Vitamin B Foods
This follows the page about vitamin B and is associated with the pages about the individual B vitamins.
Re-cap: What is vitamin B ?
A vitamin is an organic compound required (in very small amounts) by the body in order to maintain good health.
Vitamins are an essential part of a balanced diet. Most vitamins (with the exception of vitamin D) cannot be synthesized, i.e. produced, within the body in sufficient amounts for good health and so must be included in dietary (food) intake or taken in the form of supplements. Insufficient intake of specific vitamins, e.g. B vitamins, can lead to specific diseases associated with deficiency of that particular vitamin. In many (but not all) cases, excessive intake of specific vitamins can also lead to specific diseases. B Vitamins are known collectively as the 'vitamin B complex'.
Foods with Vitamin B (i.e. sources of vitamin B)
Sources of Vitamin B1 (Thiamin or Thiamine)
- Whole grains
- Brown rice
- Wholemeal pasta
- Cereals
- Yeast
- Meat e.g. pork and liver
- Nuts e.g. peanuts
- Beans
- Peas
- Pulses
- Potatoes
- Vegetables e.g. asparagus, cauliflower, kale
Sources of Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
- Yeast extract
- Whole grains and pulses
- Cereals fortified with vit B2 (often listed as riboflavin)
- Cheese
- Eggs
- Fish
- Liver
- Milk
- Green leafy vegetables e.g. cabbage, kale, etc.
Sources of Vitamin B3
(Niacin or Nicotinic Acid)
- Brewer's yeast
- Wholegrain cereals
- Cereals fortified with vit B3
- Wholemeal bread
- Fish e.g. tuna, salmon
- Lean meat e.g. beef
- Cheese
- Eggs
- the amino acid tryptophan
- Dates
- Tomatoes
- Peanuts
- Sunflower seeds
- Asparagus
- Green leafy vegetables
- Broccoli
- Carrots
Sources of Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)
- Brewer's yeast
- Whole grains
- Foods fortified with vit B5, e.g. breakfast cereals
- Lean meat, incl. e.g. liver and kidney
- Eggs
- Yogurt
- Royal Jelly
- Avocados
- Nuts
- Legumes, e.g. some types of peas, beans, lentils
Sources of Vitamin B6
- Wholegrains (wheat or corn) e.g. whole-grain cereals
- Wheatgerm
- Wholemeal bread
- Meat incl. poultry (e.g. chicken) and liver
- Fish
- Milk
- Nuts
- Bananas
- Green vegetables, e.g. brussel sprouts
- Potatoes
- Baked beans
Sources of Vitamin B7 (Biotin)
- Brewer's yeast
- Nuts, many types e.g. peanuts, almond, walnuts
- Egg yolks i.e. the yellow part of hens' eggs
- Offal e.g. liver and kidney
- Chicken
- Sardines
- Sesame seeds
- Saskatoon berries
Sources of Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid)
- Green leafy vegetables (such as spinach)
- Kidneys
- Liver
- Nuts
- Whole-grains
- Yeast extract
Sources of Vitamin B12
(Cobalamin or Cyanocobalamin)
- Liver
- Meat e.g. beef or pork
- White fish
- Eggs
- Milk / Dairy products
- Brewers Yeast / Yeast Extract
- Some breakfast cereals are fortified with vitamin B12
See also information about vitamins (general), minerals, amino acids and dietary fibre.
