From our last post, you know that taking vitamin B can help protect you from air pollution, according to a research done by Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. If you missed our post, please click here to read it.
Now, we are going to suggest some medical and natural vitamin B sources available in Vietnam.
There are 8 main vitamin B: B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9 and B12.
Vitamin B1 (thiamin) helps to convert glucose into energy and plays an important role in nerve function. Thiamin deficiency includes confusion, irritability, poor arm or leg coordination, lethargy, fatigue and muscle weakness. Natural sources of vitamin B1 include: whole cereal grains, seeds (especially sesame), legumes, nuts, yeast and pork.
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) mainly involves in energy production, and helps vision and skin health. You can find vitamin B2 in milk, yoghurt, cottage cheese, wholegrain breads and cereals, egg white, leafy green vegetables, meat, yeast, liver and kidney. It is not common to have vitamin B2 deficiency – hair loss, an inflamed tongue, inflamed eyelids, sensitivity to light and skin rash. If you do, remember to drink less, and include one or some of the food above in your diet.
Vitamin B3 (niacin) helps the body convert carbohydrates, fat and alcohol into energy. It also helps maintain skin health, and supports the nervous and digestive systems. Niacin can be found in all protein-containing foods like: lentils, meat, fish, poultry, milk, eggs, nuts and mushrooms. Vitamin B3 deficiency, also known as pellagra, includes dementia, diarrhea, and dermatitis, and can lead to death if not treated.
Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) helps to metabolize carbohydrates, proteins, fats and alcohol. It also helps producing red blood cells and steroid hormones. Vitamin B5 sources are widespread and can be found in meat, milk, eggs, peanuts and legumes.
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is necessary to metabolize protein and carbohydrate. It is also involved in the formation of red blood cells, certain brain chemicals, brain processes and development, immune function and steroid hormone activity. Too much or too little of vitamin B6 can lead to unwanted health risks.
Vitamin B7 (biotin) helps metabolize energy and amino acid and synthesize fat and glycogen. Sources of vitamin B7 are cauliflower, egg yolks, peanuts, chicken, yeast and mushrooms.
Vitamin B9 (folate) is involved in red blood cells formation, development of the fetal nervous system, DNA synthesis and cell growth. You can find vitamin b9 in green leafy vegetables, legumes, seeds, poultry, eggs, cereals and citrus fruits
Vitamin B12 helps to produce and maintain the myelin surrounding nerve cells, mental ability, red blood cell formation, and the breaking down of some fatty acids and amino acids to produce energy. Sources of vitamin B12 are often anything animal origin like meat, eggs, milk and cheese. If you are a vegan, you can get your vitamin B12 from fortified soy products, cereals, and marmite.
Whole cereal grains in Vietnam can be found in dark ‘seedy’ breads, oatmeal, corn, brown rice. We found this healthy snack of puffed up brown rice with seaweed in Fivimart.
For sesame seeds, there is a special dish called “muoi vung” (gomasio), made from sesame seeds and salt, to be eaten with sticky rice, salad, boiled vegetables. Other seeds also work just as well. Next time you are ordering a coffee, maybe also order that extra serving of sunflower or pumpkin seeds. It is high in nutrients and definitely helping to protect you against air pollution.
Nuts in Vietnam that you can find easily are peanuts and cashews. They are not as expensive as almonds, hazelnuts or macadamia. Peanuts and cashews are great snacks, and they can be added as condiments into dishes.
Meat, eggs, milk and cheese provide good amount of vitamin B needed for our body. Seafood is also a great source of vitamin B.
Do not forget to include dark green leaves like kale and spinach in your diet. There is this new great place by “Hom” Market that is selling fresh kale! If you dislike salad or cooked vegetables dish, make some chips with it by drizzling some “sesame oil” and sprinkling some sea salt on top and pop them in the oven.
For medical vitamin B sources, we recommend taking vitamin B complex, which includes all the necessary vitamin B in the group. You want the balanced combination of all the B1, B2, B3, B5, B6 and B12. If you take more than the daily value, you can face certain unwanted side effects. We have included some photos of certain vitamin B complex that are available in Hanoi. Go to your local pharmacy and see what they have got in stock. You can also order them online by typing in “vitamin B tổng hợp”(vitamin B complex)
Thanks for reading our post about vitamin B sources. We hope this might help you improve your diet, and more importantly, help protect you from air pollution. Let us know if you have any other advice, tips or questions for us regarding this subject.
Breathe Clean and Have a Good Afternoon!
– AryMask Team –