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Did you know that there are eight B vitamins? They often work together but each one has a few specific jobs. For example, thiamin or B1 is necessary to make energy for your cells from the food that you eat. It’s also an important part of making DNA and RNA. You really cannot do without this vitamin.
So let’s take a look at each of the eight and provide a short description about what it does and what foods provide that specific B vitamin.
Thiamin
Thiamin helps the body’s cells change carbohydrates into energy. The main role of carbohydrates is to provide energy for the body, especially the brain and nervous system. Thiamin also plays a role in muscle contraction and conduction of nerve signals.You can find this B vitamin in beans and lentils. You can also find it in many meat products, including read meat and pork. Vegetarians will be happy to know that it’s in many nuts and seeds as well as spinach, cauliflower and cruciferous vegetables.
Niacin
B3 is also an important part of creating energy for the cells. In addition, it synthesizes fatty acids and is important for your cardiovascular health. You can find niacin in fish, beef, and chicken as well as peanuts and beans and lentils. It’s also in whole grains.
Riboflavin
Very important for children and their development, B2 is required for energy production, growth, and controlling free radicals in the body. Salmon, beef, eggs, and green leafy and cruciferous veggies contain riboflavin. Also known as vitamin B2, riboflavin is a basic building block for normal growth and development.
Vitamin B5
B5 aka pantothenic acid, supports your body to produce energy. It’s found in lots of different sources, including both meat and vegetables. Avocados, organ meats, nuts and seeds, are all great sources of B5.
Vitamin B6
This is a vitamin that your body simply cannot do without. It’s essential for just about every cellular function in your body, including your hormones, your nervous system and your metabolism. If you eat meat, you won’t have a problem getting this nutrient. Don’t eat meat and you’ll have to look for fortified foods and dark leafy greens for B6.
Vitamin B7
B7 is also known as biotin. It’s found in yeast, dairy products and strawberries. It’s important for hair, skin, and nail health, as well as metabolism.
Folic Acid
Folic acid, or B9, is needed for the formation of red blood cells. It’s important in the development of fetuses, and you can find it in fortified foods and dark leafy greens. This is one you must be very careful with for fortified foods. The synthetic form of folic acid is a problem for anyone with the mthfr gene mutation. The desired form of folic acid is methyfolate, but remember not all forms of methylfolate are the same. You want to avoid the d form and look for the L form. For more information on this I recommend Dr. Ben Lynch.
And it is for this reason that I buy our multi-vitamins and B Vitamins from Seeking Health, the company Dr. Lynch founded. To see what they have for sale, go here through my affiliate link.
Vitamin B12
This vitamin helps produce cellular energy and DNA synthesis as well as the formation of your red blood cells. It’s important. You can find it in animal products almost exclusively, including milk and eggs. If you’re a vegetarian or a vegan, look for fortified foods to get your B12.
As you look back at the list of different foods for the B vitamins you will see that it is important to eat a varied diet of whole foods, in order to get the whole range of B Vitamins. Leave out a whole food group can leave you deficient. And eat processed foods rather than whole foods will definitely leave you deficient.
If you are looking for a good B complex to supplement your food intake, I recommend the B Complex from Seeking Health.
B vitamins are important for optimal health and there are many B vitamins that you just cannot live without. Also, there are minerals that are essential for survival. We’ll explore those next and talk about how you can embrace mineral-rich foods into your daily diet.
Thank you.
Balace seems very hard to find these days. We have removed so much from our diet it’s getting harder and harder to get the needed nutrients without supplements.