Vitamin B3 (Niacin)

Vitamin B3 is an incredibly important vitamin that plays a role in so many aspects of our health, from brain function and digestion to heart health and it’s used by our body to turn food into energy.

Vitamin B3 is a water-soluble vitamin - which means our body can’t store any excess for later use, so we must keep replenishing our supply each and every day, but we don’t need a lot, and studies show that as long as we eat a wide range of whole foods, we should get the amount we need from our diet.

Research shows us the Vitamin B3 can help with:

Cholesterol | helps to lower overall cholesterol levels by boosting good HDL and lowering triglycerides and LDL levels.

Heart Disease | aside from helping balance cholesterol levels (above), vitamin b3 has been shown to help reduce atherosclerosis - the hardening of the arteries that lead to heart disease.

Blood sugar levels | helps balance blood sugar levels and control diabetes symptoms by improving the function of beta cells - the cells that are responsible for the production of insulin.

Skin health | often prescribed as a natural skin care treatment for clearing acne as it reduces skin inflammation, flare-ups, irritation and redness.

Brain health | studies show it may help protect against Alzheimer’s disease.

Top Plant + Animal Vitamin b3 Foods

There are plenty of foods high in vitamin B3 (niacin), making it super simple to meet your daily needs. They include:

Plant Based

  • Sunflower seeds

  • Peanuts

  • Green peas

  • Brown rice

  • Mushrooms

  • avocado

  • Sweet potatoes

  • Asparagus

Animal Foods

  • Chicken

  • Liver

  • Tuna

  • Turkey

  • Salmon

  • Sardines

Vitamin B3 recipe inspo

Nutrition 101LeighNutrition3