Your body needs a steady supply of vitamins like folate, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 in order to function properly. Vitamin deficiencies often lead to illnesses like cardiovascular problems, poor immune function and cognitive disorders. The best way to obtain recommended daily amounts of vitamins like folate, B12 and B6 is by eating a diet that is naturally nutrient rich.
Folate
Folate is a vitamin that your body uses to make new cells and to produce DNA and RNA. Folate also works in your body to help prevent cancer-causing DNA mutations. Getting adequate amounts of folate each day is especially important for women of child bearing age -- folate helps protect unborn fetuses from the development of neural tube birth defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly. According to the NIH, the recommended daily allowance of folate for adults over the age of 19 is 400 ug, or 0.4 mg a day. Folate is found naturally in leafy green vegetables like greens, spinach and lettuce, and in fruits like oranges, bananas, cantaloupe and papayas. Folate is also found naturally in foods like peas, beans, asparagus, broccoli and avocados. In 1996, the Food and Drug Administration mandated the addition of folate to certain food products in order to help reduce the incidence of birth defects caused by preventable folate deficiencies. As a result, folate is now added to foods like breads, pastas, cereals, rice, corn meal, flour and orange juice.
Vitamin B12
Your body needs B12 in order to carry out essential functions like red blood cell production and DNA synthesis. According to the NIH, the recommended daily allowance of vitamin B12 for individuals ages 14 years and up is 2.4 mcg. Not getting enough vitamin B12 can cause unpleasant health problems like anemia, fatigue, weight loss, loss of appetite and digestive disorders like constipation. You can get B12 by consuming animal products like meat and eggs. Meats like fish, poultry, beef, ham and liver are all naturally high in B12. Milk and certain milk products like yogurt and Swiss cheese also contain generous amounts of B12. According to the NIH, some breakfast cereals and yeast products are artificially fortified with B12.
Vitamin B6
B6 is vital for both red blood cell and protein metabolism. Your body also uses B6 to produce hemoglobin and to maintain healthy blood glucose levels. The ecommended daily allowance of vitamin B6 for adults ages 19 and up is 501.3 mg, reports the NIH. Without adequate amounts of B6, your immune and nervous systems cannot not function properly. B6 deficiencies can also cause anemia. B6 is present in a wide variety of foods. This includes fruits and vegetables like spinach, avocados and bananas. B6 is naturally present in meats like chicken, pork, trout, tuna, roast beef and salmon. You can also find B6 in foods like Garbanzo beans, peanut butter, oatmeal, sunflower seeds, tomato juice, lima beans, walnuts and wheat bran.
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