# Comparative Study of B Vitamins in Multiple Tissues of Oilseed Crops and Leafty Vegetables Reveal Sesame as a Valuable Resource in Vitamin B3, B6 and B12

## TL;DR

This study compares B vitamin levels in oilseed crops and leafy vegetables, finding that sesame is a rich source of vitamins B3, B6, and B12.

## Contribution

The study identifies sesame as a novel, plant-based source of multiple B vitamins with high antioxidant potential.

## Key findings

- Sesame seeds have 1.6–8.2-fold higher B3 levels than other oilseeds.
- Sesame leaves contain 2.57–8.31-fold more B6 than spinach and lettuce.
- Sesame leaves show ~13–20 times higher B12 levels than other leaf samples.

## Abstract

B vitamins are essential micronutrients for human health with prominent antioxidant properties, capable of scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) and maintaining redox homeostasis, protecting cells from oxidative damage. To address global nutrient deficiencies and identify plant-based antioxidant sources, this study quantified seven B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12) in seeds, leaves, and seedlings of five oilseeds (sesame, peanut, soybean, rapeseed, perilla) and two leafy vegetables (spinach, lettuce) via LC-MS/MS, revealing distinct species- and tissue-specific patterns. Notably, sesame seeds exhibited exceptional vitamin B3 (niacin, 39.3 μg/g), surpassing other oilseeds1.6–8.2-fold; its leaves contained outstanding vitamin B6 (2.88 μg/g), 2.57–8.31-fold higher than spinach (1.12 μg/g) and lettuce (0.34 μg/g), and vitamin B12 (0.44 μg/g) levels ~13–20 times higher than other leaf samples. Sesame seedlings recorded high vitamin B6 (1.6 μg/g) and B12 (0.1 μg/g) among the oilseed crops seedlings. These findings highlight sesame as a multifunctional B vitamin resource for antioxidant nutrition, supporting dietary optimization, crop biofortification, and mitigation of global B vitamin inadequacies via plant-based solutions.