Vitamin B6 turns up in chickpeas, potatoes and bananas in amounts that rival or beat meat, and the federal government's own list of at-risk groups never once mentions diet type.
Vegan Brief·Evidence last reviewed August 22, 2026
This is a summary of the cited evidence, not medical advice.
Chickpeas, 1 cup1.1 mg B6 (65% of the DV)
RDA, adults 19-501.3 mg/day
NIH's at-risk groupsKidney and autoimmune disease
01
The short version
Vitamin B6 is a coenzyme the body leans on constantly, and its reach is unusually wide for a single nutrient.
Primary source 01 / 03
Vitamin B6 in coenzyme forms performs a wide variety of functions in the body and is extremely versatile, with involvement in more than 100 enzyme reactions, mostly concerned with protein metabolism.
Adults need 1.3 mg a day, rising to 1.7 mg after 51. That is not a hard target on any diet: the federal government's own food-ranking table lists canned chickpeas, at 65% of the Daily Value per cup, ahead of pan-fried beef liver and fresh tuna.
02
Where it actually comes from
Beyond chickpeas, potatoes carry a quarter of the Daily Value per cup, a medium banana another quarter, and fortified breakfast cereal can cover the same ground in one bowl. Spinach, tofu and mixed nuts add smaller but real amounts. None of this requires a supplement aisle, just a kitchen that already leans on legumes and starchy vegetables.
Primary source 02 / 03
About 75% of vitamin B6 from a mixed diet is bioavailable.
The fact sheet's list of groups likely to run low never mentions vegans or vegetarians. It names people with impaired kidney function, people with rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune conditions, and people on certain antiepileptic drugs. Isolated B6 deficiency is also uncommon on its own.
Primary source 03 / 03
Isolated vitamin B6 deficiency is uncommon; inadequate vitamin B6 status is usually associated with low concentrations of other B-complex vitamins, such as vitamin B12 and folic acid.
There is no evidence case here for routine supplementation on a plant-based diet built around legumes, whole grains, fruit and vegetables. The open question belongs to kidney disease and autoimmune conditions, which is a matter for a clinician regardless of what anyone eats.
Thiamine (B1) on a vegan dietThiamine hides in whole grains, legumes and fortified cereal at levels that meet the RDA with room to spare, and the deficiency risk list runs through alcohol use disorder and bariatric surgery, not what's on the plate.
Niacin (B3) on a vegan dietNiacin comes from brown rice, peanuts and fortified grains directly, and the body has a second route: it converts spare tryptophan from any protein, plant or animal, into niacin on its own.
Folate on a vegan dietFolate is the one B vitamin plant eaters rarely have to think about. The name comes from foliage, and the diet is built on exactly that.
Frequently asked
Do vegans need to supplement vitamin B6?
The evidence doesn't point that way. Chickpeas alone supply 65% of the Daily Value per cup, and potatoes, bananas and fortified cereal fill the rest. The groups NIH flags as at risk are defined by kidney and autoimmune disease, not diet type.
What plant foods are highest in vitamin B6?
Chickpeas lead the federal food-ranking table at 1.1 mg per cup, ahead of beef liver. Potatoes, fortified cereal and bananas each supply about a quarter of the Daily Value, with smaller amounts in spinach and tofu.
The primary sources
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