B vitamins are a group of water-soluble vitamins that include vitamins B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), B7 (biotin), B9 (folate), and B12 (cobalamin). B vitamins play a key role in maintaining a healthy body. They also boost energy and are necessary for healthy immune and digestive systems. Because they are water-soluble, they are not stored in the body and must be obtained on a daily basis. The various B vitamins are found in a variety of foods, making it easy to obtain these vitamins through your diet.
Food Sources of B Vitamins
A healthy, balanced diet made up of a variety of B vitamin foods can provide all of the B vitamins your body needs for good health.
Good sources of Vitamin B1 are eggs, cheese, beef, brown rice, and vegetables such as peas and spinach.
Raw crimini mushrooms, calf’s liver, and spinach are excellent food sources of vitamin B2. Very good sources of riboflavin include green leafy vegetables, venison, liver, yogurt and 2% milk.
Food sources of Vitamin B3 include poultry, fish, dairy products, eggs, liver, and nuts.
An excellent source of vitamin B5 is crimini mushrooms. Other good sources include steamed broccoli, yogurt, grapefruit, strawberries, and winter squash.
Vitamin B6 foods include fortified cereals, dairy products, potatoes, red meat, grains, legumes, garbanzo beans, bananas, and nuts.
One of the best sources of biotin, or vitamin B7, is Swiss chard. Other sources of biotin include tomatoes, carrots and romaine lettuce.
Food sources of vitamin B9 include green leafy vegetables, fortified cereals, oranges and orange juice, beans, liver, and dairy products.
Vitamin B12 food sources include eggs, dairy products, fish, liver, beef, and clams.
B Vitamin Supplements
Excessive intake of certain B vitamins may cause serious side effects. Large amounts of vitamin B6 taken over an extended period may cause nerve damage in the arms and legs. These types of side effects typically occur through supplementation. Check with a physician or nutritionist before adding a B vitamins supplement to your diet.
Sources:
National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. (n.d.). “Vitamin B6.” Accessed December 23, 2010 from Ods.od.nih.gov.
Oregon State University, Linus Pauling Institute. (n.d.). “Thiamin.” Accessed December 23, 2010 from Lpi.oregonstate.edu.
The George Mateljan Foundation. (n.d.). “Biotin;” “Pantothenic Acid-B5.” Accessed December 23, 2010 from WHFoods.com.
MedlinePlus (14 Mar 2009). "Niacin." Accessed December 23, 2010 from Nlm.nih.gov.
Jennifer Murray - Jennifer Murray is a freelance writer specializing in nutrition, weight loss and fitness.
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