Vitamin B12 deficiency: The five best cheeses to boost your B12 levels

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Vitamin B12 deficiency occurs when a lack of the vitamin causes the body to produce abnormally large red blood cells which can’t function properly.

The body doesn’t produce vitamin B12, so we have to get it through food or supplements.

If you have a B12 deficiency and you don’t treat it, it could lead to heart and lung complications, as the heart struggles to pump oxygen to the vital organs.

Meat, salmon and cod are good sources of vitamin B12, but if you are a vegetarian, you can also get your recommended dose through cheese and other dairy products, as well as eggs.

It is important to remember, however, cheese should only be consumed as part of a balanced diet.

According to food nutrition data website MyFoodData, the following five cheeses have the highest B12 content.

Swiss cheese

Swiss cheese provides the most B12 with 36 per cent daily value per ounce. Daily value (DV) is the percentage of the recommended dietary allowance.

One ounce of cheese is roughly equal to a slice of cheese which is large enough to cover a piece of bread.

Gjetost

Gjetost is a Norwegian goat’s cheese made with whey. It has the second highest B12 content, with a 29 per cent DV per ounce.

Mozzarella

Mozzarella is third in the top five, with a 27 per cent DV per ounce.

Tilsit

Tilsit is a Prussian-Swiss light yellow semi-hard cheese. It has the fourth highest B12 content, with a 25 per cent DV per ounce.

Low-fat cottage cheese

Low-fat cottage cheese is the final contender in the top five, with a 22 per cent DV per ounce.

Other cheeses rich in vitamin B12 include: feta, brie, gruyere, gouda, ricotta, provolone, grated parmesan, blue cheese, romano and cheddar.

Feta has a 20 per cent DV per ounce, while cheddar has a 13 per cent DV per ounce.

If you are a vegan and don’t eat cheese or dairy products, you can also get vitamin B12 through yeast extract, like Marmite, as well as some fortified cereals and soy products.

“Check the nutrition labels while food shopping to see how much vitamin B12 different foods contain,” advises the NHS.