B vitamins play a variety of roles in your body — each one of them an important part of keeping you healthy, both physically and mentally. A deficiency in B vitamins could result in a whole host of health issues, including respiratory conditions, dementia, psychiatric symptoms and blood disorders.
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Vitamin B12 in particular is required for many vital biological functions, including production of adrenal hormones, metabolizing fat, carbs and folate, formation of red blood cells, iron absorption, nervous system function, cognitive health and much more.
The good news is B vitamins are found in a wide variety of food choices, making it easy to boost your intake. Here are some of the top food sources of B vitamins:
- Niacin (B3)
Foods that offer the highest niacin content include liver, chicken, veal, peanuts, chili powder, bacon and sun dried tomatoes. Other niacin-rich foods include baker’s yeast, paprika, espresso coffee, anchovies, spirulina, duck, shiitake mushrooms and soy sauce.
- Vitamin B6
Nutritional yeast is an excellent source of B vitamins, especially B6. Other foods rich in vitamin B6 include turkey, beef, chicken, wild-caught salmon, sweet potatoes, potatoes, sunflower seeds, pistachios, avocado, spinach and banana.
- B8 (inositol/biotin)
Vitamin B8 is not recognized as an essential nutrient, but that doesn’t mean it’s not important. Food sources of B8 include meat, egg yolks, fish, liver, poultry, nuts and legumes.
- Folate (B9)
Folic acid is a synthetic type of B vitamin used in supplements, and folate is the natural form found in foods. To load up on folate, add raw, organic leafy green vegetables to your diet, along with broccoli, asparagus, spinach, turnip greens, pinto beans, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, navy beans and black beans.
- Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is found almost exclusively in animal tissues, which is why supplementation for vegetarians and vegans is so important. Foods that contain B12 include beef and beef liver, lamb, snapper, venison, salmon, shrimp, scallops, poultry, eggs and dairy products.
- Biotin (B7)
Along with protein and healthy fat, eggs are also a great source of biotin. Fully cook the egg before eating to allow your body to absorb it. Other food sources of biotin include organ meats like liver and kidney, along with salmon, almonds, peanuts and walnuts.