Dr. Prabhat AryaMBBS, MD (Internal Medicine) · DMC Reg. No. DMC-83759drprabhatarya.com

Reviewed by Dr. Prabhat Arya, MD (Internal Medicine) on 29 September 2026

Diet chart for vitamin B12 deficiency

B12 comes almost only from milk, curd, paneer, eggs, fish and meat. Plants have almost none, so vegetarians in India often run short. Food keeps B12 up; a low level first needs the tablets or injections your doctor gives.

½ Vegetables and salad ¼ Curd, paneer, milk, egg, fish, chicken ¼ Roti, rice or millet
  1. Have milk, curd, chaas or paneer two or three times every day. For vegetarians this is the main B12.
  2. If you eat eggs, fish or chicken, have them often: they are the richest sources.
  3. Take the B12 tablets or injections exactly as prescribed. Food alone cannot fill a large shortfall.

Eat more

  • Milk: two glasses a day, or milk in tea, dalia or kheer without much sugar
  • Curd, chaas, lassi without sugar, raita
  • Paneer and cheese in small amounts
  • Eggs: one or two a day, for those who eat them
  • Fish, chicken, meat; liver once a week, for those who eat them
  • Fortified foods that say "B12" on the pack: some milk, atta or breakfast cereals

Eat less, and know this

  • Tea and coffee: two cups a day is enough; they do not give B12
  • Only dal-roti-sabzi with no milk or curd all day: add dairy to each meal
  • Maida, bread, biscuits in place of dairy or eggs
  • Metformin for diabetes, or long use of acidity tablets: ask for a yearly B12 test
  • Cooking oil and ghee together: 4 to 5 teaspoons per person for the whole day
  • Salt: less than one teaspoon a day in all, counting pickle and papad

Avoid

  • Alcohol: it lowers B12 and harms the nerves further
  • Tobacco in any form
  • Stopping injections or tablets once you feel better, without asking
  • Buying "nerve tonics" on your own in place of the prescribed B12
  • Skipping breakfast and meals
  • Cold drinks and packaged snacks in place of milk, curd or eggs

A sample day

Vegetarian first; the swap is for those who eat eggs, fish or chicken.

On waking
Water. Tea or a glass of milk
Breakfast
Paneer paratha or besan chilla with a katori of curd, or dalia made in milkSwap: Two boiled eggs or an omelette with one roti
Mid-morning
A glass of chaas or one fruit
Lunch
Salad. A katori of dal, a katori of sabzi, raita, two rotis or riceSwap: Fish or chicken curry in place of dal
Evening
Tea with milk and roasted chana, or a small bowl of paneer tikkaSwap: A boiled egg
Dinner, by 8 pm
Palak paneer or dal, sabzi, one or two rotis, a katori of curdSwap: Chicken, fish or egg curry with sabzi
Bedtime
A glass of milk if you like

Common myths

Spinach, sprouts or fermented idli-dosa give B12.
Plant foods have almost no B12 the body can use.
Only non-vegetarians get enough B12.
Daily milk, curd and paneer help, but many vegetarians still need a B12 tablet. Get tested.
Tingling feet is just weakness or age.
It can be low B12. Get it tested; early treatment protects the nerves.
One course of injections cures it for life.
Many need B12 for a long time. Your doctor will retest and decide.

Dr. Arya’s note for you

See a doctor promptly if numbness or tingling spreads, walking becomes unsteady, or memory or eyesight worsens. Do not take folic acid alone without a B12 test.

This is general advice for adults. Pregnant or breastfeeding women need their doctor’s plan. If you have diabetes, follow the diabetes chart and add dairy without sugar. When in doubt, ask Dr. Arya.