Vegan Pantry Spotlight: Foods Rich in B Vitamins

Finding vegan sources of key nutrients can seem challenging unless you know where to look. Happily, by stocking your pantry with just a few power foods, many concerns of vegan diet skeptics can be assuaged (provided, of course, you eat them ;-).

Today's spotlight is on B vitamin-rich foods in my vegan pantry.

• Crimini Mushrooms - Raw is best, but I keep dry ones on hand in the pantry for throwing into soups, sauces and sides. Mushrooms are an excellent source of vitamins B3-niacin, B5-pantothenic acid, B2-riboflavin, B1-thiamin and B6


• Sea Vegetables - Grind kelp or a combination of various seaweeds (arame, wakame, or nori) in a spice grinder and keep on hand for seasoning dishes with taste of the sea. Excellent sources of B3-niacin and even a little B12


• Sunflower seeds - Toss them into muffins, breads, salads or just eat them raw. Great way to get B5-pantothenic acid and B1-thiamin


• Nutritional yeast - what's a vegan pantry without it?? Personally, I think it's one of the strangest things in my pantry. And yet, over the years it's grown on me - like the fungus it is ;-). If you want to give something a "cheese-like flavor", try throwing a bit of this in (but go easy at first...the flavor takes some getting used to). My toddler's favorite (daily) meal is noodles with Earth Balance and nutritional yeast, so I rest easy that his all-important B12 requirement is met.


• Yeast extract paste - speaking of weird, don't forget your Marmite or Vegemite for spreading on toast with Earth Balance and perhaps a slice of vegan cheese. A tiny amount is all you'll need (or want, IMHO) to get a kick of B3-niacin, B2-riboflavin and B1-thiamin. Marmite is easier to find in the U.S. and is fortified with B12. Vegemite lacks B12, but given my taste for Australians, I find it more to my liking than Marmite ;-).


• In lesser amounts, you can find also find B vitamins in these pantry items:
  
  
  • Tamari
  • Peanuts
  • Soybeans
  • Almonds
  • Oats
  • Split peas
  • Lentils
  • Navy beans
  • Lima beans
  • Pinto beans
  • Sesame seeds
  • Kidney beans
  • Cayenne pepper
  • Tumeric
  • Blackstrap molasses
  • Flaxseeds

Then, of course there's a huge number of fresh foods that can help ensure your getting your B vitamin fill. For the complete list of these, explanations of what these vitamins do, and how you can tell if you're getting enough, visit the George Mateljan Foundation website of the World's Healthiest Foods and search for your nutrient of choice.

Be well!