In 1998, the U.S. government mandated that many foods be fortified with folate, vitamin B-9, to offset wide-spread deficiencies. After that time, birth defects due to inadequate levels of B-9 dropped 20 to 30 percent, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. Research continues to explore the benefits of the other seven B vitamins. However, the picture is clear on potassium: The 2010 Dietary Guidelines reports that 97 percent of Americans don't get enough potassium in their diets.
Common Foods for B Vitamins
According to the Harvard Medical School, most healthy foods contain enough of most of the B vitamins to meet your body's needs. Such is the case with thiamine, for instance, which is found in pork, soymilk, watermelon and acorn squash. Riboflavin, another B vitamin, is found in milk, yogurt, whole grains and enriched cereals and breads, and niacin is found in meat, poultry and fish, whole grains, broccoli and tomato products. Pantothenic acid and biotin are also in many of the same foods.
Foods for Vitamins B-6 and B-12
B-6, or pyridoxine, and B-12, cobalamin, help keep your blood pressure under control and may reduce your risk of developing heart disease, according to Harvard Medical School. But most people don't get enough B-6 and have trouble absorbing B-12, the institution notes. Good sources of B-6 and B-12 include meat, fish, chicken, fortified cereals and soy. Because B-12 in supplements is easier to absorb that B-12 from food, some people, especially those older than 51, rely on supplements to meet their needs.
Common Foods for Potassium
Many foods popular with American children and adults are also high in potassium, such as bananas, yogurt, milk spinach and pork loin. Slice bananas into your breakfast cereal or pack a small or medium banana in your briefcase or backpack as an afternoon snack to get a high-potassium impact. Make a habit of adding a dollop of yogurt to desserts and buying small containers for snacks. And cook a pork loin roast once a month, saving leftovers for sandwiches and stir-fries.
Potassium in Foods by Weight
The U.S. Department of Agriculture database compares foods based on their specific nutrients and their weights or serving sizes. At the top of their list for potassium is canned tomato paste. Next is frozen orange juice concentrate, followed by cooked beet greens and canned white beans. Other tomato products, raisins, baked potatoes and soybeans are among other high-scoring foods. Grapefruit and bananas likewise are rich in potassium.
References
- Harvard School of Public Health: Three of the B Vitamins: Folate, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin B12
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 -- Nutrient Adequacy
- Harvard Medical School: Listing of Vitamins
- Vitamin B12 Deficiency: Causes and Symptoms
- U.S. National Nutrient Database: Potassium, K
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