B Vitamins – Why we need them and how to get them!
The ‘B’ vitamins work better together, like any good sports team! They are all water soluble so any excess is flushed through the body daily. But there are quite a few members of this B-rilliant family:
B1 – Thiamine – Helps to release energy from food/ decreases cholesterol and blood sugar/ helps with macular degeneration/ decreases fatigue, insomnia and depression.
Foods containing B1: spinach, sunflower seeds, tomatoes, aubergine, broccoli, sweetcorn, pineapple
B2 – Riboflavin – Helps to release energy from food/ protects nerves/ ensures correct functioning of adrenal gland/ helps to digest meat/ helps with migraines and rosacea/ a must for pregnant ladies as it is key for foetal growth, decreasing cramps for mum and decreasing pre-eclampsia risk by 5-fold.
Foods containing B2: dairy products, spinach, broccoli, eggs, green beans, strawberries, almonds
B3 – Niacin/ Nicotinic acid – Decreases blood pressure and cholesterol/ thins blood/ aids normal pancreatic function/ decreases anxiety and depression.
Foods containing B3: dairy products, meat, fish, peanut butter, sunflower seeds, all nuts
B6 – Pyridoxine – Increases serotonin, GABA and dopamine which are our feel good hormones/ helps to make red blood cells/ needed for healthy nerves/ decreases pre-menstrual breast tenderness/ decreases pregnancy nausea.
Foods containing B6: spinach, cauliflower, nuts, bananas, yellow-fin tuna, watermelon
B7 – Biotin – Needed for healthy skin, hair and nails/ helps to release energy from food/decreases cholesterol and blood sugar/ it is made by healthy gut flora.
Foods containing B7: hazelnuts, almonds, cheese, cauliflower, egg yolks, sweet potatoes, spinach, salmon, avocados
B9 – Folate/ Folic acid – Humans can’t make this so it must be consumed – animals and insects can make it/ makes healthy red blood cells/ prevents spinal tube defects in foetus’/ it has cardio-protective effects.
Foods containing B9: spinach, broccoli, chickpeas, butternut squash, cucumbers, papaya, strawberries, flaxseeds
B12 – Hydroxymethylcobalamin – Helps release energy from food/ helps with nerve pain/ helps us to go to sleep quicker/ makes red blood cells/ Lack of B12 can look like Alzheimer’s e.g. depression, memory loss, confusion, fatigue.
Foods containing B12: meat, fish, eggs, dairy, miso, tofu, spirulina
*Oral absorption of B12 supplements is 3% – Transdermal or Sublingual is better!*
If you need any more advice about the B vitamins or any other nutritional information, please contact me!
