So we’ve covered vitamin and mineral basics, free radicals vs. antioxidants, and why you should Vote Yes on [vitamin] A! And after A, comes…well…B! The B vitamins were long confusing to me. They made about at much sense to me as punting on second down. First of all, all those numbers were confusing: B1, B2, B3, there is no B4, but there is a B5, 6, and 7, but no 8, 10, or 11 but I hear about B12 all the time. Calgon take me awwwaaaaay! The other confusing part was the names: Thiamin, Riboflavin, Pryidoxine, Cobalamin, not sure if those are vitamins or the names of friendly centaurs in a JRR Tolkien epic!
The good news is that the numbers aren’t used as much anymore. My Trader Joe’s vitamins list the names of the B vitamins instead of the numbers (except for B6 and B12 which they list both for some reason – maybe because some people may still look for them by number) (by the way, the reason for the skipped numbers is that scientists once may have thought it was two different Bs but then realized it was the same or not a vitamin at all, so the numbering system got messed up over the years). The other good news is that my daily vitamin supplement has all the B’s, so I don’t have to worry about memorizing their names. They are all there in my vitamin tablets and the food I eat. Here is what they do (with one food example each just to give you an idea):
Thiamin (B1): nerve, heart, and brain functions, memory, convert food to energy (sunflower seeds)
Riboflavin (B2): energy, energy, energy, helps growth and development (yogurt)
Niacin (B3): all sorts of great stuff your body does behind the scenes, also releases energy, removes toxins (tuna)
Pantothenic Acid (B5): breaks down fats, proteins, and carbs into energy; makes vitamin D, hormones, red blood cells (chicken leg)
Pyridoxine (B6): makes amino acids into proteins and makes enzymes your body needs, immunity (banana)
Biotin (B7): breaks down fats, proteins, and carbs into energy (peanut butter)
Folic Acid (B9): helps cells grow, keeps arteries open, prevents birth defects and heart disease (lentils)
Cobalamin (B12): breaks down fats, proteins, and carbs into energy; prevents heart disease, happy blood cells (clams)
Remember, the B’s are water soluble so you need daily doses and your body just flushes what it doesn’t need (you can overdo niacin and pyridoxine in huge doses). While there are recommended daily allowances for B vitamins, most people get what they need from the foods they eat and/or through their daily vitamin. B’s are everywhere: meat, fish, eggs, milk, yogurt, peanut butter, breakfast cereals, bread, oranges, peas, beans, whole grains, leafy veggies, nuts, bananas, potatoes, avocados, liver, oatmeal (we don’t recommend those last two combined in one bowl), salmon, clams, beets, cheese, and more.
Getting your B’s can do all the above, and also help with depression, some negative effects of aging, high cholesterol, and immunity. In a word, you might remember B’s as your “base.” They are the basic vitamins that help your body to run its normal operations smoothly. In Fantasy Healthball terms, they are like a good offensive line that allows you to run a successful offense! — Jim Ballard
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