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Vitamin B2 or riboflavin is a water-soluble vitamin that we need to replenish regularly since we can’t store it in our body. It is a key nutrient for our reproduction and to support early development. Therefore, it’s important to make sure we’re getting enough if we’re planning to get pregnant, during the pregnancy, and during lactation. Our babies need riboflavin for the development of their gastrointestinal tract after birth.

Other important functions of vitamin B2 include the breakdown of proteins, carbohydrates and fats into energy. It also helps with red blood cell production and the transportation of oxygen to our cells, and may help prevent anemia. It is an antioxidant that helps our immune system. It may also help prevent thyroid function, cataracts, and migraines. And it even helps us have healthy hair and skin.

Deficiency is extremely rare, but women who have been on birth control pill are at a higher risk. Also pregnant women and women lactating, seniors, alcoholics, and vegans who do not follow a proper, balanced diet. Some deficiency symptoms include cataracts, anemia, and during pregnancy it may increase the risk of preeclampsia and birth defects.

Try our personalized calculator below to see how much vitamin B2 or riboflavin you and your loved ones need. Also, discover some of the top whole-food, plant-based sources, learn some interesting facts about riboflavin, and check out our nutrient source comparison.

Top Whole-Food, Plant-Based Sources

Hover over each food below to see how much riboflavin or vitamin B2 you can get with one serving. Click on each food’s picture to visit its interactive page with a personalized calculator of all the nutrition you can get from one serving, more information about how it supports our body, tips to choose and prepare it, interesting facts, and more!

Portabella Mushrooms

Portabella Mushrooms

1 cup cooked = 37% DV

Link
Asparagus

Asparagus

1 cup cooked = 19% DV

Link
Spinach

Spinach

1 cup cooked = 33% DV

Link
Almonds

Almonds

1/4 c = 31% DV

Link
Soybeans

Soybeans

Mature 1 c cooked = 38% DV | Edamame 1 c = 18% DV

Link
Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes

1 cup cooked = 20% DV

Link
White Mushrooms

White Mushrooms

1 c cooked = 36% DV

Link

Vitamin B2 Personalized Calculator

See how much riboflavin or vitamin B2 you and your family members need, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.

Terminology:

  • Daily Value (DV): The recommended amount of nutrients to consume each day for individuals who are 4 years old or older.
  • Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA): The recommended amount of nutrients to consume each day according to the individual’s age, gender, and whether a woman is pregnant or breastfeeding.
  • Upper Intake Level (UL): The highest amount of nutrient intake that will not pose adverse health effects on most individuals.

Important Things to Know

Hover over each of the interesting facts below to flip the tiles and learn more details.

Check out the interesting facts below! Tap on the red triangles to flip the tiles and learn more details.

Vitamin B2 or riboflavin is not lost while cooking.

Fortunately, vitamin B2 is heat-stable. This means that you won’t lose nutritional content when cooking your favorite sources.

Vitamin B2 may accelerate muscle recovery.

A study showed that when athletes took a vitamin B2 supplement of 100 mg right before and half-way through a 161 km marathon, they had significantly lower muscle pain and soreness during and right after the race, and they recovered two days faster than the placebo group.

Generally speaking, if you are exercising regularly you should aim at getting more riboflavin than your DV or RDA to keep up with your metabolic needs.

A vitamin B2 deficiency could lead to anemia.

4 to 5 million Americans suffer from anemia every year. While increasing iron consumption is key, it’s also important to make sure we’re getting enough vitamin B2 or riboflavin, since this vitamin helps with iron absorption.

Light therapy may cause riboflavin deficiency.

Ultraviolet and visible light may turn vitamin B2 inactive. This is why newborns who have to undergo light therapy due to jaundice or other health issues are at risk of becoming vitamin B2 deficient.

Riboflavin can turn our urine bright yellow.

Some multivitamins have high levels of vitamin B2. Flavos means yellow in Latin, and riboflavin has a yellow-green fluorescent pigment. Since we excrete riboflavin through our urine, that bright yellow color we see is the riboflavin from our supplement leaving our body.

Vitamin B2 or riboflavin is not lost while cooking.

Fortunately, vitamin B2 is heat-stable. This means that you won’t lose nutritional content when cooking your favorite sources.

Vitamin B2 may accelerate muscle recovery.

A study showed that when athletes took a vitamin B2 supplement of 100 mg right before and half-way through a 161 km marathon, they had significantly lower muscle pain and soreness during and right after the race, and they recovered two days faster than the placebo group.

Generally speaking, if you are exercising regularly you should aim at getting more riboflavin than your DV or RDA to keep up with your metabolic needs.

A vitamin B2 deficiency could lead to anemia.

4 to 5 million Americans suffer from anemia every year. While increasing iron consumption is key, it’s also important to make sure we’re getting enough vitamin B2 or riboflavin, since this vitamin helps with iron absorption.

Light therapy may cause riboflavin deficiency.

Ultraviolet and visible light may turn vitamin B2 inactive. This is why newborns who have to undergo light therapy due to jaundice or other health issues are at risk of becoming vitamin B2 deficient.

Riboflavin can turn our urine bright yellow.

Some multivitamins have high levels of vitamin B2. Flavos means yellow in Latin, and riboflavin has a yellow-green fluorescent pigment. Since we excrete riboflavin through our urine, that bright yellow color we see is the riboflavin from our supplement leaving our body.

Comparison of Vitamin B2 Riboflavin Sources

You may be wondering about other potential sources of riboflavin, such as supplements and meat. Below we make a quick and simple comparison between the three choices.

Best source!
Plant-Based
A well-balanced plant-based diet can provide all the riboflavin we need.
Supplements
Riboflavin is often included in multivitamins. While high levels have not been reported to cause toxicity, you will likely notice your have a brighter than usual urine.
Supplementation may be recommended for athletes and for women who are pregnant or lactating if they are not getting all their intake needs through a balanced diet.
Animal-based
Beef liver provides the highest amount of riboflavin per ounce (1 mg.) However, liver is also loaded with heme iron, which increases the risk of colorectal cancer.
Other animal-based foods offer the same amounts of vitamin B2 as healthier whole-plant foods:
1 oz almonds or 3 oz swiss cheese = 0.3 mg
1 c quinoa or 1 whole egg = 0.2 mg
1 large apple, 1 c kidney beans or 3 oz cod = 0.1 mg

References