Pantothenic Acid in Focus – FooDosage Nutrition Calculator
Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) is a water-soluble vitamin in the B series, essential for energy metabolism the biosynthesis of fatty acids and cholesterol, and is needed for normal function of the digestive system, skin, and nerves. Furthermore, Vitamin B5 is critical to the manufacture of red blood cells, as well as sex and stress-related hormones, and it helps with the absorption of other B vitamins, especially Riboflavin (B2).
Vitamin B5 supplements are sometimes recommended for stress relief, though further studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of such treatment.
Being water-soluble, it is stored in the liver and heart in small quantities, but excess amounts will be expelled quickly. This means we need an adequate, ongoing (daily) supply to keep B5 levels in the optimal range.
This article will cover the recommended intake levels, why we want to reach those levels, the dangers of overconsumption, and which foods are richest in Pantothenic Acid. As a twist, we sort foods by their nutrient to calorie ratios, as opposed to the more common per 100 gram values. This is because per calorie values correct for water content, and satiation.
Note that all recommended intake figures below are based on the needs of a 31 year old non-pregnant, non-lactating woman on a 2000 kilocalorie diet. Your personal requirements may differ (wildly). One way to figure out your individual needs, including calories per day, is the FooDosage Nutrition Calculator. It’s free, by the way.
Recommended Pantothenic Acid Intake
The recommended intake range for Pantothenic Acid, as set by the National Academy of Sciences:
Recommended minimum intake (RDA): 5 mg per day
Upper limit: –
“No adverse effects associated with pantothenic acid from food or supplements have been reported. This does not mean that there is no potential for adverse effects resulting from high intakes. Because data on the adverse effects of pantothenic acid are limited, caution may be warranted.”
In other words: Any amount of Vitamin B5 you can get from food sources is probably fine, but don’t overdo it with supplements.
Note that your personal requirements may differ depending on your age, sex, pregnancy-, and lactation status.
Importance of an Adequate Pantothenic Acid Intake (Dangers of a Deficiency)
Vitamin B5 deficiencies are extremely rare, and are only really observed in victims of starvation and in volunteer trials. Data on the symptoms of a deficiency is therefore limited, but they may include:
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Depression
- Irritability
- Vomiting
- Stomach pains
- Burning feet
- Upper respiratory infections
In cases where a Vitamin B5 deficiency was diagnosed, all symptoms could be reversed by restoring adequate intake levels.
Risks of an Excessive Pantothenic Acid Consumption (Side Effects)
As a water-soluble vitamin, excess Pantothenic Acid is usually expelled without complication. As opposed to fat soluble vitamins, liver toxicity is not a danger.
There is no evidence of adverse effects from the consumption of naturally occurring Vitamin B5 in foods, or otherwise. Though data on side effects from excess B5 intake from supplements is limited, so caution may be warranted.
Top 12 Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) Food Sources
The highest concentrations of Pantothenic Acid are usually found in mushrooms, entrails such as livers or kidneys (especially poultry and beef), (game) meats, tomato products, yeast, egg yolk, some vegetables, and whole grains.
Some choice examples of Vitamin B5 rich foods:
Pantothenic Acid Leaderboard – FooDosage Nutrition Calculator
Note that for this ranking, the foods were sorted by their nutrient/calorie contents, as opposed to the more common nutrient/gram sorting method. This is because per calorie values correct for water content, and satiation. Example: Butter may contain more Vitamin A than Spinach per 100 grams, but eating the 120 grams of spinach necessary to reach the minimum recommended amount of Vitamin A is by far more feasible (and recommendable) than to eat the 100 grams of butter required for the same amount of Vitamin A.
White Mushrooms
Pantothenic Acid (B5) per 100g (boiled): 2.16 mg (43% of recommended minimum intake.)
Pantothenic Acid (B5) per 100 kcal: 7.71 mg (Corrects for water content and satiation.)
White Button Mushrooms
Calories per 100g: 28 kcal
A mutation of immature Portabella mushrooms (brown button), favored because of its “cleaner” look, white button mushrooms, as many other mushrooms, make for a great Vitamin A source. Delicious in cream sauce.
White mushrooms are also a great source of:
- Copper – at 0.5 mg / 100g (56% of RMI)
- Niacin (B3) – at 4.46 mg / 100g (32% of RMI)
- Riboflavin (B2) – at 0.3 mg / 100g (27% of RMI)
- Selenium – at 11.9 µg / 100g (22% of RMI)
Endive
Pantothenic Acid (B5) per 100g (raw): 0.9 mg (18% of recommended minimum intake.)
Pantothenic Acid (B5) per 100 kcal: 5.29 mg (Corrects for water content and satiation.)
Endive
Calories per 100g: 17 kcal
I’ll be honest with you. I don’t like endive very much. Mainly because I cannot stand even the slightest bitter tastes at all. But many people love it in salads, and the nutritional value of endive is on their sides.
Endive is also a great source of:
- Vitamin K – at 231 µg / 100g (257% of RMI)
- Folate (B9) – at 142 µg / 100g (36% of RMI)
- Manganese – at 0.42 mg / 100g (23% of RMI)
- Vitamin A – at 108 µg / 100g (15% of RMI)
- Dietary Fiber – at 3.1 g / 100 g (13% of RMI)
Chicken Liver
Pantothenic Acid (B5) per 100g (pan fried): 8.31 mg (149% of recommended minimum intake.)
Pantothenic Acid (B5) per 100 kcal: 4.83 mg (Corrects for water content and satiation.)
Calories per 100g: 172 kcal
Chicken liver is not exactly a staple food in most western diets, but maybe we should add some to our meal plans in small amounts, due to it’s excellent nutrient profile. Why small amounts? Because liver in general contains such extreme amounts of Vitamin A, that there is a danger of exceeding the upper limit and suffering the side effects of overconsumption (liver toxicity among them). As Vitamin A is fat soluble, the upper limit can be taken as a weekly average.
But Vitamin A is not the only reason to limit liver consumption to small amounts. Heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium and lead, as well as pesticides tend to collect in farm animals’ livers. Try to only buy organic to get “cleaner” livers, apart from all the other arguments for buying organic foods in general.
Chicken liver is also an excellent source of:
- Cyanocobalamin (B12) – at 21.13 µg / 100 g (880% of RMI)
- Vitamin A – at 4296 µg / 100 g (614% of RMI. WARNING: The upper limit is 3000 µg)
- Riboflavin (B2) – at 2.31 mg / 100 g (210% of RMI)
- Selenium – at 88.2 µg / 100 g (160% of RMI)
- Folate (B9) – at 560 µg / 100 g (140% of RMI)
- Niacin (B3) – at 13.93 mg / 100 g (99% of RMI)
Emu (Inside Drums)
Pantothenic Acid (B5) per 100g (broiled): 3.51 mg (149% of recommended minimum intake.)
Pantothenic Acid (B5) per 100 kcal: 2.25 mg (Corrects for water content and satiation.)
Calories per 100g: 156 kcal
What ever happened to emu, “the next red meat”? You probably won’t find it at the supermarket, but if you can find a supplier, you should give emu meat a try. Not only does its nutrient profile make a great impression in our spreadsheets, it’s a much more ecological alternative to beef, for example. It’s a very lean meat (3% fat) and as expected, it comes with a good amount of protein, at 32 grams per hundred (66%). (Completeness: 95%, lacking a bit in tryptophan).
Emu drums are also a great source of:
- Cyanocobalamin (B12) – at 2.4 µg / 100g (100% of RMI)
- Selenium – at 49.6 µg / 100g (90% of RMI)
- Vitamin B6 – at 0.95 mg / 100g (73% of RMI)
- Niacin (B3) – at 10.2 mg / 100g (73% of RMI)
- Zinc – at 5.09 mg / 100g (64% of RMI)
Cauliflower
Pantothenic Acid (B5) per 100g (boiled): 0.51 mg (10% of recommended minimum intake.)
Pantothenic Acid (B5) per 100 kcal: 2.2 mg (Corrects for water content and satiation.)
Fresh Cauliflower
Calories per 100g: 23 kcal
Broccoli’s white brother, cauliflower makes for a low calorie, nutritious, tasty side dish, or ingredient in a medley.
Cauliflower is also a good source of:
- Vitamin C – at 44.3 mg / 100g (59% of RMI)
- Vitamin K – at 13.8 µg / 100g (15% of RMI)
- Vitamin B6 – at 0.17 mg / 100g (13% of RMI)
- Folate (B9) – at 44 µg / 100g (11% of RMI)
Cucumber
Pantothenic Acid (B5) per 100g (raw): 0.24 mg (5% of recommended minimum intake.)
Pantothenic Acid (B5) per 100 kcal: 2 mg (Corrects for water content and satiation.)
Fresh Cucumber
Calories per 100g: 12 kcal
At first glance, a cucumber’s nutrient profile may look utterly unimpressive. Once you consider the very low calorie count, and how much you could eat in one sitting, the numbers tell a different story. Cucumbers make for a great addition to salads, or a healthy snack.
Cucumbers are also a source of:
- Vitamin K – at 7.2 µg / 100g (8% of RMI)
- Copper – at 0.07 mg / 100g (8% of RMI)
- Vitamin B6 – at 0.05 mg / 100g (4% of RMI)
- Folate (B9) – at 14 µg / 100g (4% of RMI)
- Vitamin C – at 3.2 mg / 100g (4% of RMI)
Zucchini
Pantothenic Acid (B5) per 100g (boiled): 0.29 mg (6% of recommended minimum intake.)
Pantothenic Acid (B5) per 100 kcal: 1.92 mg (Corrects for water content and satiation.)
Fresh Zucchini
Calories per 100g: 15 kcal
Zucchini, a summer squash, has a lot to offer for its very low calorie count. Nutritionally that is. Some people would say that also holds true for taste.
A main ingredient of ratatouille.
Zucchini is also a good source of:
- Vitamin C – at 12.9 mg / 100g (17% of RMI)
- Manganese – at 0.17 mg / 100g (10% of RMI)
- Vitamin A – at 56 µg / 100g (8% of RMI)
Lobster
Pantothenic Acid (B5) per 100g (cooked): 1.67 mg (33% of recommended minimum intake.)
Pantothenic Acid (B5) per 100 kcal: 1.87 mg (Corrects for water content and satiation.)
Lobster
Calories per 100g: 89 kcal
I debated whether or not to include lobster, as it’s an ethically questionable food. But as a matter of fact, it’s also nutritious and delicious. Please consider only eating lobster that has been humanely killed before cooking (and stored, and transported). Also, please buy only MSC certified fish and seafood.
Fun fact: Until the latter half of the 20th century, lobster was dirt cheap and considered a food of the poor and unwashed masses (and earlier, slaves). In the 1800s it was even considered cruel and unusual punishment to feed prisoners lobster (though not outlawed. Poor guys.)
Lobster is also a great source of:
- Copper – at 1.55 mg / 100g (172% of RMI)
- Selenium – at 73.1 µg / 100g (133% of RMI)
- Cyanocobalamin (B12) – at 1.43 µg / 100g (60% of RMI)
- Zinc – at 4.05 mg / 100g (51% of RMI)
- Protein – at 19 g / 100g (39% of RMI)
Celery
Pantothenic Acid (B5) per 100g (boiled): 0.32 mg (6% of recommended minimum intake.)
Pantothenic Acid (B5) per 100 kcal: 1.76 mg (Corrects for water content and satiation.)
Fresh Celery
Calories per 100g: 18 kcal
Like cucumbers, celery is low in calories and taking that into consideration, very rich in B5. Unlike Cucumbers, celery does not make for a great addition to salads. It does, however, make for a healthy snack.
Celery is also a good source of:
- Vitamin K – at 37.8 µg / 100g (42% of RMI)
- Folate (B9) – at 33 µg / 100g (8% of RMI)
- Vitamin C – at 6.1 mg / 100g (8% of RMI)
Broccoli
Pantothenic Acid (B5) per 100g (boiled): 0.62 mg (12% of recommended minimum intake.)
Pantothenic Acid (B5) per 100 kcal: 1.76 mg (Corrects for water content and satiation.)
Fresh Broccoli
Calories per 100g: 35 kcal
A cruciferous vegetable, broccoli makes for a very healthy side dish to a variety of main courses, and (when farmed locally) a much more ecological source of vitamin C than orange juice. Sprinkled with parmesan, it’s also delicious.
Broccoli is also a great source of:
- Vitamin K – at 141 µg / 100g (157% of RMI)
- Vitamin C – at 64.9 mg / 100g (87% of RMI)
- Folate (B9) – at 108 µg / 100g (27% of RMI)
- Vitamin B6 – at 0.2 mg / 100g (15% of RMI)
Broccoli Raab
Pantothenic Acid (B5) per 100g (boiled): 0.45 mg (9% of recommended minimum intake.)
Pantothenic Acid (B5) per 100 kcal: 1.36 mg (Corrects for water content and satiation.)
Calories per 100g: 33 kcal
Despite its name, and B5 contents, broccoli raab (a.k.a. broccoli rabe) is not actually a kind of broccoli. instead, it’s related to turnips. Due to it’s bitter taste, it’s unsuitable for people like me. Everyone else, dig in.
Broccoli raab is also a great source of:
- Vitamin K – at 256 µg / 100g (284% of RMI)
- Vitamin A – at 227 µg / 100g (32% of RMI)
- Manganese – at 0.38 mg / 100g (21% of RMI)
Carambola (Star Fruit)
Pantothenic Acid (B5) per 100g (boiled): 0.39 mg (8% of recommended minimum intake.)
Pantothenic Acid (B5) per 100 kcal: 1.26 mg (Corrects for water content and satiation.)
Calories per 100g: 31 kcal
Star fruit certainly are very pretty. They also contain a good amount of Vitamin B5 for their calorie count. There are more ecological and generally nutritious alternatives though.
Fresh Star Fruit
Star fruit is also a good source of:
- Vitamin C – at 34.4 mg / 100g (46% of RMI)
- Copper – at 0.14 mg / 100g (15% of RMI)
Bonus “Per 100 Grams” Leader: Sunflower Seeds
Pantothenic Acid (B5) per 100g (toasted): 7.06 mg (141% of recommended minimum intake.)
Pantothenic Acid (B5) per 100 kcal: 1.14 mg (Corrects for water content and satiation.)
Peeled Sunflower Seeds
Calories per 100g: 619 kcal
Sunflower seeds would have taken the second place in this ranking behind Chicken livers, if we had used the common per 100 calorie sorting method. True, the Vitamin B5 contents are indeed very high, but the same goes for (healthy) fat (58.8 g / 100%), protein, and carbs, as opposed to the very low water contents.
All of this is not bad per se, but it does make for a very high calorie count and it means you will probably have a hard time fitting enough sunflower seeds into your diet to satisfy your B5 needs (and still cover everything else without gaining weight). Unless your name is Fox Moulder, of course.
As such, I figure this makes for another good example of why I chose the per 100 calorie sorting method. What do you think? Let me know in the comments.
Sunflower seeds are also a good source of:
- Copper – at 1.83 mg / 100g (204% of RMI)
- Phosphorus – at 1158 mg / 100g (165% of RMI)
- Manganese – at 2.11 mg / 100g (117% of RMI)
- Zinc – at 5.3 mg / 100g (66% of RMI)
- Vitamin B6 – at 0.81 mg / 100g (62% of RMI)
Example: Sincerely Nuts Organic Sunflower Seeds Hulled (Amazon)
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Bon Appetit 🙂
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