The vitamin B family has many benefits, so including a variety of foods rich in these vitamins in your diet is smart. In addition to being an immune system booster, the B vitamins keep the brain and nervous system healthy and help maintain energy levels and other vital functions.
Foods Rich in Vitamin B
The eight vitamins that make up the vitamin B-complex are present in varying amounts in all the major food groups. Of important note, vitamin B12 is present only in animal-based foods, fortified cereals, and other vitamin-enriched plant foods.
The following tables list the foods that contain the highest amount of each B vitamin. The recommended daily allowances (RDAs) are from the Institute of Medicine's Dietary Reference Intakes guide. The vitamin B content of each listed food comes from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database.
NOTE: mg = milligram, mcg = microgram, gm = gram, oz = ounce, tbsp = tablespoon
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
The RDA for women is 1.1 milligrams (mg) and for men 1.2 mg.
| Food | Serving Size | B1 Per Serving | Percent of RDA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women | Men | |||
| Brewer's yeast | 1 tbsp | 1.9 mg | 172% | 158% |
| Enriched whole grain cereal | 3/4 cup | 1.5 mg | 136% | 125% |
| Lean pork | 3.5 oz | 0.81 mg | 74% | 67% |
| Wheat germ, raw | 1/4 cup | 0.55 mg | 50% | 46% |
| Lentil, cooked | 1 cup | 0.34 mg | 31% | 26% |
| Salmon | 3.5 oz | 0.28 mg | 25% | 23% |
| Beef liver | 3.5 oz | 0.19 mg | 17% | 16% |
| Oats (cooked) | 1 cup | 0.18mg | 16% | 15% |
| Beef kidney | 3.5 oz | 0.16 mg | 15% | 13% |
| Potato, cooked | 1 medium | 0.12 mg | 11% | 10% |
| Kidney beans, cooked | 1 cup | 0.10 mg | 9% | 8% |
| Green beans, raw | 1 cup | 0.10 mg | 9% | 8% |
| Squash, cooked | 1 cup | 0.10 mg | 9% | 8% |
| Milk, nonfat | 1 cup | 0.10 mg | 9% | 8% |
| Cantaloupe, cubes | 1 cup | 0.07 mg | 6% | 6% |
| Beef, chuck | 3.5 oz | 0.07 mg | 6% | 6% |
| Eggs, boiled | 1 large | 0.03 mg | 3% | 2.5% |
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
The RDA for Vitamin B2 is 1.1 mg for women and 1.3mg for men.
| Food | Serving size | B2 Per Serving | Percent of RDA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women | Men | |||
| Beef liver | 3.5 oz | 3.4 mg | 309% | 262% |
| Beef kidney | 3.5 oz | 3.0 mg | 273% | 231% |
| Enriched whole grain cereal | 3/4 cup | 1.7 mg | 155% | 131% |
| Almonds | 1 cup | 1.4 mg | 127% | 108% |
| Soy milk | 1 cup | 0.51 mg | 46% | 39% |
| Salmon | 3.5 oz | 0.49 mg | 45% | 38% |
| Yogurt, Greek, nonfat | 6 oz | 0.47 mg | 43% | 36% |
| Milk, nonfat | 1 cup | 0.43 mg | 39% | 33% |
| Brewer's yeast | 1 tbsp | 0.34 mg | 31% | 26% |
| Avocado, pureed | 1 cup | 0.33 mg | 30% | 25% |
| Egg, boiled | 1 large | 0.26 mg | 24% | 20% |
| Kidney beans, cooked | 1 cup | 0.22 mg | 20% | 17% |
| Chicken breast | 3.5 oz | 0.21 mg | 19% | 15% |
| Beef, chuck | 3.5 oz | 0.19 mg | 17% | 14.6% |
| Lentil, cooked | 1 cup | 0.15 mg | 14% | 12% |
| Wheat germ raw | 1/4 cup | 0.15 mg | 14% | 12% |
| Potatoes, cooked | 1 medium | 0.08 mg | 7% | 6% |
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
The RDA for vitamin B3 is 14 mg for women and 16 mg for men.
| Food | Serving Size | B3 Per Serving | Percent of RDA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women | Men | |||
| Enriched whole grain cereal | 3/4 cup | 20 mg | 143% | 125% |
| Beef liver | 3.5 oz | 17.5 mg | 125% | 109% |
| Chicken breast | 3.5 oz | 11.8 mg | 84% | 73.8% |
| Wild salmon | 3.5 oz | 10.1 mg | 72% | 63% |
| Tuna, canned | 4 oz | 10.0 mg | 71% | 62.5% |
| Turkey breast | 4 oz | 7.1 mg | 51% | 44% |
| Lean pork | 3 oz | 6.3 mg | 45% | 39% |
| Almonds, whole | 1 cup | 4.8 mg | 34% | 30% |
| Beef, chuck | 3.5 oz | 4.7 mg | 34% | 29% |
| Avocado, pureed | 1 cup | 4.4 mg | 31% | 26% |
| Beef kidney | 3.5 oz | 3.9 mg | 2% | 24% |
| Chicken breast | 3.5 oz | 3.4 mg | 24% | 21% |
| Brewer's yeast | 1 tbsp | 2.9 mg | 21% | 18% |
| Clams | 3 oz | 2.9 mg | 21% | 18% |
| Potatoes, cooked | 1 medium | 2.3 mg | 16% | 14% |
| Lentil, cooked | 1 cup | 2.1 mg | 15% | 13% |
| Wheat germ, raw | 1/4 cup | 2.0 mg | 14% | 12.5% |
| Banana, crushed | 1 cup | 1.5 mg | 11% | 9.4% |
| Cantaloupe, cubes | 1 cup | 1.2 mg | 9% | 7.5% |
| Kidney beans | 1 cup | 0.94 mg | 7% | 5.9% |
| Broccoli, raw, chopped | 1 cup | 0.58 mg | 4% | 3.6% |
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)
The RDA for vitamin B5 is 5 mg for women and men.
| Food | Serving Size | B5 Per Serving | Percent of RDA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enriched whole grain cereals | 3/4 cup | 10 mg | 200% |
| Brewer's yeast | 1 tbsp | 6.9 mg | 138% |
| Beef liver | 3.5 oz | 6.3 mg | 126% |
| Avocado, pureed | 1 cup | 3.4 mg | 68% |
| Wild salmon | 6 oz | 3.0 mg | 60% |
| Eggs, hard boiled | 1 large | 1.9 mg | 38% |
| Pork lean | 3 oz | 1.23 mg | 25% |
| Potato | 1 large | 1.14 mg | 23% |
| Yogurt, plain, low-fat | 6 oz | 1.0 mg | 20% |
| Sweet potato | 1 medium | 1.0mg | 20% |
| Milk, nonfat | 1 cup | 0.93 mg | 19% |
| Turkey breast | 3 oz | 0.77 mg | 15% |
| Salmon | 3 oz | 0.71 mg | 14% |
| Beef, chuck | 3 oz | 0.52 mg | 10% |
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
The RDA for vitamin B6 is 1.5 mg for women and 1.3 mg for men.
| Food | Serving Size | B6 Per Serving | Percent of RDA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women | Men | |||
| Brewer's yeast | 1 tbsp | 6.0 mg | 400% | 462% |
| Enriched whole grain cereal | 3/4 cup | 1.5 mg | 100% | 115% |
| Wild salmon | 6 oz | 1.5 mg | 100% | 115% |
| Beef liver | 3.5% | 1.0 mg | 67% | 77% |
| Chicken breast | 3.5% | 0.8 mg | 53% | 62% |
| Bananas, mashed | 1 cup | 0.8 mg | 53% | 62% |
| Avocado, pureed | 1 cup | 0.7 mg | 47% | 54% |
| Potatoes, cooked | 1 medium | 0.6 mg | 40% | 46% |
| Beef, chuck | 3.5 oz | 0.4 mg | 27% | 31% |
| Beef kidney | 3.5 oz | 0.4 mg | 27% | 31% |
| Lentil, cooked | 1 cup | 0.4 mg | 27% | 31% |
| Wheat, germ, raw | 1/4 cup | 0.38 mg | 25% | 29% |
| Chicken breast | 3.5 oz | 0.15 mg | 10% | 12% |
| Milk, nonfat | 1 cup | 0.10 mg | 7% | 7.7% |
| Yogurt, Greek, nonfat | 6 oz | 0.10 mg | 7% | 7.7% |
| Cantaloupe, cubes | 1 cup | 0.10 mg | 7% | 7.7% |
Vitamin B7 (Biotin)
The RDA for vitamin B7 is 30 micrograms (mcg) for women and men. According the Linus Pauling Institute (LPI), the biotin content of foods is difficult to measure accurately. The following small table of foods is from the LPI as there is no data in the USDA National Nutrient Database cited above.
| Food | Serving Size | B7 Per Serving | Percent of RDA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liver | 3 oz | 27-35 mcg | 90-116.7% |
| Egg, boiled | 1 large | 13-25 mcg | 43-83% |
| Salmon | 3 oz | 4-5 mcg | 13.3-16.7% |
| Avocado | 1 whole | 2-6 mcg | 6.7-20% |
| Pork | 3 oz | 2-4 mcg | 6.7-13.3% |
| Yeast | 1 packet (7 grams) | 1.4-14 mcg | 4.7-46.7% |
| Cheese, cheddar | 1 oz | 0.4-2 mcg | 1.3-6.7% |
| Cauliflower, raw | 1 cup | 0.2-4 mcg | 0.1-13.3% |
| Raspberries | 1 cup | 0.2-2 mcg | 0.1-6.7% |
Vitamin 9 (Folic Acid)
The RDA for vitamin B9 (folic acid or folate) is 400 micrograms (mcg) for women and men.
| Food | Serving Size | B9 Per Serving | Percent of RDA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enriched whole grain cereals | 3/4 cup | 400 mcg | 100% |
| Lentil, cooked | 1 cup | 358 mcg | 89.5% |
| Beef liver | 3.5 oz | 253 mcg | 63% |
| Avocado, pureed | 1 cup | 205 mcg | 51% |
| Brewer's yeast | 1 tbsp | 90.3 mcg | 23% |
| Beef kidney | 3.5 oz | 83 mcg | 21% |
| Wheat germ, raw | 1/4 cup | 80.8 mcg | 20% |
| Kidney beans, cooked | 1 cup | 79 mcg | 19.8% |
| Almonds, whole | 1 cup | 71.5 mcg | 17.9% |
| Spinach, raw | 1 cup | 58 mcg | 14.5% |
| Broccoli, raw, chopped | 1 cup | 57 mcg | 14% |
| Green beans, raw | 1 cup | 40.7 mg | 10% |
| Potatoes, cooked | 1 medium | 45 mcg | 11% |
| Cantaloupe, cubes | 1 cup | 34 mcg | 9% |
| Salmon | 3.5 oz | 29 mcg | 7% |
| Eggs, boiled | 1 large | 22 mcg | 5.5% |
| Oats, cooked | 1 cup | 14 mcg | 3.5% |
| Milk, nonfat | 1 cup | 12 mcg | 3% |
Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)
The RDA for vitamin B12 is 2.4 mcg for women and men.
| Food | Serving Size | B12 Per Serving | Percent of RDA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clams | 3 oz | 84.1 mcg | 3,504% |
| Beef liver | 3.5 oz | 70.6 mcg | 2,941% |
| Beef kidney | 3.5 oz | 24.9 mcg | 1,038% |
| Enriched whole grain cereals | 3/4 cup | 6 mcg | 250% |
| Wild salmon | 3.5 oz | 3.1 mcg | 129% |
| Soy milk | 1 cup | 3.0 mcg | 125% |
| Beef, chuck | 3.5 oz | 2.9 mcg | 120.8% |
| Tuna, canned | 4 oz | 2.0 mcg | 83% |
| Yogurt, nonfat Greek | 6 oz | 1.3 mcg | 54% |
| Milk, nonfat | 1 cup | 1.0 mcg | 42% |
| Eggs, boiled | 1 large | 0.5 mcg | 21% |
Vitamin B Supplements
The best source of B vitamins is from the foods you eat. However, if you find it difficult to get enough from your diet, add a vitamin B complex or a multivitamin supplement. Vitamins are available at your local grocery store or pharmacy, or from online stores. Only buy well-known, long-standing, trusted brands to ensure you are getting reliable, quality products.
Why Vitamin B Is Important
The B complex vitamins help maintain a host of your body's essential functions. Important roles include:
- Metabolism of protein, carbohydrates, and fat and conversion into energy
- Maintain a healthy nervous system and food digestion
- Production of blood cells, DNA and RNA synthesis, and cell division
- Maintain healthy skin, hair, and nails, normal immune system, and normal wound healing
- Support normal fetal development
Adequate intake of B vitamins decrease the risk of anemia, diabetes, heart disease, and nervous system and other dysfunctions. On the other hand, vitamin B deficiencies can cause such disorders as anemia, berberi (a nerve disorder), fatigue, acne, cheilitis (cracked corners of the lips), mouth sores, and mood disorders.
Well-Balanced Diet for Maximum Health
Even a minor deficiency of vitamin B can affect your health. Be sure to eat a well-balanced diet of a variety of healthy foods. This will ensure that you get the recommended amounts of vitamin B, other essential vitamins and minerals, and other nutrients.
