Meats High in Vitamin B12: Top 30 per 100 g & per Serving
Per 100 g, the meats highest in vitamin B12 are Turkey liver (raw) (20 µg, 822% DV), Turkey heart (raw) (13 µg, 554% DV) and Turkey giblets (raw) (13 µg, 544% DV). Per typical serving, Turkey giblets (raw) gives the most: 1 giblets (157 g) has 21 µg (854% DV). 38 of the 41 meats ranked are a good source (10% DV or more) in a typical serving; 35 reach 20% DV, the FDA bar for “high in”.
Highest in vitamin B12 per 100 g
30 of 41 ranked meats, most vitamin B12 first. % = share of the FDA Daily Value. n/r = not reported.
| Rank | Food | Per 100 g | Typical portion | Per portion | Per 200 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Turkey liver (raw) | 20 µg822% DV | 1 raw liver78 g | 15 µg641% DV | 31 µg |
| 2 | Turkey heart (raw) | 13 µg554% DV | 4 oz113 g | 15 µg626% DV | 19 µg |
| 3 | Turkey giblets (raw) | 13 µg544% DV | 1 giblets157 g | 21 µg854% DV | 21 µg |
| 4 | Chicken giblets (raw) | 11 µg475% DV | 1 giblets75 g | 8.6 µg357% DV | 18 µg |
| 5 | Turkey gizzard (raw) | 3.6 µg150% DV | 1 raw gizzard63 g | 2.3 µg95% DV | 6.5 µg |
| 6 | Lamb leg (shank half, separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, raw) | 2.6 µg110% DV | 1 oz28 g | 0.75 µg31% DV | 4.2 µg |
| 7 | Lamb foreshank (separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, raw) | 2.5 µg102% DV | 1 oz28 g | 0.69 µg29% DV | 4.1 µg |
| 8 | Beef (chuck for stew, separable lean and fat, select, raw) | 2.4 µg101% DV | 4 oz113 g | 2.7 µg114% DV | 3.9 µg |
| 9 | Lamb rib (separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, raw) | 2.4 µg99% DV | 1 oz28 g | 0.67 µg28% DV | 2.8 µg |
| 10 | Honey roll sausage (beef) | 2.4 µg98% DV | 1 slice23 g | 0.54 µg23% DV | 2.6 µg |
| 11 | Lamb foreshank (separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, raw) | 2.3 µg98% DV | 1 oz28 g | 0.66 µg28% DV | 2.3 µg |
| 11 | Lamb foreshank (separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/8" fat, choice, raw) | 2.3 µg98% DV | 1 oz28 g | 0.66 µg28% DV | 2.3 µg |
| 13 | Beef (chuck for stew, separable lean and fat, choice, raw) | 2.3 µg95% DV | 4 oz113 g | 2.6 µg107% DV | 3.5 µg |
| 14 | Ground beef (97% lean meat / 3% fat, raw) | 2.3 µg94% DV | 4 oz113 g | 2.6 µg106% DV | 3.7 µg |
| 15 | Ground beef (95% lean meat / 5% fat, raw) | 2.2 µg93% DV | 4 oz113 g | 2.5 µg105% DV | 3.3 µg |
| 16 | Ground beef (93% lean meat / 7% fat, raw) | 2.2 µg93% DV | 4 oz113 g | 2.5 µg105% DV | 2.9 µg |
| 17 | Lamb loin (separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, raw) | 2.2 µg92% DV | 1 oz28 g | 0.63 µg26% DV | 3.1 µg |
| 18 | Ground beef (70% lean meat / 30% fat, raw) | 2.1 µg86% DV | 1 oz28 g | 0.59 µg24% DV | 1.2 µg |
| 18 | Lamb loin (separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/8" fat, choice, raw) | 2.1 µg86% DV | 1 oz28 g | 0.59 µg24% DV | 1.5 µg |
| 20 | Beef (grass-fed, ground, raw) | 2 µg82% DV | 4 oz113 g | 2.2 µg93% DV | 2 µg |
| 21 | Salami (Italian, pork and beef, dry, sliced, 50% less sodium) | 1.9 µg79% DV | 1 serving 5 slices28 g | 0.53 µg22% DV | 1.1 µg |
| 22 | Turkey (dark meat, meat and skin, raw) | 1.8 µg77% DV | 4 oz113 g | 2.1 µg87% DV | 2.2 µg |
| 23 | Ground turkey (raw) | 1 µg42% DV | 4 oz113 g | 1.1 µg47% DV | 1.4 µg |
| 24 | Beef (top sirloin, steak, separable lean only, trimmed to 1/8" fat, select, raw) | 0.94 µg39% DV | 4 oz113 g | 1.1 µg44% DV | 1.5 µg |
| 25 | Pork belly (raw) | 0.84 µg35% DV | 4 oz113 g | 0.95 µg40% DV | 0.32 µg |
| 26 | Ground pork (84% lean / 16% fat, raw) | 0.73 µg30% DV | 4 oz113 g | 0.82 µg34% DV | 0.67 µg |
| 27 | Ground pork (raw) | 0.7 µg29% DV | 1 oz28 g | 0.2 µg8% DV | 0.53 µg |
| 28 | Chicken skin (raw) | 0.65 µg27% DV | 4 oz113 g | 0.73 µg31% DV | 0.3 µg |
| 29 | Ground pork (96% lean / 4% fat, raw) | 0.64 µg27% DV | 4 oz113 g | 0.72 µg30% DV | 1.1 µg |
| 30 | Pork carcass (separable lean and fat, raw) | 0.61 µg25% DV | 1 oz28 g | 0.17 µg7% DV | 0.32 µg |
Most vitamin B12 per typical serving
The same meats ranked by what one typical USDA portion gives, which is what you eat.
| Rank | Food | Per 100 g | Typical portion | Per portion | Per 200 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Turkey giblets (raw) | 13 µg544% DV | 1 giblets157 g | 21 µg854% DV | 21 µg |
| 2 | Turkey liver (raw) | 20 µg822% DV | 1 raw liver78 g | 15 µg641% DV | 31 µg |
| 3 | Turkey heart (raw) | 13 µg554% DV | 4 oz113 g | 15 µg626% DV | 19 µg |
| 4 | Chicken giblets (raw) | 11 µg475% DV | 1 giblets75 g | 8.6 µg357% DV | 18 µg |
| 5 | Beef (chuck for stew, separable lean and fat, select, raw) | 2.4 µg101% DV | 4 oz113 g | 2.7 µg114% DV | 3.9 µg |
| 6 | Beef (chuck for stew, separable lean and fat, choice, raw) | 2.3 µg95% DV | 4 oz113 g | 2.6 µg107% DV | 3.5 µg |
| 7 | Ground beef (97% lean meat / 3% fat, raw) | 2.3 µg94% DV | 4 oz113 g | 2.6 µg106% DV | 3.7 µg |
| 8 | Ground beef (95% lean meat / 5% fat, raw) | 2.2 µg93% DV | 4 oz113 g | 2.5 µg105% DV | 3.3 µg |
| 9 | Ground beef (93% lean meat / 7% fat, raw) | 2.2 µg93% DV | 4 oz113 g | 2.5 µg105% DV | 2.9 µg |
| 10 | Turkey gizzard (raw) | 3.6 µg150% DV | 1 raw gizzard63 g | 2.3 µg95% DV | 6.5 µg |
| 11 | Beef (grass-fed, ground, raw) | 2 µg82% DV | 4 oz113 g | 2.2 µg93% DV | 2 µg |
| 12 | Turkey (dark meat, meat and skin, raw) | 1.8 µg77% DV | 4 oz113 g | 2.1 µg87% DV | 2.2 µg |
| 13 | Chicken (meat and skin, raw) | 0.31 µg13% DV | 1/2 chicken460 g | 1.4 µg59% DV | 0.29 µg |
| 14 | Chicken (meat only, raw) | 0.37 µg15% DV | 1/2 chicken329 g | 1.2 µg51% DV | 0.62 µg |
| 15 | Ground turkey (raw) | 1 µg42% DV | 4 oz113 g | 1.1 µg47% DV | 1.4 µg |
Most vitamin B12 per 200 kcal
Nutrient density: vitamin B12 for the same 200 calories of each food.
| Rank | Food | Per 100 g | Typical portion | Per portion | Per 200 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Turkey liver (raw) | 20 µg822% DV | 1 raw liver78 g | 15 µg641% DV | 31 µg |
| 2 | Turkey giblets (raw) | 13 µg544% DV | 1 giblets157 g | 21 µg854% DV | 21 µg |
| 3 | Turkey heart (raw) | 13 µg554% DV | 4 oz113 g | 15 µg626% DV | 19 µg |
| 4 | Chicken giblets (raw) | 11 µg475% DV | 1 giblets75 g | 8.6 µg357% DV | 18 µg |
| 5 | Turkey gizzard (raw) | 3.6 µg150% DV | 1 raw gizzard63 g | 2.3 µg95% DV | 6.5 µg |
| 6 | Lamb leg (shank half, separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, raw) | 2.6 µg110% DV | 1 oz28 g | 0.75 µg31% DV | 4.2 µg |
| 7 | Lamb foreshank (separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, raw) | 2.5 µg102% DV | 1 oz28 g | 0.69 µg29% DV | 4.1 µg |
| 8 | Beef (chuck for stew, separable lean and fat, select, raw) | 2.4 µg101% DV | 4 oz113 g | 2.7 µg114% DV | 3.9 µg |
| 9 | Ground beef (97% lean meat / 3% fat, raw) | 2.3 µg94% DV | 4 oz113 g | 2.6 µg106% DV | 3.7 µg |
| 10 | Beef (chuck for stew, separable lean and fat, choice, raw) | 2.3 µg95% DV | 4 oz113 g | 2.6 µg107% DV | 3.5 µg |
| 11 | Ground beef (95% lean meat / 5% fat, raw) | 2.2 µg93% DV | 4 oz113 g | 2.5 µg105% DV | 3.3 µg |
| 12 | Lamb loin (separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, raw) | 2.2 µg92% DV | 1 oz28 g | 0.63 µg26% DV | 3.1 µg |
| 13 | Ground beef (93% lean meat / 7% fat, raw) | 2.2 µg93% DV | 4 oz113 g | 2.5 µg105% DV | 2.9 µg |
| 14 | Lamb rib (separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, raw) | 2.4 µg99% DV | 1 oz28 g | 0.67 µg28% DV | 2.8 µg |
| 15 | Honey roll sausage (beef) | 2.4 µg98% DV | 1 slice23 g | 0.54 µg23% DV | 2.6 µg |
Which foods are ranked
- The 41 meats on CalorieExplorer with a reported vitamin B12 value. They are generic USDA FoodData Central rows (Foundation Foods and SR Legacy) with a plain name: no branded products, restaurant items, survey mixed dishes, baby foods or regional specialty rows.
- Only foods with more than 0 µg are ranked (41 meats); a food with no reported value is left out, never counted as 0.
- Flours, crude brans, powders and dehydrated foods, juice concentrates, mixes, sugars and fortified foods are not ranked: per 100 g they beat every food eaten as is.
- Ties share a rank: foods with the same value per 100 g get the same number, and the next number is skipped.
- Typical portion = USDA's own serving weight for that food (a medium fruit, 1 cup, 1 oz…), as on its food page. Per 200 kcal shows how much you get for the same calories; foods under 5 kcal per 100 g are not ranked that way (–).
- % DV = share of the FDA Daily Value for vitamin B12, 2.4 µg a day for adults and children 4 and older.
- FDA lets a label call a food “high in” a nutrient when one reference serving gives 20% of the Daily Value or more, and a “good source” at 10–19% (21 CFR 101.54). We apply it to the typical USDA portion, which is not always the label's reference amount.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central (Foundation Foods 2026-04-30; SR Legacy 2018-04). Values per 100 g as published in each food's record, at FDC's precision; serving weights from the same records, retrieved 2026-10-13. Each food page names its FDC ID.
% Daily Value: FDA Daily Values (2016 Nutrition Facts label rule, 21 CFR 101.9), adults and children 4+. How we calculate.
Last updated . Values are averages for the food as described; brands, varieties and cooking change them. Not medical advice.