15 Vitamin B6 Foods for Mood and Metabolism
B6 runs over 100 enzyme reactions including the ones that make serotonin and dopamine. These foods have the most.
Data-backed ranking of the strongest food sources
Daily value context so the numbers mean something
Usage tips and tradeoffs, not just a list of names
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EatAndAchieve Editorial System
AI-assisted editorial system
This content is assembled from USDA FoodData Central data, in-house ranking logic, and reusable editorial templates to make nutrition information easier to understand.
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Jordan Vale
Founder, editor, and product builder
Jordan reviews pages for clarity, methodology, and product accuracy before they go live. He also maintains the code, data pipeline, and editorial standards for the site.
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Pages on EatAndAchieve combine USDA source data, site-specific scoring logic, and AI-assisted drafting, then receive human review for clarity and methodology. They are educational tools, not medical advice. Read more on the About page.
This ranking focuses on foods that meaningfully deliver vitamin b6 per 100g, using USDA FoodData Central as the source of truth. It is a concentration ranking, not a full health score, so the most useful way to read it is to look for foods that fit both your nutrient target and your normal portion sizes.
Why it matters
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is involved in over 100 enzyme reactions, primarily in protein metabolism. It is essential for neurotransmitter synthesis (serotonin, dopamine, GABA, norepinephrine), immune function, and hemoglobin production. It also plays a role in converting stored glycogen to glucose for energy.
Daily target
The FDA daily value is 1.7mg. Needs increase modestly with age and during pregnancy. Deficiency causes symptoms ranging from confusion and depression to weakened immunity and peripheral neuropathy.
How to use the list
Poultry, fish, potatoes, and bananas are reliable daily sources. B6 is water-soluble and heat-sensitive, so raw or lightly cooked foods retain more. Unlike many B vitamins, excessive supplemental B6 (over 100mg/day long-term) can cause nerve damage.
Screening rule
Foods had to clear basic practicality filters before ranking so the list stays useful, not just technically correct.
Best use case
Use this template when you want the single strongest sources of one nutrient and you are willing to compare foods mainly on that axis.
Main caveat
Per-100g leaders are not always everyday staples, which is why calorie density and tradeoffs are called out inside the list.
There is a reason Nuts, pistachio nuts, raw leads this list: 1.7mg of vitamin b6 per 100g is elite territory. That translates to 100% of the daily value, so it can materially move your intake in one serving. At 560 kcal per 100g, the nutrient density is strong but the portion size still deserves respect. The extra protein (40% DV) and fiber (38% DV) help this entry hold up outside of the headline nutrient. The fiber is another reason it tends to be more satisfying than the headline number suggests.
Worth knowing
High in saturated fat with 5.91g per 100g, which is worth watching if you are managing heart health or cholesterol.
Ruffed Grouse, breast meat, skinless, raw ranks this highly because it is one of the cleaner ways to get a lot of vitamin b6 quickly. That translates to 75% of the daily value, so it can materially move your intake in one serving. It also chips in with some protein (52% DV). The strong protein content makes it more practical than foods that only win on one micronutrient.
Chicken, broiler or fryers, breast, skinless, boneless, meat only, cooked, grilled ranks this highly because it is one of the cleaner ways to get a lot of vitamin b6 quickly. 68% of the daily value is enough to make this a serious contributor rather than a token source. A secondary plus is its protein (61% DV). Because protein is high too, it is easier to build a full meal around than some single-purpose nutrient sources.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 104mg per 100g.
Turkey, ground, fat free, pan-broiled crumbles stays near the top because 1.1mg per 100g is still a very aggressive number for vitamin b6. You are looking at 64% of the daily value per 100g, which is why it stands out in a nutrient-specific ranking like this. It also brings useful amounts of protein (63% DV) and zinc (20% DV), so it is not just a one-stat food. Because protein is high too, it is easier to build a full meal around than some single-purpose nutrient sources.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 71mg per 100g.
Canada Goose, breast meat only, skinless, raw holds its spot because 1.1mg of vitamin b6 is still comfortably strong. You are looking at 64% of the daily value per 100g, which is why it stands out in a nutrient-specific ranking like this. It also brings useful amounts of protein (49% DV) and iron (33% DV), so it is not just a one-stat food.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 80mg per 100g.
Turkey, all classes, liver, raw is not the flashiest name on the page, but the nutrient density is real at 1.0mg per 100g. 61% of the daily value is enough to make this a serious contributor rather than a token source. The extra protein (37% DV) and vitamin C (27% DV) help this entry hold up outside of the headline nutrient.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 415mg per 100g.
Fish, tuna, yellowfin, fresh, cooked, dry heat is not the flashiest name on the page, but the nutrient density is real at 1.0mg per 100g. You are looking at 61% of the daily value per 100g, which is why it stands out in a nutrient-specific ranking like this. A secondary plus is its protein (58% DV). Because protein is high too, it is easier to build a full meal around than some single-purpose nutrient sources.
Emu, full rump, cooked, broiled makes the cut on substance, not hype: 1.0mg per 100g is enough to matter in an actual diet. 58% of the daily value is enough to make this a serious contributor rather than a token source. The extra protein (67% DV) and iron (38% DV) help this entry hold up outside of the headline nutrient. The strong protein content makes it more practical than foods that only win on one micronutrient.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 129mg per 100g.
Emu, inside drums, cooked, broiled holds its spot because 0.9mg of vitamin b6 is still comfortably strong. You are looking at 56% of the daily value per 100g, which is why it stands out in a nutrient-specific ranking like this. The extra protein (65% DV) and iron (40% DV) help this entry hold up outside of the headline nutrient. The strong protein content makes it more practical than foods that only win on one micronutrient.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 91mg per 100g.
Emu, fan fillet, cooked, broiled rounds out the ranking with 0.9mg per 100g, which is still enough to be useful if it already fits your meals. That translates to 54% of the daily value, so it can materially move your intake in one serving. There is more here than the main number alone, especially the protein (63% DV) and iron (25% DV). The strong protein content makes it more practical than foods that only win on one micronutrient.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 82mg per 100g.
Turkey, ground, fat free, patties, broiled is here because even the back half of this list still offers respectable vitamin b6 density. 53% of the daily value is enough to make this a serious contributor rather than a token source. There is more here than the main number alone, especially the protein (58% DV) and zinc (20% DV). The strong protein content makes it more practical than foods that only win on one micronutrient.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 65mg per 100g.
Beef, round, top round steak, boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, choice, cooked, grilled lands lower on the page, but 0.9mg per 100g is still better than what you get from most foods. That translates to 52% of the daily value, so it can materially move your intake in one serving. The extra protein (60% DV) and zinc (48% DV) help this entry hold up outside of the headline nutrient. Because protein is high too, it is easier to build a full meal around than some single-purpose nutrient sources.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 85mg per 100g.
Beef, loin, tenderloin steak, boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, choice, cooked, grilled is here because even the back half of this list still offers respectable vitamin b6 density. 51% of the daily value is enough to make this a serious contributor rather than a token source. The extra protein (61% DV) and iron (23% DV) help this entry hold up outside of the headline nutrient.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 93mg per 100g.
Turkey, ground, fat free, raw rounds out the ranking with 0.9mg per 100g, which is still enough to be useful if it already fits your meals. You are looking at 50% of the daily value per 100g, which is why it stands out in a nutrient-specific ranking like this. It also chips in with some protein (47% DV).
Emu, top loin, cooked, broiled is here because even the back half of this list still offers respectable vitamin b6 density. 50% of the daily value is enough to make this a serious contributor rather than a token source. It also brings useful amounts of protein (58% DV) and iron (28% DV), so it is not just a one-stat food. The strong protein content makes it more practical than foods that only win on one micronutrient.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 88mg per 100g.