Vitamin B is essential for improving mood, lowering stress, and increasing energy. Here's how to support your body with the vitamin B you need.
No matter how healthy your diet is, stress, sleepless nights, sugary foods, and alcohol can consume nutrients, especially vitamin B, which are essential for energy, metabolism, and brain function. Here's everything you need to know about this vital nutrient.
Basics of Vitamins B
Exploring vitamin B can be confusing because B is named and numbered, from 1 to 12 — gaps in the numbering sequence occur because some vitamins, such as B4, are then erased when the researchers find that they do not meet the criteria. from "vitamins."
Four other substances—choline, PABA, inositol, and lipoic acid—also belong to the B-complex group, as they have similar properties, although they are not technically vitamins.
And some, such as folate and thiamine, are better known by their names, while others are by their number, such as B12. The eight "official" vitamins B are:
- B1—thiamine
- B2— riboflavin
- B3—niacin
- B5—pantothenic acid
- B6—pyridoxine
- B7—biotin
- B9—folate
- B12—cobalamine
Why Do You Need Vitamin B?
As a group, eight vitamins B are essential for a variety of physiological functions.
Cell development and division, metabolism, red blood cell formation, neurotransmitter generation, immunological function, and DNA repair are all aided by vitamin B. And some vitamins B are essential for nervous system function, brain health, and mood.
Low levels or deficiencies of specific vitamins B have been associated with an increased risk of depression, irritability, and mood problems, and some studies have shown that optimal levels of vitamins B—especially folate, B12, and B6—improve mood, lower stress, and improve quality of life.
Most vitamins B are abundant in the diet, but some groups of people are at higher risk of developing deficiencies. Since B12 is only present in animal foods, vegans may not get enough amounts. Pregnant women need more vitamins B—especially B6, B12, and folate—for proper fetal development and to minimize the risk of birth defects.
Vitamin B deficiency, especially B6, B12, and folate, is common in the elderly, and in people with certain health conditions such as Crohn's disease and celiac disease.
Common genetic mutations can also affect the absorption of vitamin B and can lead to deficiencies. And some medications, including birth control pills, can deplete your body's vitamins B, including B6, B12, and folate.
Protect your mood by filling your plate with these seven high-B foods for a happier and healthier outlook on life.
7 Best Vitamin B Foods
1. Vitamin B Complex for Mood: Spinach
Food for: Folate and vitamin B6. Other green leafy vegetables, such as mustard greens, kale, radish, and radish, are of the same grade. Since some folate may be lost during cooking, focus on lightly steamed vegetables, or eat raw in salads.
Recipe Tips: Stir the baby spinach with chickpeas, onions, radishes, and yogurt cream sauce; stir grated spinach leaves into the red bean soup after cooking to preserve nutrients; puree spinach with sunflower seeds, garlic, and olive oil to add flavor to the pesto.
2. Vitamin B Complex for Mood: Lentils
Consume folate and other vitamins B. Edamame, chickpeas, black beans, pinto beans, and kidney beans are likewise high in folate and vitamin B6.
Cook lentils, potatoes, and leeks in broth with chopped horseradish for the last few minutes of simmering; combine lentils, quinoa, spinach, cherry tomatoes, and parsley with lemon juice and olive oil for a twist on tabouli.
3. Vitamin B Complex for Mood: Shellfish
Food for: B12. The clams came in at 84 mcg—the daily value was 2.4 mcg—in a 3-ounce serving. Oysters and shellfish are also excellent sources of vitamin B12, with fewer amounts of folate and B6.
Recipe Tips: Steam the clams and serve with garlic-paprika butter; heat the canned clams with garlic, paprika flakes, onion, and olive oil, and stir with the cooked paste; add canned clams and shrimp to brown rice cooked with red peppers, tomatoes, and turmeric for an easy side dish.
4. Vitamin B Complex for Mood: Sunflower seeds
Food for: B6 and folate, as well as other vitamins B. Grains and other nuts, including sesame seeds, peanuts, and walnuts, are also great sources.
Recipe Tips: Grind raw sunflower seeds, dates, cocoa beans, and vanilla extract in a food processor, and form into raw energy balls; combine sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, coconut flakes, and honey, and roast grainless granola; lightly roast sunflower seeds in olive oil with cumin, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder, and use as a sprinkle for salads or grains.
5. Vitamin B Complex for Mood: Swiss Cheese
Food for: B12. One piece has about a third of the daily value. Cheese and other good sources of B12 milk include cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and whey protein.
Recipe Tips: Bake eggs, grated Swiss cheese, chopped kale, and onions cans of muffins for frittatas on the go; slice Swiss cheese, turkey slices, and baby spinach, brush with mustard, and roll; fill roasted white sweet potatoes with grated Swiss cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt, and chopped chives.
