Riboflavin (vitamin B2) is a micronutrient (needed in small amounts) that is essential for human health. The main function of riboflavin is to act as a co-enzyme in energy metabolism--in other words, converting the foods you eat into energy. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for riboflavin is 1.3 mg for men and 1.1 mg for women. Foods rich in riboflavin include milk products, enriched whole grain breads and cereals, eggs and some meats.
Animal Sources
The best animal food sources of riboflavin include calf's liver, eggs, cow's milk and yogurt. Organ meats are rich in many vitamins and minerals. A 4-oz. portion of braised calf's liver provides 2.2 mg of riboflavin, or 130 percent of the daily value (DV). Venison and lean beef tenderloin (4-oz. cooked) provide .68 and .35 mg of riboflavin, or 40 and 20 percent of the DV, respectively. One boiled, whole egg offers .23 mg of riboflavin, or 13.5 percent of the DV. Low-fat yogurt and cow's milk are both excellent sources of riboflavin. A 1-cup serving of each of these foods provides .52 and .40 mg, or 31 and 23.5 percent of the DV, respectively. Goat's milk is also rich in riboflavin: 1 cup provides .34 mg of riboflavin, or 20 percent of the DV.
Plant Food Sources
Soy foods, some nuts, vegetables and legumes are rich in riboflavin. A 1-cup serving of cooked soybeans provides .49 mg of riboflavin, or 28.8 percent of the DV. Tempeh is another good soy food source of riboflavin: a 4-oz. cooked portion provides .40 mg of riboflavin, or approximately 23.5 percent of the DV. A 1-cup serving of green peas, boiled, offer .24 mg, or 14 percent of the DV. Almonds are rich in many nutrients, including riboflavin. A 1/4-cup serving of dry-roasted almonds provides .30 mg of riboflavin, or nearly 18 percent of the DV. A 5-oz. portion of cremini mushrooms, raw, provide .69 mg of riboflavin, or nearly 41 percent of the DV. A 1-cup serving of boiled spinach provides .42 mg, or nearly 25 percent of the DV for riboflavin. Broccoli and collard greens round out the best vegetable food sources of riboflavin, at approximately .19 mg per 1-cup serving, or about 11 percent of the DV.
Fortifed or Enriched Foods
Enriched foods have nutrients added back to them that were lost during processing, such as enriched white bread. These foods typically offer nearly 100 percent of the DV for B-vitamins, including riboflavin. For instance, many ready-to-eat breakfast cereals provide over 1 mg of riboflavin, or over 100 percent of the DV. Other products, such as pancakes (made from a mix or ready-to-eat), waffles (ready-to-eat), rolls and cereal bars all good to excellent food sources of riboflavin, providing .3 to 1.5 mg of this nutrient, or 13 to over 100 percent of the DV.
References
- Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism; J.L. Groff, S.S. Gropper and S.M. Hunt; 1995
- World's Healthiest Foods
- Nutrition Data
