10 February 2026Agriculture, Diabetes and Obesity, Eggs, Whole Food Plant Based Diets, Wise Nutrition Coaching

Egg Consumption, B12, Lutein and Zeaxanthin

B12 is a group of cobalt-containing vitamins. Hydroxocobalamin and cyanocobalamin are synthetic forms of vitamin B12. The two forms of vitamin B12 naturally occurring in foods are methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin. All these forms are biologically equivalent.

To ensure you obtain an adequate amount of B12, the simpliest solution is to take a couple drops of methylcobalamin monthly and test for B12 and MMA (methylmalonic acid) and total plasma homocysteine yearly. Doctors and health insurers are reluctant to request for these tests unless the pathology request form specifies that you are on a vegan diet. ¹

Vitamin B12 is not made by plants or animals but is produced by a number of different species of bacteria which is found in the soil, poo that is on the vegetation and some red and green algae. ²

In today’s sanitized world, the water supply is commonly chlorinated to kill off any bacteria. So, while we don’t get much B12 in the water anymore, we don’t get much cholera, either, which is a good thing. ³

Most of the B12 producing bacteria are found in the colon, the final part of the large intestine. However, the greatest absorption occurs in the ileum which is the last part of the small intestine before it is connected to the cecum, the first part of the large intestine. So most B12 is produced before it has a chance to be asborbed.

With increased awareness of the importance of hygiene such as washing food and cooking, the amount of bacteria has been reduced since since the beginning of the twentieth century. It is fortunate that the yearly deaths from typhoid (191), diarrhoea (1101) and puerperal septicaemia – childbirth fever (71) have been eliminated in Australia. It has, however, reduced the amount of B12-producing bacteria.

According to an article published by WebMD on 10th March 2025, the foods you should consume are: ⁴

fish
shellfish
red meat
poultry
organ meats
eggs

The article continues,

The results of vitamin B12 deficiency can be devastating. Eggs are a good, natural source of Vitamin B12, with one large, boiled egg providing approximately 0.5-0.6 mcg which covers roughly 19%−25% of the recommended daily value. The vitamin is primarily found in the yolk. Consuming two large eggs can provide nearly half of the daily required intake.

To get your B12 requirements from eggs you need to eat more than 2 eggs a day, each and every day.

Determining deficiency can be problematic. Reference ranges can vary greatly from different laboratories and authorities. Some indications are: ⁵

Definite deficiency is indicated by serum vitamin B12 < 150 pmol/ L.
Access to a microscope can show hyper-segmentation of the nuclei of neutrophils. More than 25% of neutrophils having 5 or more lobes indicate deficiency.
If urinary methylmalonic acid (MMA) is less than 0.5 micromol/L then vitamin B12 deficiency is unlikely.

Some practitioners are concerned with cyanocobalamin because of the presence of the cyano-group attached to the single cobalt atom (Co-C≡N). The cyano-group is NOT cyanide. Hydroxocobalamin is used to treat cyanide poisoning as it converts cyanide to non-toxic cyanocobalamin.

Lutein and zeaxanthin are important for protecting vision and reducing cholesterol oxidation. ⁶

Eggs can about 250 micrograms of lutein and zeaxanthin. One spoonful of spinach contains as much lutein and zeaxanthin as nine eggs. A half-cup of kale has 50 times more lutein and zeaxanthin than an egg. A cup of carrots has over 1,000. A serving of collard greens 15,000 and a serving of kale 24,000.

One spoonful of spinach has as much as nine eggs. One spoonful! For eye protection, the recommendation is to get 10,000 a day. So that’s like a third-cup of spinach or 40 eggs. More than three cartons of eggs a day, every day.

The head of USDA’s [USA Department of Agriculture’s] Poultry Research and Promotion program reminds egg companies that “you can’t couch eggs or egg products as being ‘healthy’ or ‘nutritious.’” See, the words “nutritious and healthy carry certain connotations” (you know, that a food is actually good for you). But, “because eggs have the amount of cholesterol they do” (plus all the saturated fat), the words healthy and nutritious “are problematic” when it comes to eggs. This is the USDA saying this! However, the USDA helpfully suggests, you can say eggs are “nutrient-dense”.

Egg corporations aren’t even allowed to say things like “Eggs are an important part of a well- balanced, healthy diet” on an egg carton, because it would be “considered misleading,” according to the USDA’s National Egg Supervisor—”since eggs contain significant amounts of fat and cholesterol,” and, therefore, contribute to the leading killer in the United States, heart disease.

The American Egg Board instructs egg producers, “Do not show multiple birds in cages—they look too crowded and open us up to activist criticism.”

Instead of safe, you can call eggs “fresh,” the USDA Marketing Service helpfully suggests. But you can’t call eggs “safe,” you cannot say eggs are “safe to eat,” can’t say they’re “safe”, can’t even mention “safety,” can’t say they’re “healthful”. All “references to healthfulness must be deleted,” as well.

Wait a second. Eggs can’t really be called healthy? Eggs can’t even really be called safe? Says who? Says the United States Department of Agriculture.

Eggs are Not OK
Worried about whether you should be eating eggs?
Eye Cataracts and Diet
Eggs and the Questionable Benefits of Choline
CSIRO Healthy Diet Score and Egg Consumption in Australia
Academy of Achievement Address 2006 by Professor Michael Brown
Egg Consumption, B12, Lutein and Zeaxanthin
Vitamin B12, Homocysteine and Methylmalonic Acid

Last updated on Sunday 8 March 2026 at 16:10 by administrators

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Footnotes

Green, R. et al. (2017) Vitamin B12 deficiency. Nature Reviews Disease Primers. 3 (1), 17040
Watanabe, F. & Bito, T. (2018) Vitamin B12 sources and microbial interaction. Experimental Biology and Medicine. 243 (2), 148–158.
Greger, M. (2011) Are Eggs Really Good Sources of Lutein and Zeaxanthin. Available from: https://nutritionfacts.org/video/egg-industry-blind-spot/.
Wiginton, K. & Fischer, K. (2025) Foods You Should Eat if You Have a B12 Deficiency.
Zimmermann, M. (2001) Pocket Guide to Micronutrients in Health and Disease. Stuggart: Thieme.
Greger, M. (2011) Are Eggs Really Good Sources of Lutein and Zeaxanthin. Available from: https://nutritionfacts.org/video/egg-industry-blind-spot/.

Tags: b12 corporate funding eggs lutein validation wfpb diet whole food plant based diet zeaxanthin

Egg Consumption, B12, Lutein and Zeaxanthin

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