1. Liver
It’s an essential nutrient — meaning that you must obtain it from food, as your body cannot produce it on its own. Therefore, it’s important to regularly consume niacin-rich foods. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for this nutrient is 16 mg per day for men and 14 mg per day for women — enough to meet the needs of approximately 98% of adults Here are 16 foods high in niaci.
Why You Need Niacin
Niacin is an essential nutrient that you mainly need to get from foods. The amount of niacin you need varies based on your age and sex.
The body uses it for such things as proper nervous system functions and metabolism. The vitamin also plays a role in:
Heart Health
Niacin helps to regulate cholesterol and protect the health of your heart. It can aid in reducing LDL cholesterol, raising HDL cholesterol, and improving triglyceride levels.
If you take statin medication or blood pressure-lowering medication, you should speak with your doctor, though, as too much niacin may have negative effects. The vitamin also acts as an antioxidant, which can further protect your heart. As an antioxidant, it helps to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, both of which can contribute to atherosclerosis, or narrowed arteries due to plaque buildu.
#1: Tuna (Yellowfin)
Even a slight deficiency of niacin can lead to irritability, poor concentration, anxiety, fatigue, restlessness, apathy, and depression. Below are the top 10 foods highest in niacin ranked by common serving sizes. For more, see the complete list of 200 foods high in niacin, and lists of other foods high in B vitamin.
What Is Vitamin B3?
Being one of the water-soluble vitamins, niacin is not stored in the body in large quantities. Most excess amounts of this vitamin are excreted through the urine. Niacin, another vitamin B3 name, was created by blending three words into one – nicotinic acid vitamin.
Other forms include nicotinamide, inositol hexanicotinate, and related derivatives. Interestingly, they all have different uses in the body.