Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) & the Paleo Diet

Do you sometimes suffer from stress? Yes? Then there’s already one reason for you to take note of Vitamin B5 – also known as Pantothenic Acid – that can improve your ability to respond to stressful situations by supporting the adrenal glands. But that’s not all – Vitamin B5 also supports the processes that turn carbohydrates and fats into energy in your body, together with other B-complex vitamins, and helps in the optimal maintenance of fat.

Now, a Vitamin B5 deficiency is not very common, especially when following a natural Paleo diet,  but it’s still good to know its symptoms. You may be deficient of Pantothenic Acid if you experience fatigue, sensations of weakness, and numbness, tingling and burning pain in the feet.

Also, there are a number of medical conditions that Vitamin B5 may help to relieve or prevent, including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, hyperlipidaemia, chronic fatigue syndrome, cataracts, “burning foot” syndrome, and adrenal insufficiency. If you think you might benefit from adding more Pantothenic Acid into your menu, read on for recommendations on how to do this through a whole food approach under the Paleo Diet, in order to achieve long term health in a natural way.

How much Vitamin B5 do you need in your diet?

The recommended daily amount for Pantothenic Acid is 10mg. There is no upper limit set in health recommendations, but very high supplemental doses (of 2 or more grams per day) can cause mild diarrhoea.

Which foods can you get Vitamin B5 from?

1. Liver – Although all animal livers are a great source for Vitamin B5,  chicken liver will provide the biggest benefit by covering 83% of your daily need in a 100g serving. Adding liver is a great addition to your diet as it is packed with micronutrients, but if you can’t tolerate its taste easily, try mixing some of it with your minced meat when you make meatballs or burger patties. It’s like a naturally fortified mince!
2. Sunflower seeds – For a sprinkle of Vitamin B5 in your salads, try adding in some sunflower seeds. Two tablespoons of sunflower seeds will provide 21.5% of your daily need.
3. Shiitake mushrooms – Mushrooms are a great source of vitamins while providing few calories. So if your caloric consumption is on the low end, they’re an especially good addition to the diet. 100g of shiitake mushrooms provide you with 36% of your daily need of Vitamin B5.
4. Avocado – Not only do avocadoes provide us with good fats, they have valuable micronutrients to keep us happy and healthy! In one medium fruit there’s 20% of your daily need on Pantothenic Acid. Reason enough to mix up a guacamole!
5. Caviar – If you ever need one, here’s a good excuse to indulge in some caviar. 100g of it will provide 35% of your daily need, but it’s understandable if you’re not going for as much – there’s 6% of your daily Vitamin B5 need in a tablespoon. But beware; you might be wanting more than that!
6. Sweet potato – The humble sweet potato is also a decent source for Vitamin B5. One cup of cooked sweet potatoes equals to 10.1% of your daily need of Pantothenic Acid. A cheaper source than caviar, at least!
7. Cauliflower – Here’s an idea for a Vitamin B5-filled snack for your next film night! A cup of raw cauliflower provides 7.1% of your daily need. Snack on!

What else should you know about Vitamin B5?

Pantothenic Acid is relatively unstable in food, with significant amounts being lost through freezing and processing. This shows why the Paleo Diet that promotes fresh whole ingredients is a good approach if you care about vitamin consumption – you will simply more health out of your food!

So, will you take note of Vitamin B5 in your food from now on? Do you have any good recipes to use the specific ingredients? Share your thoughts in the comments!