Question

The richest sources of vitamin $B_{12}$ are
A. Rice and hen’s egg
B. Carrot and chicken’s breast
C. Goat’s liver and Spirulina
D. Chocolate and green gram

Answer 1

Hint: Omnivorous people obtain their requirements for vitamin $B_{12}$ by consuming animal products, but vegans are dependent on fortified foods because this vitamin is not naturally present in plants and plant products.

Complete Answer:
- Vitamin $B_{12}$ is a water soluble vitamin. It is also known as cobalamin. It acts as a cofactor in numerous important metabolic processes. It has an important role in synthesis of myelin, thus, it is important for the normal functioning of the nervous system. It also plays an important role in the maturation of red blood cells in the bone marrow. In short we can say that vitamin $B_{12}$ is essential for the function of all the cells.
- The rich sources of vitamin $B_{12}$ are animal products like fish, poultry, eggs, meat, milk and milk products. The vitamin $B_{12}$ is generally not found in plant products and hence, vegans are recommended to consume either a dietary supplement or fortified foods (foods containing artificially added vitamins).
- Animals store vitamin $B_{12}$ in the liver and muscles in their body and some animals pass the vitamin into their eggs and milk. Therefore, meat, liver, eggs and milk are good sources of the vitamin.
- Among the given options, vitamin $B_{12}$ is not present in rice, carrot and green gram, however in chocolate; it is present in small fractions.
- Goat’s liver is one of the richest sources of vitamin $B_{12}$. Spirulina is a cyanobacterium that contains vitamin $B_{12}$ like analogues in good amounts.

Thus, the correct answer is ‘C’, i.e., Goat’s liver and Spirulina.

Note: Vitamin $B_{12}$ like analogues present in Spirulina referred to as pseudovitamin $B_{12}$. It is biologically inactive in humans. That is why now Spirulina is not regarded as a reliable source of vitamin $B_{12}$.