11 Best Natural Food Sources for Vitamin B Complex

Vitamin B complex is very important for the body as it helps the body to produce energy from the red blood cells. Vitamin B complex is the infiltration of all the 8 types of Vitamin Bs, i.e. B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6, B7 (biotin), B9 (folate), B12.

Old people, vegetarians, alcoholics, and people who have recently undergone surgeries are usually the ones who suffer from deficiencies of Vitamin B. People with deficiency are at a higher risk of depression, anxiety, heart diseases etc.

While people who intake proper amounts of Vitamin B are able to fight off depression, fatigue, skin problems, premenstrual syndrome, enhance mood, release stress, stimulate the immune system and improve the hair health too.

Vitamin B complex helps in getting rid of or preventing many diseases, different vitamin B offer immunity to different things. For instance, Vitamin B1 and B2 help in the healthy functioning of muscles, nerves, and heart. Vitamin B3 helps to regulate the nervous and the digestive system. B5 breaks down fats and carbohydrates for energy and is responsible for the production of hormones. B5 and B12 are required for normal growth and development etc.

Although taking Vitamin B complex can be very good for the health but recent researches show that consuming these supplements can make a person the host for many health problems.

To avoid the risk caused by supplements, we can choose to have a variety food items to consume. These food items have a high multitude of Vitamin B complexes that are required to keep our body healthy. Some of them being:

1. Fishes

Fishes are not capable of producing vitamin on their own but due to the bacteria present in their bodies, they have a high concentration of Vitamin B in their cells. Sardines, mackerel, shellfish, and salmon are the best sources of Vitamin B complex.

2. Beef Liver

Beef liver is extremely brimming with many different types of Vitamin B like 1,2,5,6, 9 and 12. More than half of the daily requirements of vitamin B is available in the half slice of beef liver. It also provides 179 percent of the adult male and 212 percent of the adult female’s recommended daily allowance of riboflavin (B2).

3. Chicken

Chicken is also an exceptionally good source of vitamin B. Cooked or roasted chicken breasts are a great source of niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5) and vitamin B6, which are all required for smooth metabolism in the body. The good thing about eating chicken is that there is no controversy about eating it and also, it is available throughout the year!

4. Eggs

An egg is a storehouse for every type of Vitamin B. the yolk is a great source of vitamin B12. Eggs provide niacin, vitamin B6, and biotin as well. These are responsible for regulating metabolism, boosting immunity, and cell growth.

Also Read: 20 Health Benefits of Eating Eggs.

5. Dairy Products

Milk and milk made products provide many different kinds of vitamin B in various quantities. 200 ml of semi-skimmed milk administers 100% of vitamin B12, 15% of thiamine, 45% of riboflavin, 3% of niacin, 9.3% of folate and small extents of pyridoxine, as per an adult’s recommended daily intake.

Discover 20 Amazing Health Benefits of Drinking Milk.

6. Beans

Beans are a fine source of important vitamin B complexes. Thiamin, niacin, folate, and riboflavin are usually the ones found in abundance in beans. These vitamins regulate the conversion of food into energy, reducing the inflammation and boosting good cholesterol in one’s body. One cup of cooked beans serves for 90 percent of the RDA of folate and 10 percent of RDA of thiamine, niacin, pantothenic acid, and pyridoxine.

7. Soy Milk

Soy milk is an excellent source of proteins for vegetarians. Soy milk has a good quantity of vitamin B12. As it is a plant derived material, it is free from lactose, cholesterol and it is also low in saturated fats.

8. Oats

It is usually the most preferred breakfast meal but little do we know that is a good source of vitamin B complex. Oatmeal consists of many B vitamins including B6, which plays a role in nerve communication in the brain. It is also rich in vitamin B1, B2, B3, and B9.
One cup of oatmeal every day provides 15 percent of thiamine (B1), 3.2 percent of niacin (B3) and 3.5 percent of folate (B9).
Eating oatmeal every day can get quite boring so to add flavor to it, you can chop some fruits and dry fruits into it. That really improves the monotonous taste of the oats.

9. Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are a great source for some important B-complex vitamins. To mention them; niacin (B3), thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), pantothenic acid (B5), folate (B9) and vitamin B6. All these vitamins come to play a major role while the metabolic functions are ongoing in the body. One must eat approximately 40-45 grams of nuts every day in order to cure problems like that of depression and many other cardiovascular diseases.

Check out 15 Science-backed Health Benefits of Eating Almonds.

10. Spinach

Undoubtedly, spinach would count in as the best source Vitamin B because it is the ‘green leafy vegetable’. The most abundant Vitamin B is spinach is folate (B9). Just by consuming a bowl of spinach, one can get 15% of the required Vitamin B, which is used to repair tissues, proper functioning of cells and fabrication of DNA.
Several other types of vitamin B are present in spinach, which are B2, B6, and B7. It also has high quantities of protein, calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium. Also, it is an anti- oxidant to fight off free radicals.

Discover 20 Surprising Health Benefits of Spinach

11. Bananas

Bananas provide various types of vitamin B but the one that is very highly present in bananas is vitamin B6. As per the National Institute of Health, an adult requires 1.5 milligrams of vitamin B6 each day. Bananas provide 35% of this daily requirement. Vitamin B6 is very good for girls to avoid Premenstrual syndrome. Also, vitamin B6 is used as a mood enhancer.
Other than that banana has vitamin B1, B2, B3, B9, and B7. Not forgetting to mention, bananas contain a good amount of potassium, manganese, vitamin C, fiber, and copper.
Eating a banana every day improves health, promotes sleep, regulates bowel movement and reduces the risk to various types of cancer.

Also Read: Amazing Health Benefits of Bananas

Health Tips

To stay healthy, most people can get what they need by eating a well-balanced diet filled with a combination of B vitamins.

If you’re not getting enough B vitamins from your diet, taking B complex vitamins may be beneficial for some people.

Deficiency in B vitamins can cause a number of symptoms, including tiredness, anemia, loss of appetite, depression, abdominal pain, muscle cramps, hair loss, and eczema. Consult your health care provider to find out whether a B complex supplement is right for you.