Health Tips
Stay healthy by reading wellness advice from our top specialists.

Vitamin B is not one vitamin, but is a complex of 8 vitamins, which not only are essential for a good health, but also facilitates smooth functioning of our body. Further, each component of vitamin B aids in specific body function from managing our metabolism to hair health to prevention against migraine.

Vitamin B is a complex of following vitamins B1 (Thiamine), B2 (Riboflavin), B3 (Niacin), B5 (Pantothenic acid), B6, B7 (Biotin), B9 (Folate), B12. It is widely present in food sources and a person who eats a well-balanced diet will have the requisite amount of B complex in body.

Vitamin B1, also known as thiamine, is required for the body to make new cells and so has a significant role in the immune system. It is also known as the anti-stress vitamin as it helps in improving immunity and is required for breakdown of carbohydrates.

Vitamin B2, chemically known as riboflavin, is essential for red blood cell production and transporting oxygen throughout the body. It also has antioxidant properties and is known to reduce free radicals and reduces the risk of heart disease.

Vitamin B3, also known as niacin, is essential for cholesterol regulation. It promotes the formation of good cholesterol and so is essential for preventing the onset of heart disease. It also known for its anti-acne effects.

Vitamin B5, pantothenic acid, is essential for fat and carbohydration metabolism. It also is required for the production of hormones including testosterone and cortisol (stress hormones). It is also beneficial for the skin by reducing anti aging effects including reducing brown spots.

Vitamin B6 or pyridoxine, has a major role to play in sleep and mood regulation. It produces various neurotransmitters like serotonin, melatonin, and norepinephrine which are essential for emotional well-being. It also has anti-inflammatory properties and is useful in conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.

Vitamin B7 or biotin is known as the beauty vitamin, as it has major hair, skin and nail benefits. It is also essential for glucose level maintenance. It assumes great importance in pregnancy as it is important for normal growth of the baby.
Vitamin B9 or folate or folic acid is again very essential in pregnancy as deficiency can lead to neurological defects in the developing baby. It also plays a major role in carrying oxygen to the cells through the RBCs.

Vitamin B12 or cobalamin is essential to ensure that other vitamins are functioning properly. B12 deficiency leads to anaemia, as it enables the red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body. It is mostly present in non-vegetarian foods and supplements are commonly administered in anaemic people.

As one of the oldest tree foods to be cultivated by humans, walnuts have long since been known as a wonder fruit that can treat and manage many diseases, even as it ensures that one gets to enjoy many other health and cosmetic benefits. This is a nutrient-laden dry fruit that can be eaten in any season and can also be used as a healthy snack.

Read on to know how walnuts can help you in the health department!s

Weight Management: One can obtain weight loss by switching deep fried and other snacks with this fruit as the snack of choice. This will help in weight loss because it is known to be loaded with many ounces of protein as well as omega-3 fatty acids, which can make your metabolism work overtime so that you end up burning all that useless fat. Regular consumption of walnuts will ensure that you get the right amount of calories in just a fistful of this dry fruit. You can also combine this with almonds and raisins for a healthy breakfast, if sprinkled in your oats or any other cereals.

Glowing Hair: If you have been facing problems like thinning hair, and hair loss as well as dandruff, then walnuts can easily come to your rescue. Eating lots of walnuts will help in restoring the oil and moisture balance of the scalp which will make your hair rich and bouncy again. You can also apply walnut oil to your scalp in order to boost the health of your hair to a great extent. This is due to the fact that walnuts contain Vitamin B7 which is known to prevent hair loss.

Heart Disease: You can prevent a majority of cardiovascular issues and heart disease with the help of walnuts. This is due to the fact that walnuts also contain a lot of antioxidants, which can help in regulating the cholesterol levels as well. One can actually remove the bad cholesterol and keep the good cholesterol so that lifestyle issues and conditions like diabetes and heart disease can be avoided. One should have at least 28 grams of walnuts in a single day so that these kinds of diseases can be successfully prevented.

Fertility: Walnuts are very important for male fertility. One of the main things in male fertility is the sperm, especially the quality of the same. So, if you have had a sperm test and it does not have very encouraging results, then eating walnuts can easily solve this problem along with whatever other medication you may be having for the condition. One should have at least 75 grams of walnuts every day in order to increase the vitality of the sperm for those men who fall in the age group of 21 years to 35 years of age.

The body needs a balanced diet for its various functions. The proteins are the major building blocks and are required for optimal health of the muscles, hair, and skin. The following are some protein-rich foods that you could choose, depending on your dietary preferences. The amount of protein required also varies depending on the age, sex, and level of activity. An average male should consume about 60 to 80 g of dietary protein daily.

Mentioned below is a list of protein rich foods that can be included in your diet:

Fish: Be it tuna, perch, salmon, snapper, or cods, they are one of the richest sources of protein. Every 100 g of any of these fishes provides around 17 to 25 g of protein which is an extremely good quotient.

Meat: Be it chicken breast or turkey, meat is one of the best sources of protein. In fact, many people who want to build muscles go on to include meat in almost all meals.

Poultry: This again packs about 30 g of protein per 100 g serving, which again is one of the most sought-after protein rich foods.

Eggs: Another protein-rich substance, an egg yields about 13 g of protein.

Dairy products: Low fat or skim milk, yogurt, butter are amazing sources of proteins, especially for vegetarians. Include milk into your smoothies, milkshakes, and various other beverages. A glass of milk yields about 6 g of protein.

Legumes: For the vegetarians, these are the best substitutes for meat/fish/chicken/pork/beef. The kidney beans, the red beans, the French beans all make excellent sources of protein and will find their way in most dishes for vegetarians.

Legumes and dals: Most of the colorful dals also come packed with a good amount of protein and should be included in daily diet. Legumes are few of the most important sources of protein, especially for vegetarians.

Nuts and seeds: Walnuts, cashew nuts, peanuts, flax seeds, pecans, and other nuts and seeds are also a great source of protein. They provide anywhere from 20 g to 35 g of protein per 100 g of serving. So, this is one thing which will get into the diet chart of anybody wanting to build body.

Soy: Whether in the beans form or the soya chunks, these are again small packets of protein packed into them. A good 17 to 20 g of protein is packed in 100 g of soy, which makes it a very good source.

Cheese: Cottage cheese and low-fat mozzarella cheese provide the most amounts of protein, ranging from 10 to 30 g. Fat-laden cheeses contain fewer amounts of protein and are fattening, avoid them is a safe bet.

Make sure your diet has a mix of these based on your dietary choices so your body gets the essential amounts of protein. Since, proteins function as the building blocks for bones, muscles and blood; it is a wise choice to incorporate a modest amount of protein in your diet for the body to function well.

Vitamins are very important and essential for the body. Vitamins are a form of nutrients, which must be consumed strictly for proper body functioning and building strong immunity. Vitamin pills are an ideal and easy source of essential vitamins. However, having food items, which are rich in vitamins is a much healthier option. Eating foods rich in vitamins helps your body obtain abundant nutrients as per the requirement of the body. In this manner, you will be able to gain all the required vitamins by eating various types of foods.

Here is a list of the primary vitamins, which are essential for the body, along with the food items where they can be found.

Vitamins B6 and B12: These vitamins help in proper blood circulation and nerve functioning and can be found in bananas, whole grains, beans, nuts, eggs, pork, fish, chicken, wheat germ and other poultry products.

Vitamin C: This vitamin is an antioxidant and fights free radicals which damage DNA. It also helps in strengthening the body immunity. The best source of vitamin C includes citrus fruits and citrus juices, red and green pepper, brussels sprouts, spinach, broccoli, kale, strawberries and collard greens.

Calcium: Calcium is very essential for maintaining bone health, bone density and prevents osteoporosis. All dairy products are very rich in calcium. Calcium is also present in legumes and dark green, leafy vegetables.

Vitamin D: Vitamin D helps in the absorption of calcium and lack of vitamin D may lead to osteoporosis, type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis and several cancers as well. Vitamin D is present in fatty fishes such as tuna and salmon. Major sources of vitamin D are fortified food products such as cereals and milk.

Vitamin E: Vitamin E functions as an antioxidant and helps in eye health. Enough intake of vitamin E can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Foods rich in vitamin E include avocados, vegetable oils like safflower, sunflower, cottonseed, canola and olive oil. It is also found in wheat germ, almonds, sunflower seeds and other nuts.

Folic acid: The insufficient intake of this vitamin may lead to several birth defects during pregnancy like spina bifida. Deficiency of folic acid may also lead to heart diseases, stroke and cancers. The best food sources of folic acid are leafy vegetables, strawberries, wheat germ, broccoli, asparagus, beans, whole grains and folic acid fortified cereals or breads.

Iron: Iron prevents iron-deficiency anemia and supports the immune system. The best sources of iron are red meat, clams, egg yolks, fish and chicken. Iron is also found in fortified grains, legumes and cereals.

Vitamins are very essential for the body as they prevent the body from several diseases, which in turn help in healthy functioning of the organs. It is better to eat your vitamins directly, instead of taking vitamin pills.

A vitamin is an organic compound, which is required by the human body in appropriate amounts to ensure the proper and healthy functioning of the various body parts. These vitamins help you in being healthy and maintaining an optimum level of brain activity. The deficiency of the same can cause you to have various health issues and illnesses.

B Vitamins are of various subtypes, and they are collectively known as B-Complex Vitamins. These vitamins are medically proven to relieve stress and boost up your energy levels. They also fight depression, restrict brain ageing and help you to live a longer life. Here's how B vitamins help in keeping your brain healthy.

Prevent mental decline: The three vitamin B types that help to avoid a mental decline are: B6, B12, and B9 (Folic Acid). Additionally, these 3 vitamins also prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Act as dopamine boosters: Dopamine is a neurotransmitter inside the brain that that boosts productivity, motivation and focus among human beings. This helps to ensure your mental well-being keep you mentally happy. B vitamins enhance your brain health by facilitating an increase in dopamine levels.

Lets you avoid mental disorders: The lack of Vitamin B12 leads to certain mental disorders like- dementia, brain atrophy, brain shrinkage, depression, and schizophrenia. You can avoid this condition by taking Vitamin B12 supplements.

Sharpen memory: In case you have a short term memory or face other memory problems, various forms of B vitamins supplements will help you to regain the optimal state of mind.

Dr. Hema Chandrashekhar
Dr. Hema Chandrashekhar
BAMS, Ayurveda Family Physician, 28 yrs, Pune
Dr. Ashwinikumar Kale
Dr. Ashwinikumar Kale
MD - Homeopathy, Homeopath Gynaecologist, 10 yrs, Pune
Dr. Bharat Oza
Dr. Bharat Oza
BAMS, General Surgeon Proctologist, 9 yrs, Pune
Dr. Sunil Ugile
Dr. Sunil Ugile
BAMS, Proctologist, 18 yrs, Pune
Dr. Abhay Singh
Dr. Abhay Singh
MBBS, Family Physician, 2 yrs, South Delhi
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