What does it do?
One of the forgotten vitamins in that it’s rarely talked about, B5 is nevertheless important for growth, converting food into energy, healthy skin and antibody formation. Its role in the production of cortisone means that it helps the body tolerate and respond to stress.
What’s the story?
D-panthenol, a substance that the body can convert into panthothenic acid, is often used as a cosmetic ingredient because of its moisturizing abilities, which - funnily enough - is where Pantene shampoo originally got its name from. There is however, little convincing evidence that B5 does very much when added to shampoo….
How much do I need?
It’s very difficult for a non-starving person to be deficient in B5, and as a result it’s one of the vitamins where the recommended amounts are a little vague; between 3 and 7 mg per day is generally recommended as being a safe amount to consume.
Where can I find it?
Royal jelly and, oddly, the ovaries of coldwater fish are the highest sources of B5, but fear not as there are plenty of other less wacky ways to get hold of this vitamin. Eggs, mushrooms, salmon, yeast, apples, dried apricots and figs, avocado, legumes, peanuts, pecan nuts, sesame seeds, wholegrains and liver are all good sources.
Any ideas for using those ingredients?
Baked salmon with miso stir-fried veg/shakshuka/date and nut butter/liver alla veneziana/easy guacamole/Tuna and avocado poke/mushroom and barley/groundnut chicken curry/roast harissa cauliflower with tahini sauce
References
British Nutrition Foundation (2021) Nutrition Requirements. Available here.
Price, C. (2016) The Vitamin Complex. London, Oneworld Publications, p. 257.