All cuts of beef pack a high amount of vitamin B-12 into your diet. Vitamin B-12 is different than all other water-soluble vitamins because your body stores small amounts in your liver, rather than excreting all of the extra. You need B-12 to form new red blood cells, maintain brain function and start several biological processes involving metabolism and hormone production. Even though beef is full of vitamin B-12, consuming too much of the meat can be hazardous to your health.
Whether you enjoy steaks or burgers, your favorite cut of beef offers lots of vitamin B-12. A 3-ounce serving of broiled beef sirloin has nearly 1.5 micrograms of B-12, or more than 60 percent of your daily requirement. Having a 3-ounce hamburger patty provides more than 2 micrograms of B-12, or over 90 percent of your daily needs. Enjoying 3 ounces of braised beef short ribs, which provides about 3 micrograms of B-12, offers more than 120 percent of your intake for the day.
In your teen years, during adulthood and throughout your senior years, you need 2.4 micrograms of vitamin B-12 each day. If you are pregnant, your recommendation jumps to 2.6 micrograms and then increases further to 2.8 micrograms while breast-feeding. Although beef is rich in B-12 and some cuts provide all of your daily intake, certain conditions may inhibit some of the B-12 absorption, leading to a deficiency.
For your body to use B-12 from beef, it has to undergo digestion to get it into a free form. Vitamin B-12 separates from beef in your stomach, freeing it up to bind with a protein called intrinsic factor, which is secreted by the lining of your stomach. At this point, B-12 enters your small intestines and absorbs into the bloodstream through the ileum. Pernicious anemia, an autoimmune disorder that destroys your stomach lining, limits your body's ability to produce intrinsic factor. Your system is unable to absorb B-12, resulting in a deficiency that causes fatigue, muscle weakness and neurological problems.
Older adults are also at risk of B-12 deficiency, since your body produces a lower amount of stomach acids required to free B-12 found in beef and other foods. During your senior years, your doctor may put you on a supplement to enhance your B-12 levels. Vitamin B-12 from fortified foods and supplements is already in a free form, making it easier for your system to utilize.
Beef should not be your primary source of vitamin B-12, due to the high saturated fat content. About 50 percent of the fat in beef is saturated. This harmful fat clogs arteries, increases cholesterol levels and ups your risk of heart disease when you exceed the recommendation. Keep your saturated fat intake to less than 10 percent of your total calories, reports the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010. All fats have 9 calories per gram, so this amounts to a maximum of 22 saturated fat grams per day for a 2,000-calorie diet. Beef sirloin and 90-percent lean ground beef each contain about 3 grams per 3-ounce serving, while beef short ribs have more than 6 grams of saturated fat in the same portion size.
Articles For Your Diet
- Linus Pauling Institute: Vitamin B12
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin B12
- U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S Department of Health and Human Services: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference: Beef, Top Sirloin, Steak, Separable Lean and Fat
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference: Beef, Ground, 90% Lean Meat / 10% Fat, Patty, Cooked, Broiled
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference: Beef, Rib, Shortribs, Separable Lean Only, Choice, Cooked, Braised
- Steak image by yamix from Fotolia.com