If you have food allergies, you may find it difficult to obtain all the nutrition you need without triggering unpleasant, sometimes dangerous reactions. Some sources of niacin – milk, eggs, peanuts and fish – are also common sources of allergies. Niacin, unlike some vitamins, occurs naturally in a wide variety of foods. Most people can obtain all the niacin they need from food sources. If you opt to take niacin -- vitamin B-3 -- supplements, ask your doctor whether they could affect your food allergies.
Protein Sources of Niacin
All food groups – protein, grains, fruit, vegetables and dairy – include sources of niacin. Women need 14 milligrams of niacin and men need 16 milligrams daily. Among animal protein sources, you’ll find niacin in fish, beef, chicken and eggs. Plant proteins that contain niacin include soy and peanuts. If you’re allergic to soy, peanuts, eggs and fish, you may still find the niacin you need in other protein sources. Some types of protein and their niacin content include: turkey breast, 6.4 milligrams in 100 grams, or about 3 1/2 ounces; beef tritrip, 6.9 milligrams in 100 grams; pork tenderloin, 6.4 milligrams per 100 grams, and ham roast, 6.9 milligrams per 100 grams.
Vegetable Sources of Niacin
Vegetables can help you meet your niacin needs. Some good choices include green peas, which provide 3.21 milligrams per 1-cup serving, and winter squash, which contains 1.44 milligrams per cup. Other vegetable sources of niacin and their niacin content per 1-cup serving include: asparagus, 1.94 milligrams; collard greens, 1.09 milligrams. spinach, 0.88 milligrams, summer squash, 0.92 milligrams; kale, 0.65 milligrams; carrots, 1.3 milligrams; green beans. 0.77 milligrams.
Fruit Sources of Niacin
Some types of fruit contain niacin. Some good choices include raspberries, 1.1 mg per 1 cup, avocado, 2.5 mg per cup, diced tomatoes, 1.13 mg per cup, banana, 0.8 mg per 1 medium, mango, 1.5 mg per cup and honeydew, 0.7 mg per 1 cup diced. (See Reference 4, specifically, avocado, raw, tomatoes, raw, bananas, raw, mango, raw and melons, honeydew raw.) It may prove difficult to meet all of your niacin needs from fruit alone, but it can help. Fruit and other sources of dietary niacin help you digest your food, improve the function of your liver and nervous system and keep your eyes, skin and hair healthy. (See References 1,3)
Dairy and Grain Sources of Niacin
If you can tolerate dairy, good sources of niacin include low-fat cottage cheese, which provides 0.3 milligrams per 1 cup; 1 percent milk, which contains 0.25 milligrams per 1 cup, and cheddar cheese, which provides 0.9 milligrams per 1 oz. If you’re allergic to dairy, soy milk contain 1 milligram of niacin per cup. If you’re allergic to both milk and soy, look for niacin-fortified almond and rice milk products. Many breakfast cereals are fortified with iron. If you’re allergic to wheat, look for fortified oat and rice cereals. A crispy brown cereal contains 0.66 milligrams of niacin per cup, and a brand of toasted oats provides 9.5 milligrams of niacin.
