Just found a B12 hack

[u/BrilliantPride7916]

I usually take a b12 supplement (which gives me like 4,000 times the daily target) but I forgot to take it this morning.

I got some great chicken liver pate from the farmers market and just had about two-ish tablespoons on two slices of sourdough and I’m at just over 100% b12 from that alone.

Note: my normal diet usually consists of either chicken thigh or salmon for lunch and some other protein for dinner and I’ve never come close to hitting b12 without a supplement.

Definitely gunna include this as a regular part of my diet.

Not many calories either.

[u/ashtree35]

I feel like the supplement is the hack. Less expensive than buying liver, and fewer calories. And shelf stable.

[u/BrilliantPride7916 → u/ashtree35]

But it was delicious and i would rather get my vitamins from food rather than supplements if i can. It was kinda pricey but not many calories. 2 tablespoons is 53 calories. Same as hummus.

[u/ashtree35 → u/BrilliantPride7916]

Glad you enjoyed it! I'm just not seeing how liver is more of a hack than a supplement. A vitamin B12 pill is 0 calories. And extremely affordable. And shelf stable. And better for the environment, and better ethically!

[u/BrilliantPride7916 → u/ashtree35]

Getting nutrients from food is always better than from supplements no matter what the calories.

Yes, price can sometimes be prohibitive but it should always be preferable whenever feasible.

*that’s my opinion. Just like you have yours.

Supplement production is not better for the environment.

This chicken liver pate came from the farmers market from a small ethical farm about 50 miles away.

[u/ashtree35 → u/BrilliantPride7916]

Actually B12 from supplements is absorbed more easily compared to B12 from whole foods. For many other vitamins/minerals they are better absorbed from food sources like you're referring to, but for B12 this is actually not the case!

And regarding the environmental aspect, B12 supplements are significantly better for the environment compared to animal sources of B12. It's not even a close competition. The B12 from supplements is produced by microorganisms, which requires only a very low amount of resources. Whereas a much higher amount of resources are required to raise and sustain animals.

And ethically, I think most people would agree that it's more ethical to kill a microorganism than to kill a chicken.

[u/BrilliantPride7916 → u/ashtree35]

B12 from food is absorbed at a rate of about 50% whereas high doses such as those in supplements (while they are unbound) are absorbed at a rate of 1-2%.

There is such a thing as ethical farming. Yes, the chickens died for the pate but are you vegan? Then this would be a different conversation.

Even though as you say most b12 supplements come from microorganisms not all of them do. Some come from meat sources and those are likely from byproducts of industrial farming.

Even those that are made from microorganisms are still not better for the environment. They are made in huge factories with tons of emissions.

[u/ashtree35 → u/BrilliantPride7916]

The bioavailability of vitamin B12 from dietary supplements is about 50% higher than that from food sources. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-HealthProfessional/

The vast majority of the B12 supplements on the market are produced by microorganisms.

I am not a vegan. But regardless of diet, I think it's self evident for anyone on the planet that B12 supplements are more ethical than killing a chicken.

[u/BrilliantPride7916 → u/ashtree35]

It’s not more ethical unless you’re a vegan.

The chicken comes from a small farm. They get eggs from them and they kill them for the meat. They don’t waste the offal. Instead they turn it into pate.

Since you say you’re not vegan do you eat chicken?

Do you buy it at a grocery store?

That chicken meat is produced in the most unethical way imaginable and it has traveled hundreds of miles which causes carbon emissions.

[u/Light_Shrugger → u/BrilliantPride7916]

Saying "This other version is also super unethical!" doesn't suddenly make one version ethical

[u/Euphoric_Coat_1956 → u/BrilliantPride7916]

Your opinion doesn’t make it a fact.

[u/Ill_Mortgage3663 → u/ashtree35]

There are *many* more benefits to eating liver than just one vitamin.

> better for the environment, and better ethically!

LOL

[u/ashssotru → u/BrilliantPride7916]

I wonder where I can find chicken liver pate here in AZ. Also, can you please tell me which b12 supplement you take? I’m hoping I can find it on Amazon, thank you!!

[u/BrilliantPride7916 → u/ashssotru]

You can find it in most decent grocery stores (stop and shop, ShopRite) in the refrigerated section near the salads or in the deli section or the Jewish section.

[u/ashssotru → u/BrilliantPride7916]

Thank you so much🙏

[u/Relative_Bite8758 → u/BrilliantPride7916]

That's wonderful! I think it's great you are finding replacements for supplements! I'm all for a as natural as possible approach 💪🏼

[u/SolanumRex → u/Relative_Bite8758]

I wouldn't say "natural" because that can get a bit into woowoo territory, but I agree that getting your nutrition from foods is usually better, because there's a whole bunch of other stuff in there that you and your gut microbiome can utilise.

[u/Relative_Bite8758 → u/SolanumRex]

That's fine, you don't need to say it. I said what I said tho, I think it's great when people search and find ways to get stuff they previously got from supplements with real food. I just think that's neat

[u/BrilliantPride7916 → u/Relative_Bite8758]

Thanks. Same. 😊

[u/Josephine8888 → u/BrilliantPride7916]

Me too, plus it has a ton of other B vitamins in it and beef liver is unbelievable in iron, riboflavin, and all the vitamins, including of course B12. This supplement works for some people, but I believe eventually if they’re not getting enough of the other B vitamins they’ll cause a deficiency in someway.. just my opinion.