The Daily Value (DV) for the eight B vitamins are:
B1, Thiamin: 1.1 milligrams B2, Riboflavin: 1.1 milligramsB3, Niacin: 14 milligramsB5, Pantothenic Acid: 5 milligramsB6, Pyridoxine: 1.3 milligramsB7, Biotin: 30 microgramsB9, Folic Acid: 400 microgramsB12, Cobalamin: 2.4 micrograms
(For most of these, the DV increases if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding.) Your body can’t store B vitamins for long, so they need to be replenished regularly through your diet. Luckily, vitamin B foods often contain more than one B vitamin. For instance, several vitamin B6 foods, like salmon, chicken, and brown rice, are also good sources of other B vitamins. If you don’t have a digestive condition or restrictive diet, says Kalsi you’re likely able to get enough of most B vitamins by eating a variety of foods each week. The only times where a dietitian or physician might be concerned about certain vitamin B levels would be if you don’t eat animal proteins or if you’re planning to become pregnant. Non-meat-eaters usually need to look for fortified food options, like fortified cereal or tofu, to achieve the DV of B12, Kalsi says, or may be encouraged to take a supplement. If you’re planning a pregnancy, you might be advised to take a B9 (folic acid) supplement containing 100 percent DV and also eat foods rich in B9, because the development of the baby’s neural tube (which later becomes the spinal cord, spine, brain, and skull) is dependent on this. To help you include vitamin B foods in your diet, here is a list of the top ten best sources, according to Chow and Kalsi.
The Best Vitamin B Foods
You can also get fortified versions of tofu, which is a great source of B12 for vegetarians. Fortified firm tofu has over 100 percent of the DV for B12, 76 percent of the DV for B2, and 66 percent of the DV for B6. RELATED: 8 of the Highest-Protein Foods Every Well-Balanced Diet Should Include RELATED: Pulses Are the Protein-Packed Pantry Staple Your Pantry Needs—Here’s Why RELATED: 10 of the Most Nutrient-Dense Foods That Won’t Break the Bank
