Vitamin B6 During Pregnancy
Vitamin B6 is crucial for the healthy function of the brain and nervous system and thus plays a critical role in the development of your baby.
Specifically, it’s necessary for the healthy production of serotonin and norepinephrine, key neurotransmitters.
Vitamin B6 is important
- Your baby requires a supply of Vitamin B6 for healthy brain and nervous system development.
- B6 can resolve some cases of morning sickness
- It helps you maintain healthy blood glucose levels
- It plays a role in preventing several issues in newborns, including eczema and low birth weight
How much vitamin B6 you need
A pregnant woman should aim for about 1.9 mg of Vitamin B6 daily while breastfeeding mothers should take in slightly more — about 2mg.
Natural sources of vitamin B6
Many different types of food offer natural Vitamin B6 such as brown rice and other whole weed cereals; seeds and nuts; fruits such as bananas or papayas; fish; and lean meats. Many beans and legumes are especially rich in Vitamin B6 — kidney beans, soybeans, and chickpeas all make excellent natural sources of the nutrient. Even a single serving of any of these foods with your meals will significantly reduce your likeliness of experiencing a deficiency of B6.
Top 10 foods for vitamin B6
- Sunflower seeds
- Nuts (pistachios hazelnuts, walnuts, peanuts, cashews)
- Fish (safe catch elite tuna and wild salmon)
- Poultry (chicken and turkey
- Lean pork)
- Dried fruit (prunes, raisins, or apricots)
- Lean beef
- Bananas
- Avocados
- Spinach
