Foods high in Vitamin B3 (niacin)
Water-soluble B-vitamin for energy metabolism. The body can also make some niacin from the amino acid tryptophan.
About Vitamin B3 (niacin)
Niacin (vitamin B3) is involved in over 400 enzyme reactions, mostly in energy metabolism. The body can also make some niacin from the amino acid tryptophan in food, which is partly why protein-rich diets rarely show deficiency.
Meat, poultry, fish, peanuts, mushrooms, and whole grains are good sources. Niacin in maize is locked in a form the body can't access unless the maize is treated with alkali (nixtamalisation), the traditional Mesoamerican preparation that makes tortillas and hominy.
UK adult RI: 16 mg/day. Pellagra (severe niacin deficiency) was historically a major problem in maize-based diets without nixtamalisation. High-dose niacin lowers cholesterol but causes uncomfortable skin flushing, and isn't widely prescribed today.
Foods high in vitamin b3 (niacin), spread, spread, spread, and more
Ranked by how much you get per calorie, so foods are not rewarded for simply being dry or concentrated. Values from USDA FoodData Central, McCance & Widdowson's CoFID, ANSES Ciqual, and other public nutrition databases. Amounts in milligrams.
Per calorie is the default here because it answers what to eat: ranked purely by amount, a list of the richest foods fills up with dried and concentrated things nobody eats a plateful of. Switch to per 100 grams above if concentration is what you are after.
- Spread, yeast, vegemite 75.96mg per 100 grams
- Spread, yeast, vegemite, gluten free 71.27mg per 100 grams
- Spread, yeast, vegemite, salt reduced 64.53mg per 100 grams
- Beef extract 48.6mg per 100 grams
- Spread, yeast, marmite 33.53mg per 100 grams
- Mutton-bird, meat, cooked 27.56mg per 100 grams
- Mushroom, dried 24.34mg per 100 grams
- Cereals ready-to-eat, RALSTON Enriched Wheat Bran flakes 23.22mg per 100 grams
- Energy drink (Red Bull) 22.85mg per 100 grams
- Beverages, Energy drink, RED BULL 22.85mg per 100 grams
- Energy Drink 22.85mg per 100 grams
- Beverages, Energy Drink, Monster, fortified with vitamins C, B2, B3, B6, B12 21.62mg per 100 grams
Common questions about Vitamin B3 (niacin)
- How much niacin do I need?
- UK adult RI: 16 mg/day.
- What foods are high in niacin?
- Meat, poultry, fish, peanuts, mushrooms, and whole grains. The body can also make some niacin from the amino acid tryptophan.
- What was pellagra?
- Severe niacin deficiency, historically common in maize-based diets without nixtamalisation (the traditional alkali treatment). Now rare in well-fed populations.
- Should I take niacin to lower cholesterol?
- High-dose niacin lowers cholesterol but causes uncomfortable skin flushing and isn't widely prescribed today. Statins and lifestyle changes are usually preferred.