Description
Free of: Added sugar, soy, dairy, yeast, gluten, and additives.
What
is Niacin? Niacin,
also known as nicotinic acid, is an organic compound and a form of vitamin B3,
an essential human nutrient. It can be manufactured by plants and animals from
the amino acid tryptophan.
Niacin
Chemistry This colorless, water-soluble solid is a derivative of pyridine, with a
carboxyl group (COOH) at the 3-position. Other forms of vitamin B3 include the
corresponding amide nicotinamide (niacinamide), where the carboxyl group has
been replaced by a carboxamide group (CONH2).
History
of Niacin Niacin
as a chemical compound was first described by chemist Hugo Weidel in 1873 in
his studies of nicotine, but that predated by many years the concept of food components
other than protein, fat and carbohydrates that were essential for life. Vitamin
nomenclature was initially alphabetical, with Elmer McCollum calling these
fat-soluble A and water-soluble B. Over time, eight chemically distinct,
water-soluble B vitamins were isolated and numbered, with niacin as vitamin B3.
Sources
of Niacin Niacin
is found in a variety of whole and processed foods, including fortified
packaged foods, meat from various animal sources, seafoods, and spices. In
general, animal-sourced foods provide about 5–10 mg niacin per serving,
although dairy foods and eggs have little. Some plant-sourced foods such as
nuts and grains provide about 2–5 mg niacin per serving, although this
naturally present niacin is largely bound to polysaccharides and glycopeptides,
making it only about 30% bioavailable. Fortified food ingredients such as wheat
flour have niacin added, which is bioavailable.

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