Wellness Wednesday: Vitamin B3 (Niacin)

​Today I’m spotlighting Vitamin B3.
On my Facebook page this week we are spotlighting bell peppers, which is a “very good” source of Vitamin B3. It’s a versatile food to work with, which is why we always have a bunch of fresh peppers in our fridge.

Tuesday's #testkitchen was a creamy coconut curry soup with pureed bell peppers. That recipe post will be shared with Facebook on  #foodiefriday. Watch for it, try it, and let me know what you think!

Niacin keeps our blood circulating well. It assists in helping keep the brain clear and memory strong, and plays a role in assisting sexual health, such as erectile dysfunction. It works on keeping your skin clear and assists in digestion. It may also play a role in the improvement of high cholesterol.

Like the other B-Vitamins, Niacin works in conjunction with other vitamins in the B family. Niacin is water soluble, and available from many food sources. How you cook your food determines how much of the vitamin you actually ingest. Cooking these foods in water, for example, pushes the vitamins out into the cooking water. Consider roasting or baking.

Because it is water soluble, most of what we do not need will be eliminated from the body, and it’s important to daily replenish our supply of this important vitamin through the foods we eat. Taken in high dose supplements, Vitamin B3 can cause liver damage. As I’ve stated before, it’s much easier to overdose when taking a pill. Try to get what your body needs through a balanced diet.

To summarize, Vitamin B3 is important to:

• Keep your memory clear, your blood circulation strong, and your digestion efficient.
  
• Help keep your skin healthy
  
• Play a role in migraine alleviation and sexual health. 

You can get Vitamin B3 from many food sources:
Green peas, potatoes, eggplant, tomatoes, bell peppers, cabbage, and asparagus; chicken, turkey, and tuna; nuts and whole grains. 

Adults need 14-19mg of Vitamin B3 daily, depending on their sex and whether or not they are pregnant or breastfeeding. Because of liver toxicity, stay below 35mg. Supplements are unnecessary in most cases- consult with your health care provider if you have any questions and before self-medicating.

For more information on Vitamin B3 deficiency, please check here.

For more information on Vitamin B3 side effects and overuse, please check here.

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