Vitamin B2--also called riboflavin--helps your body use the foods you eat and also aids in production of red blood cells. Many of the foods we eat regularly contain vitamin B2.
If you are trying to increase riboflavin consumption, keep in mind that the vitamin is damaged when exposed to light. Therefore, riboflavin-containing foods should not be stored in glass containers, MedlinePlus advises. The amount of riboflavin you need depends on age and gender. Men need 1.3 mg a day, while women need 1.1 mg.
Dairy
Milk and other dairy products provide a good natural source of vitamin B2, according to the Clemson University Extension. An 8-oz. serving of yogurt has 0.5 mg of riboflavin, equivalent to about 30 percent of the recommended daily value. A cup of milk has slightly less: about 23 percent of the daily value, World's Healthiest Foods reports.
Vegetables
If you are looking to increase your consumption of vitamin B2, green, leafy vegetables are a good place to start. Boiled spinach is an excellent source of the vitamin, while Swiss chard, collard greens, mustard greens and turnip greens all are very good sources, according to World's Healthiest Foods. Other vegetables that offer a good source of riboflavin include asparagus, green beans, broccoli, celery, cabbage, tomatoes, peas and squash.
Fruits
Several fruits provide a good dietary source of vitamin B2, top among them being strawberries, which contain about 6 percent of the recommended daily value in a 1 cup serving, according to World's Healthiest Foods. Other fruits with a good supply of riboflavin include raspberries and plums.
Animal Proteins
Certain animal proteins provide a healthy natural supply of riboflavin. The single greatest source of vitamin B2 in the human diet is calf's liver, which is loaded with 129 percent of the daily value in a 4-oz. serving. Other good animal sources of vitamin B2 include chicken, venison, beef and some fish, such as halibut and salmon, the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University reports.
Eggs
Eggs are another good natural source of vitamin B2. Each large boiled egg you consume contains about 13.5 percent of the recommended daily value, according to World's Healthiest Foods.
Breakfast Cereals
If you eat cereal regularly, there's a good chance it is helping meet the recommendations for vitamin B2 intake. That's because many cereals today are enriched with riboflavin, according to MedlinePlus. The amount of vitamin B2 in cereals can vary, so check the nutrition labels for specific information. Other foods that may have riboflavin added include bread and oatmeal.
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