Cottage Health System > Education & Resources > Online Health Info > Diseases & Conditions

Print | SEARCH | Send-to-Friend

<< Health Info Home
<< Información de la Salud

Good Food Sources of Vitamin B6

Here's Why:

Vitamin B6 is involved in many functions in the body. It helps your immune system and nervous system, and it aids in the metabolism of essential nutrients. It is also found in many foods and will be easy to fit in your diet if you need to increase your intake.

Recommended Intake:AgeRDA (mg)WomenMen1-3 years0.5 mg0.5 mg4-8 years0.6 mg0.6 mg9-13 years1.0 mg1.0 mg14-18 years1.2 mg1.3 mg19-50 years1.3 mg1.3 mg51 and older1.5 mg1.7 mgPregnancy1.9 mgn/aLactation2.0 mgn/a

Here's How:

FoodServing size Vitamin B6 content (mg) Fortified breakfast cereal3/4 cup0.5-2.0 (check Nutrition Facts label)Oatmeal, instant1 packet0.74Potato, baked with skin1 medium0.70Banana1 medium0.68Chicken breast, skinless, roasted3 ounces0.5Garbanzo beans (chickpeas)1/2 cup0.57Pork loin, broiled3 ounces0.39Top sirloin, broiled3 ounces0.39Halibut, broiled3 ounces0.34Rainbow trout, cooked3 ounces0.29Brown rice, cooked1 cup0.28Sweet potato, baked with skin1 medium0.27Sunflower seeds, dry roasted1 ounce0.23Avocado1/2 cup0.20Kidney beans, cooked1/2 cup0.18Lentils, cooked1/2 cup0.18Tuna, canned in water3 ounces0.18Peanut butter2 tablespoons0.15Lima beans, cooked1/2 cup0.10Soybeans, cooked1/2 cup0.05To increase your vitamin B6 intake:

Sprinkle kidney beans or garbanzo beans on a salad.
In the morning, opt for a fortified breakfast cereal.
Slice a banana into your oatmeal, cereal, or yogurt.
Have fish for dinner a few times a week.
Choose brown rice instead of white, and mix lentils with the rice.
For a different sandwich, try peanut butter and banana.
If you take a vitamin supplement, make sure it contains vitamin B6—but no more than 100% of the RDA. Also, talk to your doctor before starting a new supplement.

RESOURCES:

American Dietetic Association

http://www.eatright.org/

US Department of Agriculture

http://www.usda.gov/

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

Canadian Council of Food and Nutrition

http://www.ccfn.ca/

Dietitians of Canada

http://www.dietitians.ca/

References:

de Planter Bowes A, Thompson Pennington J, Church H.Bowes & Church's Food Values of Portions Commonly Used. 17th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 1998.

Duyff R. The American Dietetic Association's Complete Food & Nutrition Guide. Minneapolis, MN: Chronimed Publishing; 1998.

EBSCO CAM Review Board. Vitamin B6. EBSCO Natural and Alternative Treatments website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/biomedical-libraries/natural-alternative-treatments. Updated August 2011. Accessed May 30, 2012.

Pyridoxine. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://ebscohost.com/dynamed. Updated May 16, 2011. Accessed May 30, 2012.

Last Reviewed May 2012