
| 33 | Chicken, broilers or fryers (rotisserie, original seasoning, back, meat only, cooked) | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.6 | 0.71 | 174 | |
| 34 | Pork, loin (leg cap steak, boneless, separable lean and fat, cooked, broiled) | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.59 | 0.69 | 134 | |
| 35 | Pork, Shoulder breast (boneless, separable lean and fat, cooked, broiled) | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.52 | 0.61 | 138 | |
| 36 | Pork, Leg sirloin tip roast (boneless, separable lean and fat, cooked, braised) | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.49 | 0.58 | 133 | |
| 37 | Chicken, ground (crumbles, cooked, pan-browned) | 3 oz crumbled (85 g) | 0.43 | 0.51 | 161 | |
| 38 | Goose, domesticated (meat only, cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.42 | 0.49 | 202 | |
| 39 | Chicken, broilers or fryers (thigh, meat and skin, cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.37 | 0.44 | 197 | |
| 40 | Chicken, broilers or fryers (dark meat, thigh, meat and skin, cooked, braised) | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.36 | 0.43 | 195 | |
| 41 | Dove, cooked | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.35 | 0.41 | 181 | |
| 42 | Duck, domesticated (meat only, cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.34 | 0.4 | 171 | |
| 43 | Chicken, broilers or fryers (leg, meat only, cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.33 | 0.39 | 148 | |
| 44 | Quail, cooked (total edible) | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.31 | 0.36 | 193 | |
| 45 | Turkey breast, pre-basted (meat and skin, cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.27 | 0.32 | 107 | |
| 46 | Chicken patty, frozen (cooked) | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.25 | 0.29 | 244 | |
| 47 | Turkey thigh, pre-basted (meat and skin, cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.2 | 0.24 | 133 | |
| 48 | Turkey and gravy, frozen | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.2 | 0.24 | 57 |
Vitamin B12 in specific foods
How this list is built. Values are from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, with Foundation Foods analytical updates where available). The pool is 1,677 whole foods: fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds, grains, fish, meat, poultry, dairy and eggs. Spices, herbs, baby foods, powders, flours, dried and freeze-dried items, juices, processed meats, organ meats other than liver and uncommon foods are excluded; meats, fish, grains and legumes are ranked cooked. Each food family appears once and no single animal or plant fills more than six places. Ranking is by amount per serving; the per-100 g column is shown for reference. A food that USDA has not analysed for vitamin B12 is left out rather than counted as zero. Full methodology.
Frequently asked questions
Which food is highest in vitamin B12?
Among meat and poultry in the USDA database, Beef, variety meats and by-products (liver, cooked, pan-fried) has the most vitamin B12 per serving: 70.66 µg per 3 oz (2,944% of the Daily Value). Per 100 g it contains 83.13 µg.
How much vitamin B12 do I need per day?
The FDA Daily Value used on Nutrition Facts labels is 2.4 µg of vitamin B12 for adults and children aged 4 and over. Individual needs vary with age, sex, pregnancy and health conditions.
What counts as a food high in vitamin B12?
FDA labeling rules call a food a 'good source' when one serving provides 10 to 19% of the Daily Value and 'high' or 'excellent' at 20% or more. 36 of the 48 foods on this list reach 20% DV per serving.
Related rankings
- Foods high in Vitamin C
- Foods high in Vitamin D
- Foods high in Vitamin A
- Foods high in Vitamin E
- Foods high in Vitamin K
- Foods high in Vitamin B6
- All foods high in vitamin B12
- Fish and seafood high in vitamin B12
- Dairy and eggs high in vitamin B12
Nutrient values are from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, April 2018; Foundation Foods, April 2026) and shown per serving as described on each page. %DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. This is nutrition data for general information, not medical or dietary advice; talk to a clinician or registered dietitian about your own needs. How the numbers are calculated.