Recipes From South Africa

Vitamin B3 is the third vitamin in the vitamin B complex. The scientific name is niacin and it is water-soluble. Vitamin B3 is required every day to help with the functioning of the nervous system, cell respiration and a better circulation. Vitamin B3 is used in the synthesis of sex hormones, it is a memory en-hancer, controls cholesterol levels and ease arthritis. The daily recommended intake for vitamin B3 is 18 mg for men and 13 mg for woman. This is the minimum intake though and higher doses can be used, but do consult your doctor first.

 

An overdose of vitamin B3 is possible and occurs when your intake is more than 2 500 mg. The signs of taking too much vitamin B3 is itching, elevated blood glucose as well as possible liver damage. Taking more than about 200 mg per day, it can possibly cause your blood pressure to drop.

 

If you do not take enough vitamin B3, it can cause diarrhoea or in the extreme, dementia. Some of the symptoms to watch out for are depression, dizziness, headaches, fatigue, low blood sugar, weak muscles, memory loss as well as inflammation. As with the other B vitamins, it is best taken together with the vitamin B complex and not on its own. Whenever you take any vitamin, make sure you take the recommended dosage and not too much. Some vitamins do not have any effect if you take too much, but some off the vitamins do. Make sure you know what the symptoms are and don’t use too much by taking supplements.

 

Foods that are rich in vitamin B3 include chicken, fish, nuts, liver, cereals, asparagus, seeds, milk and green leafy vegetables. The biggest enemy of vitamin B3 is cooking. Vitamin B3 is very easily lost when the food is being cooked in water so do try and eat vegetables and food raw as far as possible. If you really want to boil vegetables, only use a little bit of water and don’t over-cook it.

 

Something interesting about this vitamin, is that vitamin B3 is being looked at as a source of helping to slow down the progress of type 1 diabetes. With further tests, we might be using this great vitamin to help us slow down something that is vastly becoming a bigger and bigger problem, an unfortunate normality in our lives.

 

Our children are suffering from diabetes at a very young age, and this can be prevented or at least controlled by a better and healthier diet. Get rid of processed foods and replace it with home cooked meals, including fresh vegetables. Instead of feeding children crisps and cookies as snacks, give them fruits that are naturally sweet.