Vitamin B3: Benefits, Deficiency, and Food Sources

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 Vitamin B3: Benefits, Deficiency, and Food Sources When we talk about staying healthy, vitamins play a big role in keeping our body strong and energized. One of these essential vitamins is Vitamin B3, also known as niacin. This important nutrient helps our body in many ways and is especially important for energy, skin, and brain health. Let's explore what Vitamin B3 does, how we can get it from food, and what happens if we don’t get enough. What is Vitamin B3? Vitamin B3 is a water-soluble vitamin, which means our body doesn’t store it, and we need to get it regularly from food. It comes in three forms: Niacin (nicotinic acid) Nicotinamide (niacinamide) Inositol hexanicotinate (a slower-release version often found in supplements) This vitamin helps convert the food we eat into energy. It supports the function of the digestive system, skin, and nerves. It also helps improve circulation and lower cholesterol levels. Benefits of Vitamin B3 1. Boosts Energy Production Vitamin B3 plays...
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Energy Sources

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 Energy Sources




Carbohydrates


Dietary carbohydrates (e.g., starches, sugars) provide the body's primary and preferred source of fuel for energy. They also maintain the body's backup store of quick energy as glycogen . Human energy is measured in heat units called kilocalories, which is abbreviated as kcalories or kcal . Each gram of carbohydrate consumed yields 4 kcal of body energy. In a well balanced diet, carbohydrates from all sources should provide approximately 45% to 65% of the total kilocalories.


Fats

Dietary fats from both animal and plant sources provide the body's secondary or storage form of energy. This form is more concentrated, yielding 9 kcal for each gram consumed. In a well balanced diet, fats should provide no more than 20% to 35% of the total kilocalories. Approximately two thirds of this amount should be from plant sources, which provide monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, and no more than 10% of kcals should come from saturated fat.


Proteins

Ideally protein would not be used for energy by the body. Rather, it should be preserved for other critical functions, such as structure, enzyme and hormone production , fluid balance, and so on. However, in the event that necessary energy from carbohydrates and fat is insufficient, the body may draw from dietary or tissue protein to obtain required energy. When this occurs, protein yields 4 kcal per gram. In a well-balanced diet, protein should provide approximately 10% to 35% of the total kilocalories .


Thus, the recommended intake of each energy yielding nutrient, as a percent of total calories, is as follows :


Carbohydrate: 45% to 65%

Fat: 20% to 35% 

Protein: 10% to 35%



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