Vitamins are an important part of a healthy diet, and most come from your food, drink or the human body itself. Vitamin K, for example, is made by the body as it soaks up the sunshine. Thus, it is often called the sunshine vitamin. Another important vitamin made by the body is Vitamin B.

Vitamin B can often be confusing as the different types of Vitamin B are often labeled with different numbers, like B-12. Altogether, the B Vitamins are referred to as the B-complex vitamins. The B-complex actually consists of eight different types of vitamins, some of which are produced within the intestines. B vitamins are water soluble, meaning that any extras are flushed out of the system through urine. Like Vitamin C, though, some extra Vitamin B can be stored in the liver.

Vitamin B plays many important roles within the body, including helping to break down carbohydrates into glucose – or in layman’s terms, helping unlock the energy within the food that we eat. Vitamin B is also important in helping with the normal function of the nervous system through the breakdown of fat and protein and for helping keep good muscle tone in internal digestive organs. It can also help with healthy skin, hair, eyes and other organs as well. With all the important roles this vitamin plays, it’s easy to see why Vitamin B is such an important part of a healthy diet.

It’s easy to get a good amount of Vitamin B through the food we eat as some foods, like pasta and cereal, are required by law to add B-complex vitamins like folic acid into the food itself. Other ways to make sure you get enough of the B-complex vitamins is to remember to always eat your greens. Dark green, leafy vegetables are full of good B-complex vitamins. Beans and lentils are also a good source of the B Vitamins, although these are subject to the heat from cooking. It turns out that Mom was right. If you want to stay healthy, make sure you eat your vegetables and greens.