Vitamin B12 and folic acid are water-soluble vitamins. The body can metabolize water-soluble vitamins without the presence of lipids, or fats, and usually excretes excess water-soluble vitamins through urination. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that the body stores in the liver and fatty tissues of the body. The body can metabolize vitamin E only in the presence of fats. While vitamin B12, folic acid and vitamin E are all readily available in supplemental form, you can choose from many rich food sources of these vitamins.
Vitamin B12
Meat, poultry, fish and seafood offer the richest sources of vitamin B12, a B-complex vitamin that plays important roles in red blood and nerve cell maintenance, metabolic function, and DNA production. The recommended dietary allowance, or RDA, of vitamin B12 is 2.4 micrograms per day, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements, or ODS. A single slice of beef liver offers more than 800 percent of the RDA. Dairy and eggs also offer significant amounts of vitamin B12, as do vitamin-fortified cereals. In 2009 the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry" published an article, "Vitamin B12 Is the Active Corrinoid Produced in Cultivated White Button Mushrooms," that reported that farmed white button mushrooms also provide significant amounts of vitamin B12. Mushrooms are the only known nonanimal food product that contain naturally occurring vitamin B12.
Folic Acid
Folic acid, also known as folate or vitamin B9, performs vital roles in fat, carbohydrate and protein metabolism, DNA and RNA production, and cell growth and division. The folate RDA for healthy adults is 400 micrograms. Because inadequate maternal folate levels can cause serious birth defects, the University of Maryland Medical Center recommends that pregnant women consume 600 micrograms of folate per day. Many cereals, breads, pastas and rices are fortified with significant amounts of folate. Other rich folate sources include beef liver, green leafy vegetables, beans and legumes.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is an antioxidant vitamin that helps prevent cellular damage caused by free radicals. Vitamin E is also involved in cell signaling, immune function and gene expression regulation. The ODS recommends healthy adults consume 14 mg of vitamin E per day. A single tablespoon of wheat germ oil provides 100 percent of the RDA of vitamin E. Seeds, nuts, legumes and spinach are also significant sources.
References
- MedlinePlus: Vitamin B12
- National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin B12
- Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry: Vitamin B12 Is the Active Corrinoid Produced in Cultivated White Button Mushrooms
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid)
- National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Folate
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