Your body must get the proper nutrients to stay healthy, including various vitamins and minerals that each contribute to different functions in your body. Something that everyone needs is B vitamins. Often, people do not know that there is a group of B vitamins, their purpose, and how you can get them in your diet. Here is a guide to B vitamins and how to incorporate them into your diet.
What Are B Vitamins?
B vitamins are a group of eight vitamins essential for maintaining good health and well-being. They are:
- Thiamine (B1)
- Riboflavin (B2)
- Niacin (B3)
- Pantothenic acid (B5)
- Pyridoxine (B6)
- Biotin (B7)
- Folate (B9)
- Cobalamin (B12).
Each B vitamin plays a unique role, ranging from supporting energy metabolism to aiding the formation of red blood cells. It is essential to get enough of these vitamins through a balanced diet or supplements, as any deficiency can cause health problems.
What Happens If You Do Not Get Enough B Vitamins?
Some symptoms of B vitamin deficiency can include fatigue, weakness, skin rashes, and mouth sores. It’s important to speak with a healthcare professional if you experience any of these symptoms to determine if a deficiency is present and what steps you can take to address it. In most cases, eating a nutritious diet can resolve the issue. However, in some cases, supplementation is necessary to ensure proper B vitamin levels.
Why Do You Need Thiamine (B1)?
Vitamin B1, also known as thiamine, contributes to energy production and the maintenance of a healthy nervous system. It also plays a crucial role in the metabolism of carbohydrates. Adequate thiamine intake can help prevent fatigue, weakness, and nerve damage.
What Foods Contain Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)?
Some good dietary sources of thiamine include wholegrain cereals, beans, and nuts.
Why Do You Need Riboflavin (B2)?
Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, is important for maintaining healthy skin, eyes, and nervous system. It also helps the body break down carbohydrates, proteins, and fats to produce energy.
Which Foods Contain Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)?
Some of the best sources include almonds, dairy products like milk and cheese, mushrooms, spinach, and whole grains like brown rice and quinoa.
Why Do You Need Niacin (B3)?
Niacin/ Vitamin B3 is crucial for a healthy diet because it plays a role in converting food into energy. It also helps to maintain healthy digestion, skin, and nerves. However, like other B vitamins, niacin cannot be produced by the body and must be obtained through diet or supplementation. Symptoms of niacin deficiency include skin rashes and digestive issues.
Which Foods Contain Vitamin B3 (Niacin)?
Some foods that contain niacin include poultry, fish, beef, nuts, legumes, and whole grains.
Why Do We Need Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5)?
Pantothenic acid is an essential nutrient that our body needs to convert food into energy. It is also important for the production of hormones and cholesterol.
Which Foods Contain Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)?
Good dietary sources of pantothenic acid include meat, poultry, fish, whole grains, and vegetables.
Why Do We Need Pyridoxine (B6), One of the B Vitamins?
Pyridoxine (vitamin B6), is a crucial nutrient our body needs for many important functions. It helps produce red blood cells, maintain a healthy nervous system, and support our immune system. Pyridoxine is also involved in the synthesis of important neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine.
Which Foods Contain Pyridoxine?
Foods that contain pyridoxine include fish, poultry, whole grains, and vegetables.
Why Do We Need Biotin (B7)?
Biotin, also known as vitamin B7, is another essential nutrient our bodies need for many important functions. It helps convert food into energy, maintain healthy skin, nails, and hair, and support our nervous system.
Which Foods Contain Biotin, One of the B Vitamins?
Biotin is found in various foods, including eggs, nuts, whole grains, and certain vegetables.
Why Do We Need Folate (Vitamin B9)?
Folate, also known as vitamin B9, is a vital nutrient our body needs for multiple functions. It helps to form red blood cells, produce DNA and RNA, and support proper brain function.
Which Foods Contain Vitamin B9 (Folate)?
Folate is found in a variety of foods, including leafy greens, citrus fruits, beans, and fortified grains.
Why Do We Need Cobalamin (B12)?
Also known as vitamin B12, cobalamin helps red blood cell production, DNA synthesis, and nerve cell maintenance. Without enough cobalamin, we may experience fatigue, weakness, and neurological problems. It is important to make sure we are getting enough cobalamin through our diet or supplements to maintain our health and well-being.
Which Foods Contain Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)?
Several foods are good sources of cobalamin, also known as vitamin B12. These include animal products such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy products.
It is important to note that B12 is one of the few vitamins that a vegan does not have in their diet, as it is only in animal products. Therefore, doctors sometimes recommend that vegans and vegetarians take B12 supplements.
Why Are Some B Vitamins Missing from the List?
You may notice that the names of B vitamins are labelled from one to 12. However, no B4, B8, B10 or B11 is on the vitamins list. The reason is that these substances were originally B vitamins, says Medium. However, they do not meet the official definition of a vitamin, as they are not essential to maintaining health. Therefore, B4, 8, 10, and 11 are no longer on the list of B vitamins.
Recommended Recipes to Get Plenty of B Vitamins
We have some fantastic recipes on our website that will help you get a good range of B vitamins due to the nutritional values of the ingredients. Some suggestions include:
- Spicy beef tacos: Contains lean meat, avocados, dairy products
- Kala chana saag: Contains leafy vegetables and pulses
- Baked sea bass: Contains fish
- Salmon goujons: Contains fish
- Beef massaman curry: Contains lean meat and peanuts
- Mushroom and walnut pate: Contains nuts and mushrooms
- Chicken liver and brandy pate: Contains liver and dairy products
- Salmon pate with cream cheese: Contains fish and dairy products
- Chargrilled chicken and chorizo platter: Contains poultry and pork
Do you have any recommendations for recipes high in B vitamins?