title: Vitamin B₁₂-containing plant food sources for vegetarians.
abstract: The usual dietary sources of Vitamin B12 are animal-derived foods, although a few plant-based foods contain substantial amounts of Vitamin B12. To prevent Vitamin B12 deficiency in high-risk populations such as vegetarians, it is necessary to identify plant-derived foods that contain high levels of Vitamin B12. A survey of naturally occurring plant-derived food sources with high Vitamin B12 contents suggested that dried purple laver (nori) is the most suitable Vitamin B12 source presently available for vegetarians. Furthermore, dried purple laver also contains high levels of other nutrients that are lacking in vegetarian diets, such as iron and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Dried purple laver is a natural plant product and it is suitable for most people in various vegetarian groups.
authors.affiliation: Division of Applied Bioresources Chemistry, The United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Tottori University, Tottori 680-8553, Japan. watanabe@muses.tottori-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Fumio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: Division of Applied Bioresources Chemistry, The United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Tottori University, Tottori 680-8553, Japan. yabuta@muses.tottori-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Yukinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yabuta
authors.affiliation: Division of Applied Bioresources Chemistry, The United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Tottori University, Tottori 680-8553, Japan. D12A3003M@edu.tottori-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bito
authors.affiliation: Division of Applied Bioresources Chemistry, The United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Tottori University, Tottori 680-8553, Japan. D13A3003Z@edu.tottori-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Teng
mesh_terms: D000363:Agaricales / Q000737:chemistry; D014676:Diet, Vegetarian; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D019266:Iron, Dietary / Q000032:analysis; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012624:Seaweed / Q000737:chemistry*; D014675:Vegetables / Q000737:chemistry*; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D019266:Iron, Dietary; D014805:Vitamin B 12