1. VITAMIN B1 - THIAMIN THIAMIN HELPS TO RELEASE ENERGY FROM CARBOHYDRATE, IT HELPS THE BODY TO GROW AND HELPS THE NERVES TO WORK PROPERLY THIAMIN CANNOT BE STORED IN THE BODY SO A SUPPLY IS NEEDED EVERYDAY THIAMIN IS FOUND IN CEREALS, YEAST AND YEAST EXTRACTS (MARMITE) ALL TYPES OF MEAT, EGGS AND FISH ROE, MILK, NUTS, DAIRY FOODS, SEEDS, NUTS & BEANS IF WE DON’T HAVE ENOUGH THIAMIN IN OUR DIET, THE BODY CAN DEVELOP A DISEASE CALLED BERI – BERI WHICH CAN CAUSE MUSCLE WASTAGE. THIAMIN CAN BE DESTROYED BY HEAT WHEN COOKING AND IS EASILY DISSOLVED IN WATER.

2. VITAMIN B2 - RIBOFLAVIN RIBOFLAVIN HELPS TO RELEASE ENERGY FROM CARBOHYDRATES AND PROTEINS SOURCES OF RIBOFLAVIN ARE THE SAME AS THIAMIN IF THERE ISN’T ENOUGH INTAKE OF RIBOFLAVIN, THE SKIN AROUND THE MOUTH & NOSE CAN BECOME DRY AND CAN CRACK AND CAN ALSO CAUSE A SWOLLEN TONGUE RIBOFLAVIN IS DAMAGED WHEN EXPOSED TO SUNLIGHT

3. VITAMIN B3 - NIACIN NIACIN HELPS TO RELEASE ENERGY FROM FOOD AND CAN ALSO BE USED TO LOWER THE LEVELS OF FAT IN THE BLOOD NIACIN IS FOUND IN THE SAME SOURCES AS RIBOFLAVIN AND THIAMINE IF THE BODY DOESN’T HAVE ENOUGH NIACIN THEN THE BODY WILL DEVELOP A DISEASE CALLED PELLAGRA WHICH CAUSES DIARRHOEA, DERMATITIS, DEMENTIA

4. VITAMIN B5 – PANTOTHENIC ACID PANTOTHENIC ACID HELPS TO RELEASE ENERGY FROM FOOD PANTOTHENIC ACID IS FOUND IN A WIDE VARIETY OF FOODS A DEFICIENCY IS VERY RARE

5. VITAMIN B6 - PYRIDOXINE PYRIDOXINE HELPS THE BODY TO USE PROTEIN, FATS AND CARBOHYDRATES AND IS FOUND IN A VARIETY OF FOODS IF WE DON’T HAVE ENOUGH PYRIDOXINE IT CAN LEAD TO HEADACHES, GENERAL ACHING AND WEAKNESS AND ANAEMIA. PYRIDOXINE IS DESTROYED DURING COOKING

6. VITAMIN B9 - FOLATE THERE IS A MAN MADE VERSION OF FOLATE – FOLIC ACID FOLATE HELPS TO USE PROTEIN FOLATE MAKES DNA IN BODY CELLS WHEN THEY DIVIDE TO PRODUCE MORE CELLS, ESPECIALLY THE CELLS IN BONE MARROW AND THE CELLS THAT LINE THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM FOLATE IS FOUND IN GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES, LIVER, POTATOES, FRUITS, ASPARAGUS, OKRA, BEANS AND SEEDS, WHOLEGRAIN CEREALS AND NUTS FOLIC ACID IS ADDED TO BREAKFAST CEREALS.

7. VITAMIN B12 - COBALAMIN B12 IS NEEDED TO FORM A PROTECTIVE COATING AROUND NERVE CELLS TO MAKE THEM WORK PROPERLY AND IS USED FOR THE CORRECT PRODUCTION OF NEW CELLS. B12 CAN BE STORED IN THE LIVER AND IS ONLY FOUND IN FOODS FROM ANIMALS. IF WE DON’T HAVE ENOUGH B12 NERVES CAN STOP WORKING, AND WILL LEAD TO PARALYSIS, MEMORY LOSS AND CONFUSION.