Top 10 Foods Highest in Vitamin B6

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Top 10 Foods Highest in Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine, pyridoxal, pyridoxamine) is a water-soluble vitamin necessary for processing amino acids in the body, which form the building blocks of proteins and some hormones. It is involved in red blood cell metabolism, proper functioning of the nervous and immune systems, and various other bodily functions. (1)

A long-term deficiency in vitamin B6 can lead to skin inflammation (dermatitis) depression, confusion, convulsions, and even anemia. Recent studies also suggest that a diet low in vitamin B6 increases the risk of heart disease.

Conversely, too much vitamin B6 taken from supplements can lead to nerve damage in the arms and legs.

Foods high in vitamin B6 include fish, chicken, tofu, pork, beef, sweet potatoes, bananas, potatoes, avocados, and pistachios. (2) The daily value (DV) for vitamin B6 is 1.7mg per day. (1)

Below is a list high vitamin B6 foods sorted by a common serving size, see the nutrient ranking of all foods high in vitamin B6 to sort by 100 grams or 200 calories.

Foods High in Vitamin B6

Salmon Fillets1 Salmon
Vitamin B6
per 6oz Fillet
Vitamin B6
per 100g
Vitamin B6
per 200 Calories
1.6mg
(94% DV)
0.9mg
(56% DV)
1mg
(61% DV)

More Fish High in Vitamin B6

  • 104% DV in a 6oz tuna fillet
  • 46% DV in a 6oz snapper fillet
  • 43% DV in a 5.5oz mahi-mahi fillet

See all fish high in vitamin B6.

A roast chicken2 Lean Chicken Breast
Vitamin B6
in a 6oz Breast
Vitamin B6
per 100g
Vitamin B6
per 200 Calories
1.6mg
(92% DV)
0.9mg
(54% DV)
1.2mg
(69% DV)

More Poultry High in Vitamin B6

  • 108% DV in 6oz of ground turkey
  • 81% DV in 6oz of roast turkey breast
  • 33% DV in a roast chicken thigh

See all meat high in vitamin B6.

A block of tofu3 Fortified Tofu
Vitamin B6
per Cup
Vitamin B6
per 100g
Vitamin B6
per 200 Calories
1.1mg
(66% DV)
0.5mg
(29% DV)
1.1mg
(64% DV)

More Soy Products High in Vitamin B6

  • 24% DV in 1 cup of edamame (green soybeans)
  • 21% DV in 1 cup of tempeh
  • 14% DV in 1 cup of tofu (unfortified)
A pork chop4 Lean Pork Chops
Vitamin B6
in a 6oz Chop
Vitamin B6
per 100g
Vitamin B6
per 200 Calories
0.9mg
(54% DV)
0.5mg
(32% DV)
0.6mg
(32% DV)

More Pork High in Vitamin B6

  • 37% DV in 3oz of pork tenderloin
  • 33% DV in 1 cup of cured ham
  • 28% DV in 1oz of salami

See all meat high in vitamin B6.

A steak on a plate5 Beef (Skirt Steak)
Vitamin B6
per 6oz Steak
Vitamin B6
per 100g
Vitamin B6
per 200 Calories
0.8mg
(48% DV)
0.5mg
(28% DV)
0.4mg
(21% DV)

More Red Meat High in Vitamin B6

  • 41% DV in 3oz of beef roast
  • 28% DV in 3oz of buffalo sirloin
  • 21% DV in a 3oz beef hamburger

See all meat high in vitamin B6.

Sweet Potatoes6 Sweet Potatoes
Vitamin B6
per Cup Mashed
Vitamin B6
per 100g
Vitamin B6
per 200 Calories
0.6mg
(35% DV)
0.2mg
(14% DV)
0.5mg
(27% DV)

More Vegetables High in Vitamin B6

  • 26% DV in 1 cup of spinach
  • 23% DV in 1 cup of acorn squash
  • 20% DV in 1 cup of peas

See all vegetables high in vitamin B6.

Bananas7 Bananas
Vitamin B6
per Cup Sliced
Vitamin B6
per 100g
Vitamin B6
per 200 Calories
0.6mg
(32% DV)
0.4mg
(22% DV)
0.8mg
(49% DV)

More Fruits High in Vitamin B6

  • 12% DV in 1 cup of mango pieces
  • 11% DV in 1 cup of pineapple chunks
  • 9% DV in 1 cup of honeydew melon balls

See all fruits high in vitamin B6.

Potatoes8 Potatoes
Vitamin B6
in a Medium Potato
Vitamin B6
per 100g
Vitamin B6
per 200 Calories
0.5mg
(32% DV)
0.3mg
(18% DV)
0.7mg
(39% DV)
Half an avocado9 Avocados
Vitamin B6
per Avocado
Vitamin B6
per 100g
Vitamin B6
per 200 Calories
0.5mg
(30% DV)
0.3mg
(15% DV)
0.3mg
(19% DV)
Pistachios10 Pistachio Nuts
Vitamin B6
per 1 Oz Handful
Vitamin B6
per 100g
Vitamin B6
per 200 Calories
0.5mg
(28% DV)
1.7mg
(100% DV)
0.6mg
(36% DV)

More Nuts and Seeds High in Vitamin B6

  • 25% DV in 10 roasted chestnuts
  • 22% DV in 1oz of dried sunflower seeds
  • 9% DV in 1oz of walnuts

Try to find raw pistachios or walnuts as roasting destroys some of the vitamin B6. See all nuts and seeds high in vitamin B6.

Printable One Page Sheet

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A printable list of foods high in vitamin B6.

Health Benefits of Vitamin B6

  • Regulation of Mood - Vitamin B6 is composed of pyridoxal, pyridoxamine, and pyridoxine which are involved in the regulation of mental function and mood. While short-term intake of B6 (via supplements) shows no benefit, adequate intake of B6 over the long-term is helpful. (3)
  • Reduced Risk of Alzheimer's and Dementia - High homocysteine levels (Hyperhomocysteinaemia) can lead to an increased risk of Alzheimer's and dementia. Vitamin B6 demonstrably lowers homocysteine levels. (3)
  • Alleviation of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) - Studies suggest that consuming vitamin B6 in conjunction with magnesium helps alleviated symptoms associated with PMS (4).
  • Alleviation of mild morning sickness - Vitamin B6 along with ginger, antihistamines, and metoclopramide were shown to decrease symptoms of morning sickness. (5)

High Risk Groups for a Vitamin B6 Deficiency

  • Alcoholics - Alcohol promotes the loss and destruction of vitamin B6 from the body. (1)
  • Impaired Renal Function - People with kidney disease who are on dialysis are at risk of being deficient in vitamin B6. (1)
  • Autoimmune Disorders - People with rheumatoid arthritis, celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBS), and other malabsorptive autoimmune disorders tend to have low levels of vitamin B6. (1)

Other Vitamin B Foods

About the Data

Data for the curated food lists comes from the USDA Food Data Central Repository.

You can check our data against the USDA by clicking the (Source) link at the bottom of each food listing.

Note: When checking data please be sure the serving sizes are the same. In the rare case you find any difference, please contact us and we will fix it right away.

About Nutrient Targets

Setting targets can provide a guide to healthy eating.

Some of the most popular targets include:
  • Daily Value (%DV) - The daily value (%DV) is a general guideline for consumption that will prevent deficiency of a nutrient in most people. The %DV refers to the percentage of an amount that's found in a single serving of a food. It also accounts for absorption factors. It is set by the U.S. FDA.
  • Recommended Dietary Allowance (%RDA) - The RDA sets an average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97.5 percent) healthy individuals. It's more specific than the daily value, and varies by age and gender. The RDA is set by the US National Instutites of Health.
  • Reference Dietary Intake (%RDI) -The reference dietary intake is similar to the recommended daily allowance, and is specific to age and gender. The RDI for amino acids is set by the U.N. World Health Organization.
  • Adequate Intake (%AI) - This value is primarily used in reference to omega-3 and omega-6 fats. The Adequate Intake is also set by the U.S. Institute of Medicine. Because there is less evidence to determine the ideal targets for consumption of these nutrients, the specific amount is considered to be less reliable. Using the term Adequate Intake, rather than one of the other terms, helps to emphasize that the ideal intake has not yet been scientifically determined.

See the Guide to Recommended Daily Intakes for more information.

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Data Sources and References

  1. Office of Dietary Supplements Fact Sheet: Vitamin B6
  2. U.S. Agricultural Research Service Food Data Central
  3. Malouf M, Grimley EJ, Areosa SA. The effect of vitamin B6 on cognition Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2003;(4):CD004514. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD004514. 14584018
  4. Ebrahimi E, Khayati Motlagh S, Nemati S, Tavakoli Z. Evaluating the effect of magnesium and magnesium plus vitamin B6 supplement on the severity of premenstrual syndrome J Caring Sci. 2012 Nov 22;1(4):183-9. doi: 10.5681/jcs.2012.026. eCollection 2012 Dec. 25276694
  5. Jin J. Treatments for Hyperemesis Gravidarum and Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy: A Systematic Review JAMA. 2016 Oct 4;316(13):1420. doi: 10.1001/jama.2016.14737. 27701662
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