With a sudden nip in the air, we can already sense that winter is here. It is that time of the year, when we can enjoy chilly evenings, warm and cozy blankets, delicious hot chocolates, cakes, halwa and more. But before everything, what remains most important is keeping up a good health. Winter brings along several health issues – the most common ones being cold, cough, sore throat etc. This is why, experts suggest loading up on healthy nutrients to boost immunity against the seasonal diseases.  One such essential nutrient is vitamin B12. It is dubbed to be one of the most vital nutrients our body needs for active functioning. Deficiency of vitamin B12 leads to exhaustion, fatigue, lethargy et al. Also known as cobalamin, it helps boost metabolism and immunity. 

Also Read: Here’s How You Can Add These 5 Vitamin B12 Foods To Your Diet This Winter

As human body doesn’t produce vitamin B12, experts suggest including it through healthy diet. But what remains a major concern is, vegetarians (and vegans) often face vitamin B12 deficiency, as the most popular sources of this nutrient remain egg, chicken, meat et al. According to Dr. Ritika Sammadar from Max Healthcare, Saket, New Delhi, “Vegetarians and vegans should take special care of their diet. They must include vitamin-fortified foods in their daily diet to avoid vitamin B12 deficiency.” 

Considering this, we have prepared a list of some vitamin B12-enriched vegetarian foods that can be a part of your everyday diet. Let’s take a look. 

Spinach is a good source of Vitamin B12.

Vitamin B12 Rich Foods: Here’re 5 Vegetarian Food Options For You: 

1. Spinach: 

 Known to be a superfood, spinach is a storehouse of nutrients that help you with overall growth. And the best part is, you can use it to make an extensive range of recipes – from smoothies to soup – and enjoy throughout the day. 

2. Beetroot: 

Besides being enriched with iron, beetroots are also known to be storehouse of vitamin B12. This is why, experts suggest inclusion of beetroot in your daily diet for healthy and wholesome diet.  

3. Chickpeas: 

For the ones who do not eat chicken, chickpeas make the best substitute. Besides vitamin B12, it is loaded with fibre, protein and several other essential nutrients that make chickpeas an ideal option to add to your diet. 

Yoghurt is full of health benefits.

4. Yogurt: 

Yogurt has always been known to be amazing for gut-health, thanks to the probiotics. But did you know, low fat yogurt is loaded with vitamin b12 too? That’s not all. Besides yogurt, you will also find enough of this vitamin in low-fat milk/paneer too. And for the vegans, you can replace paneer with tofu and milk with soy milk. 

5. Whey: 

Do you throw away the whey water after curdling milk? If yes, then you should give a second thought as this water is fortified with protein, vitamins and minerals. You can use this whey water to cook dal, knead atta dough et al. 

Eat healthy, stay fit! 

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.