Riboflavin Foods

Riboflavin Foods

Releases energy

Riboflavin, also known as Vitamin B2, is a water-soluble vitamin that functions as a co-enzyme to release energy from the food you eat. It is destroyed by light and irradiation, but not by normal cooking methods.

If you are a vegan or you are lactose-intolerant and do not eat dairy products, you should eat more dark, leafy vegetables and whole or enriched grain products.

Here is a list of foods that are a good source of riboflavin:

Click here for a printable copy of this list.

Riboflavin Foods

Liver

Broccoli, Spinach, Kale, Beet Greens

Asparagus

Milk, Yogurt*

Eggs

Mushrooms

Amaranth, Quinoa

Soybeans

Almonds

Mussels

Pork, Lamb, Venison

Fortified cereals and grains and products made from them

*Be choosy about yogurt

Many people think of yogurt as that sweet dessert product that fills the dairy cases at your local grocery store. The flavor varieties of this popular breakfast and snack food have recently been expanded to include mouth-watering versions like “key lime pie” and “chocolate mousse.”

Although there may be some nutritional value hidden among the sugar, artificial flavors, colors and stabilizers in these dessert-style yogurts, the really nutritious yogurt is the one designated as “plain” yogurt. I know that we generally associate the word “plain” with “boring,” but in this case, the opposite is true.

If you buy plain yogurt, you can use it for an endless variety of dishes. In addition, if you buy a good brand, you will find that plain yogurt is far better for you, since it does not have all the additives that abound in so many of the flavored versions.


Note  for Riboflavin Foods: Alcoholics are at particular risk for riboflavin deficiency, since alcohol inhibits the ability of the body to absorb and use riboflavin. This means that even if an alcoholic is eating lots of dairy products, the body may not have access to enough riboflavin to maintain good health. If alcohol is replacing food in the diet, there could also be a riboflavin deficiency.


General vitamin information

Water-soluble vitamins, as the name suggests, can be dissolved in water, so they are absorbed directly into your blood stream. They travel freely though the blood to the sites in your body where they are needed and any excess can be removed by the kidneys and excreted through the urine.

Vitamins in foods can be destroyed by light, heat and oxygen. Storage methods and food preparation techniques will affect the amount retained by the foods. To minimize this problem, refrigerate produce in airtight containers, and during preparation, steam or cook vegetables lightly, avoiding high temperatures and extended cooking times whenever possible.


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