HEALTH
Three ways to up your B vitamin intake
Recent data for England and Wales revealed that cases of vitamin B deficiencies have tripled from a decade ago
Mushrooms are a good source of vitamin B2, while eggs and avocado are a good source of vitamin B5
GETTY
Recent NHS hospital data for England and Wales revealed that cases of all vitamin B deficiencies, including B12 but also folate and other B vitamins, have tripled from 57,406 a decade ago to 167,562 in 2022.
“Because B vitamins are water soluble and easily lost through bodily fluids, we need to have a good intake in the diet every day,” says Rhiannon Lambert, a dietician and the author of The Science of Nutrition. “They play an important role in keeping our nervous system healthy and our bodies energised.” Get vitamin B1, or thiamin, from wholegrains, peas and nuts, B2 in mushrooms, B3 in wheat flour and B5 in eggs and avocado. “Edamame beans and chickpeas are a good source of vitamin B9, or folate.”
