What Is Riboflavin & What Foods Can I Find It In?

Riboflavin is one of the water-soluble B vitamins, also known as vitamin B2.

Riboflavin is a very important nutrient.

You can often find riboflavin in fortified foods, especially in countries where deficiencies are common.

Riboflavin is important for the growth, development, and function of the cells in your body.

Riboflavin Is A Very Important Nutrient

Riboflavin is a water-soluble member of the B-vitamin family, also known as Vitamin B2. (source ◳)

It is a vitamin that is essential to the process of metabolism in the body.

Riboflavin is a coenzyme that helps to release energy from carbohydrates.

It also helps prepare amino acids and fatty acids to break down. (source ◳)

It is also required for the production of hemoglobin, and therefore is also important for the proper functioning of red blood cells.

Benefits Of Riboflavin

Riboflavin is a very important nutrient for our overall health.

Riboflavin is necessary for normal development, lactation, physical performance, and reproduction.

This vitamin functions as an antioxidant for the proper functioning of the immune system, healthy skin, and hair.

Riboflavin possesses many health benefits. You can find them in Riboflavin: 11 Research-Backed Benefits .

Deficiency Of Riboflavin

The deficiency of riboflavin is rare.

Older people, vegans, alcoholics, and women who take birth control pills are most likely to suffer from riboflavin deficiency since the body cannot absorb much riboflavin as it needs.

After only a few days of not consuming riboflavin, will biochemical signs of depletion arise.

Riboflavin deficiency is more common in populations whose diets lack dairy products and meat. (source ◳)

Usually, people with riboflavin deficiency also have deficiencies in other nutrients.

Symptoms of riboflavin deficiency

Riboflavin deficiency can cause fatigue, swollen throat, blurred vision, and depression.

It can also affect the skin by causing skin cracks, itching, and dermatitis around the mouth.

Hyperemia and edema around the throat, liver degeneration, and hair loss can also occur along with reproductive issues.

Riboflavin In Meat, Milk And Eggs

Riboflavin cannot be synthesized in the body and is, therefore, a dietary requirement.

The best natural sources of riboflavin are meat, milk, and eggs.

But is often found in fortified foods. (source ◳)

Milk and dairy products make the largest contribution to riboflavin intake in Western diets. Meat and fish are also good sources of riboflavin.

Certain fruits and vegetables, especially dark-green vegetables, contain reasonably high concentrations of riboflavin. (source ◳)

Foods You Can Find Riboflavin In

You find Riboflavin mostly in spices and herbs, vegetables, breakfast cereals, and beverages products.

Examples of food sources include

• Yeast Extract Spread
• Enriched Wheat Bran Flakes
• Fruit-Flavored Drink
• General Mills Total
• Kellogg's Product 19

Foods in our nutrition tool

You can find regularly updated top-ranked lists of foods for over 200+ nutrients in our nutrition tool.

If you are interested in what foods contain the most Riboflavin, we recommend you visit our tool.

Here's our top-ranked list of foods that contain Riboflavin.