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Best Vitamin B6 Foods: Rich Sources From Fruits to Vegetables

Q: Is cow milk a good source of vitamin B6?

Yes, cow milk is one of the best choices of vitamin B6-rich foods that supplies 5% of recommended daily allowance of vitamin B6 in one cup.

Team AckoSept 15, 2023

Vitamin B6 belongs to the water-soluble B-complex vitamin group, which is essential for about 100 enzyme reactions that take place in your body.

Also called pyridoxine, vitamin B6 is naturally present in several foods, grains, vegetables, and fruits. It is not produced by the body; hence you must obtain it from vitamin B6-rich foods or health supplements.

Contents

What is the Role of Vitamin B6 in the Body?
How Much Vitamin B6 Do You Require Per Day?
Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Role of Vitamin B6 in the Body?

Vitamin B6 plays a crucial role in your body's functions. It is known to keep your brain healthy and enhances cognitive processes through the synthesis of neurotransmitters.

It helps create haemoglobin and supports the formation of DNA and RNA, which are the building blocks of genes. It enables the body to maintain normal homocysteine levels, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

It also plays an important role in fat, protein, and carbohydrate metabolism, and in the processes of gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis. It helps in the normal brain development of the foetus during pregnancy.

Looking at the vital role vitamin B6 plays in the body, it is important to consume it in adequate amounts through vitamin B6-rich foods. If you have vitamin B6 deficiency, it can result in several disorders.

How Much Vitamin B6 Do You Require Per Day?

The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin B6 depends upon age, gender, and overall health.

An adult, on average, requires 1.2 to 1.7 mg per day of vitamin B6. Those below 18 years of age need 0.1 to 1.2 mg per day, depending upon their age.

Pregnant and breastfeeding women require 1.9 mg and 2 mg of vitamin B6 per day, respectively.

Symptoms of Vitamin B6 deficiency

Vitamin B6 deficiency can be noticed with these signs and symptoms:

Skin Rashes
Sore lips
Tingling in hands and feet
Changes in mood

What are Vitamin B6-Rich Foods?

Apart from fruits, vegetables, grains, etc., packaged foods also contain vitamin B6. You can find the amount of vitamin B6 in packaged food through the labels mentioned on it.

Here is a list of foods, vegetables, fruits, nuts, etc., that are good sources of vitamin B6. These tables shows the amount of vitamin B6 found in these foods as well as the percent daily value (DV) of vitamin B6 they provide:

Fruits

Name of Fruits	mg and %DV
Raw bananas (1 cup)	0.6 (32% DV)
Avocados (1 piece)	0.5 (30% DV)
Mango (dried) (100 gm)	0.3 (20% DV)
Custard apple (100 gm)	0.2 (13% DV)
Raw lemon without the peel (1 cup)	0.2 (10% DV)
Prunes (approx 30 gm)	0.2 (12% DV)
Litchis (1 cup)	0.2 (11% DV)
Pineapple (1 cup)	0.2 (10% DV)
Guavas (1 cup)	0.2 (11% DV)
Pitted dates (1 date)	0.1 (4% DV)

Vegetables

Name of Vegetables	mg and %DV
Boiled sweet potatoes (1 cup)	0.5 (32% DV)
Baked potatoes without skin (1 potato)	0.5 (28% DV)
Cooked spinach (1 cup)	0.4 (26% DV)
Cooked arbi/Colocasia (1 cup)	0.4 (26% DV)
Cooked red bell pepper (1 cup)	0.4 (23% DV)
Cooked onions (1 cup)	0.3 (16% DV)
Cooked lady fingers/okra (1 cup)	0.3 (18% DV)
Cooked yam (1 cup)	0.3 (18% DV)
Cooked green peas (1 cup)	0.3 (20%DV)
Cooked broccoli (1 cup)	0.3 (18% DV)
Cooked Brussels sprouts (1 cup)	0.3 (16% DV)
Raw cauliflower (1 cup chopped)	0.2 (12% DV)
Cooked tomatoes (1 cup)	0.2 (11% DV)
Cooked carrots (1 cup)	0.2 (14% DV)
Cooked pumpkin (1 cup)	0.1 (6% DV)
Cooked white radish (1/2 cup)	0.1 (4% DV)
Raw brinjal (1 cup)	0.1 (4% DV)
Raw yellow sweet corn (1 cup)	0.1 (8% DV)
Cooked white button mushrooms (1 cup)	0.1 (9% DV)
Cooked mustard greens (1 cup)	0.1 (8% DV)
Cooked turnips (1 cup)	0.1 (6% DV)

Legumes

Name of Legumes	mg and %DV
Cooked rajma (white)	0.4 (23% DV)
Boiled soybeans	0.4 (24% DV)
Cooked lima beans	0.3 (18% DV)
Cooked rajma (red)	0.2 (12% DV)
Cooked chana	0.2 (13% DV)
Cooked lobia/black-eyed peas	0.2 (10% DV)
Cooked black beans	0.1 (8% DV)
Cooked mung beans	0.1 (8% DV)

Grains

Name of Grains	mg and %DV
Raw buckwheat (1 cup)	0.4 (21% DV)
Sorghum flour	0.4 (23% DV)
Cooked brown rice (1 cup)	0.3 (17% DV)
Cooked millet (1 cup)	0.2 (11% DV)
Raw oat bran (1 cup)	0.2 (9% DV)
Cooked quinoa	0.2 (13% DV)
Cooked white rice (1 cup)	0.1 (9% DV)
Cooked pasta (1 cup)	0.1 (4% DV)

Animal-origin Foods (Fish, Meat, Eggs, Dairy)

Name of Animal Proteins	mg and %DV
Salmon (approx. 170 gm)	1.6 (94% DV)
Chicken breast (approx. 170 gm)	1.6 (92% DV)
Pork chops (approx. 170 gm)	0.9 (54% DV)
Raw eggs (1)	0.1 (5% DV)
Whole milk (approx. 475 ml)	0.2 (10% DV)
Plain yoghurt (1 cup)	0.1 (5% DV)
Buttermilk (1 cup)	0.1 (5% DV)
Paneer (approx. 125 gm)	0.1 (3% DV)
Cheddar cheese (100 gm)	0.1 (3% DV)

Nuts and Seeds

Name of Nuts/Seeds	mg and %DV
Pistachio nuts (approx 30 gm)	0.5 (28% DV)
Sunflower seeds (approx 30 gm)	0.4 (22% DV)
Dried acorn nuts (approx 30 gm)	0.2 (12% DV)
Hazelnuts (approx 30 gm)	0.2 (9% DV)
Sesame seeds (approx 30 gm)	0.2 (13% DV)
Walnuts (approx 30 gm)	0.2 (9% DV)

In Conclusion

With junk food and fad diets becoming popular, it is becoming quite common to get nutritional deficiencies as well. Eating a balanced diet can eliminate the chances of contracting deficiencies.

The above-mentioned list of vitamin B6-rich foods is indicative and mentions common food items to be included in the daily diet.

Health insurance is another method by which you can stay safe against multiple disorders, including vitamin B6 deficiency related issues.

ACKO offers a range of health insurance plans to safeguard you from health emergencies. Avail of an ACKO health insurance plan to secure against all nutritional deficiencies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can it be harmful to consume too many vitamin B6-rich foods?

No. Vitamin B6 toxicity or any harmful effect is extremely unlikely to occur from vitamin B6-ich foods.

Which are the two best vitamin B6-rich foods?

A fruit called Mamey Sapote and a vegetable named dried Pasilla Peppers are the two best vitamin B6-rich foods supplying 42% DV and 249% of DV of vitamin B6, respectively.

What is the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin B6 for an 8-year-old child?

The recommended daily allowance of vitamin B6 for an 8-year-old child is 0.6 mg.

Is cow milk a good source of vitamin B6?

Yes, cow milk is one of the best choices of vitamin B6-rich foods that supplies 5% of recommended daily allowance of vitamin B6 in one cup.

Disclaimer: The content on this page is generic and shared only for informational and explanatory purposes. It is based on several secondary sources on the internet. As this content piece is not vetted by a medical professional, please consult a doctor before making any health-related decisions.