Vitamin B2 is not without reason called the elixir of energy and vitality, because this substance is an indispensable participant in energy metabolism, metabolism and other vital processes, without which normal human well-being is impossible. This vitamin coordinates the functioning of the nervous system, brain activity, keeps the body in good shape and helps resist the toxic effects of the external environment.
Despite the fact that the intestinal microflora is capable of synthesizing a small amount of B2, this concentration is clearly not enough to meet the internal needs of the body, and therefore it is extremely important to monitor the intake of the vitamin in the daily diet. What is so special about this substance, how to get it in sufficient quantities, and what are the consequences of a lack of vitamin B2 for a person? A short medical educational program will help you understand the peculiarities of your vitamin status and learn how to provide your body with everything it needs, while maintaining health and good spirits.
The essence and benefits of vitamin
The wealth of products containing vitamin B2
In its natural form, it can only be observed strictly in the laboratory - it is impossible to find it in its pure form in nature. But on scientists’ shelves it is stored in flasks. They look like elongated yellowish crystals and taste bitter.
To conduct experiments before chemical synthesis began, this substance was extracted from natural products - in nature it is dissolved in the liquids of animals and plants. It was then that experts found out that all organisms, in one quantity or another, contain this vitamin.
If the functions of the thyroid gland are impaired, as a result of taking medications, using boric acid and oral contraceptives, the vitamin can be destroyed. When cooking, it is very important to take into account the properties of the substance.
At first, when this substance was easily detected in every laboratory, it had many names. And only after it became clear that the substance was one and the same, it was decided to call it riboflavin.
Processed cheese
100 g of processed cheese contains 0.4 mg of vitamin B2
Brie and Camembert, which are made from fresh cow's milk in France and Normandy. Brie is handcrafted and contains 21% protein, 30% fat and 46% moisture.
Cheese is good for health and is completely absorbed by the body, contains essential amino acids and many vitamins, including B vitamins. And the blue mold present on it enhances its healing properties. It contains bacteria and amino acids that promote intestinal function and the synthesis of B vitamins.
Brie and Camembert cheese mold helps relieve sunburn and also improves melanin production.
Effect of vitamin B2
How does vitamin B2 affect the body?
The importance of riboflavin for the body is difficult to overestimate. This substance is necessary , for example, for vision, since its presence prevents the visual organs from overworking, protects the retina from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation, and prevents the development of cataracts.
Even the correct interpretation of colors and light, the speed of adaptation to darkness, we owe to vitamin B2. Improves the mechanics of energy processes and successfully fights excess sugars.
Combined with phosphorus and proteins, in the presence of microelements, it synthesizes substances necessary for the transfer of oxygen to organs.
Vitamin B2, no matter what foods it contains, provides significant assistance in the synthesis of blood cells, helping the body “absorb” iron. This is what makes it indispensable for women suffering from iron deficiency and preparing to become mothers. They should consume iron, folic acid and vitamin B2.
It is necessary to know which products contain this substance in order to consume it sufficiently.
The substance promotes the synthesis of stress hormones. Those who are too nervous quickly use up vitamin reserves, which leads to exhaustion of the nervous system. Stressful work requires precise knowledge of how to replenish vitamin B2 reserves, what foods contain it, and how best to store such foods.
The energy obtained through both ATP synthesis and the established course of reduction and oxidation reactions is necessary for the heart and blood vessels. It is for this reason that riboflavin is indispensable for heart disease, ischemia and vascular spasms.
Chanterelles
100 g of chanterelles contain 0.35 mg of vitamin B2
Mushrooms are bright red or red-yellow in color. They grow mainly in coniferous forests.
Mushrooms contain many vitamins B, A, PP, as well as amino acids and trace elements (zinc, copper). They are a good preventive measure for eye diseases and improve vision.
Chanterelle extract is used for hepatitis C and liver diseases, obesity (due to liver failure).
Thanks to quinomannose, infusions are made from mushrooms, which are used in the treatment of abscesses, boils and sore throats. Chanterelles also contain a substance called ergosterol, which cleanses the liver of harmful substances.
Why does the Vitamin B2 content decrease?
Proper processing of products can preserve the content of vitamin B2.
If the thyroid gland is impaired, as a result of taking medications, using boric acid and oral contraceptives, the vitamin can be destroyed . When cooking, it is very important to take into account the properties of the substance.
For example, if you do not close the lid during cooking or drain the water from the finished product, this vitamin will be almost completely lost. Thawing food in the light for more than 14 hours leads to the breakdown of riboflavin.
In order for the vitamin to be preserved in full, the products are defrosted in the oven, wrapped in foil, or frozen, thrown into boiling water.
Recommendations for preserving riboflavin are not at all complicated, but in this way you can get the maximum benefit from food products. In addition, store-bought vegetables already contain insufficient vitamins, so why worsen the quality of nutrition further?
It is important to try to purchase homemade milk, fresh meat products, eggs from the village - these are the products that contain the maximum amount of riboflavin.
In industry, this substance is used to enrich products or as a dye (E101).
Honey mushrooms
100 g of honey mushrooms contain 0.38 mg of vitamin B2
Mushrooms that appear from August on old stumps and tree trunks. These mushrooms are low in calories, so they can be eaten during diets.
The proteins contained in honey mushrooms are perfectly absorbed by the body. Dried mushrooms contain not only a lot of protein, but also di- and monosaccharides and fiber. The amount of calcium and phosphorus included in honey mushrooms is approximately the same as in fish products.
Mushrooms are rich in vitamins PP, C, B2, E, sodium, iron, magnesium and potassium.
Honey mushrooms have healing properties and contain anticancer substances. When properly processed, they improve the functioning of the thyroid gland and intestines, and are used as bactericidal substances.
Interaction with other substances
The need for vitamins
Vitamins can be revealed differently when used in combination with other substances, physical phenomena or chemical elements:
- riboflavin is destroyed by exposure to sunlight, is almost insoluble in water and alcohol, and does not react at all to acetone, chloroform, benzene and diethyl ether. It disintegrates in the shortest possible time when it gets into an alkali and can be preserved for a long time in acids;
- the conversion of riboflavin into active coenzyme forms is enhanced by the action of thyreodine;
- chlorpromazine, used in the treatment of depression and psychosis, inhibits the conversion of riboflavin, while taking spironolactone blocks it;
- imipramine, amitriptyline, tricyclic antidepressants inhibit the metabolism of the substance;
- boric acid provokes the loss of the substance. In this case, poisoning is relieved with riboflavin.
When using various agents, their interaction with vitamin B2 . What foods contain riboflavin, how they are prepared, how they are stored - all this is essential for maintaining the balance of the substance in the body.
Characteristic
A simple characterization of the substance allows us to more easily understand the physical, chemical and biological qualities of the vitamin. The physical properties of riboflavin appear in the form of needle-shaped crystals of a yellowish-orange hue, collected in groups. Bitter to taste, the vitamin has a slight specific odor, is easily destroyed by alkalis and is susceptible to ultraviolet rays, but is resistant to acidic solutions.
Riboflavin enzymes participate in the oxidation processes of beneficial acids, block the activity of highly toxic organic compounds, break down foreign bacteria, help synthesize coenzyme forms of vitamins B6 and B9, and also contribute to the restoration of hemoglobin. The chemical structural formula of growth vitamin can be viewed in the photo album at the end of the article.
The production of a useful element in industry is carried out chemically or synthetically using genetically modified bacteria. In free form, the substance is found only in the retina, urine and milk, and in higher plants, yeast, bacteria and fungi it is found in the form of dinucleotides. The most active producer of lactoflavin is the aerobic mold fungus of the genus Aspergillus.
Flavin adenine dinucleotide is the active form of vitamin B2, which is synthesized in human organs and tissues. And the structure of riboflavin itself is based on flavins and ribitol alcohols.
Required dose
Dosage and importance of vitamin B2
Women are recommended to take 1.2 mg per day, men – 1.6. In this case, the consumption of riboflavin should be increased to 3 mg for women during pregnancy and for persons who consume large amounts of meat and protein products.
Important to remember! In order for the vitamin to be preserved in full, the products are defrosted in the oven, wrapped in foil, or frozen, thrown into boiling water.
In addition, various factors influence the minimum dose of consumption: working conditions, taking hormonal drugs, tendency to drink alcohol, age, eating foods rich in fat or carbohydrates. Too high or low ambient temperatures require an increase in the daily dose of the vitamin.
To replenish the required amount of riboflavin in the body, it is enough to consume, for example, 50-100 grams of cheese, or a couple of eggs, or 200-300 cottage cheese per day. To replenish vitamin reserves with kefir, you need to drink at least 3 glasses.
With increased energy expenditure, it is necessary to consume more foods containing vitamin B2. Relatively small amounts of leafy vegetables, grain bread, meat and kidneys also increase riboflavin content.
Infants need half a milligram, while a child 12-13 years old needs up to one and a half mg.
Butter
100 g of boletus contains 0.3 mg of vitamin B2
Edible mushrooms growing in pine and spruce forests. They often grow in large groups in sunny open places on moss.
Mushrooms contain 4% protein, 2% fiber, 1% fat, about 90% water, as well as carbohydrates and minerals.
Essential amino acids contained in boletus are absorbed only by 70-80%. Young mushrooms will always have much more amino acids and proteins than old ones, and the content of these substances depends on how the mushrooms were harvested.
Boletus contains a lot of vitamins B, A, PP and C, phosphorus, iron, potassium and microelements.
Broth made from mushrooms will contain many more calories than meat broth. Dried boletus contains more useful substances and microelements than pickled ones.
Products containing vitamin B2
List of foods that contain vitamin B2
In order to be able to get the required amount of vitamin B2 from food, it is important to know which foods contain this substance. The greatest amount of vitamin is in dried yeast .
After them come fresh yeast sticks, powdered milk, mackerel, almonds, cocoa beans, poultry eggs, veal, peanuts, dried legumes, wheat flour, lamb meat, beef, buckwheat, rolled oats, fresh spinach leaves, fresh peas, cauliflower, potatoes, curd products.
When consuming foods with vitamin B2, it is important not only to know which foods contain it, but also to take into account some nuances:
- the amount of vitamin B2 in cottage cheese depends on its consistency: the more saturated the cottage cheese is with whey, the greater the amount of vitamin it contains;
- milk poured into glass containers loses this substance faster when exposed to the sun;
- milk bottled in transparent material loses more than half of the available vitamin in just 120 minutes;
- Washing vegetables in large amounts of water leads to loss of vitamin. The same thing happens if you store them for a long time - about 1% per day.
Cheeses also contain vitamin B2.
Food groups that contain the required amount of riboflavin:
Nuts. This includes almost all products in this group. Particularly high amounts are found in almonds and peanuts, so it is important to consume these nuts daily;
Cereals: oatmeal, buckwheat and rice. By eating porridge from these cereals, you can supply the body with the necessary amount of vitamin;
Vegetables. In general, these products contain a large amount of substances that are so necessary for health and full functioning. Vitamin B2 is maximally found in green (by color) vegetables: bell peppers, cabbage, etc. It is very important to remember that it is better to use vegetables raw, since the vitamin is destroyed under the influence of high temperatures;
Legumes. The most useful plants are beans, lentils and peas. The high content of riboflavin in these products makes them welcome guests on any table;
Fruits. All fruits contain vitamin B2, but apricots are especially “nutritious” in this sense;
Greenery. Parsley, dandelion, chives and nettles are riboflavin-rich plants;
Meat. Veal, beef, lamb. Increased vitamin content in the liver;
Eggs. Chicken and quail eggs are especially important for vitamin B2 content in the body;
Milk. Any milk products, like fresh milk itself, contain large amounts of riboflavin.
It should be noted that proper nutrition makes it possible not only to saturate the body with vitamin B2, but also leads to normalization of digestion, control of appetite, weight, and relief from excessive fatigue and apathy.
Particular attention should be paid to the intake of this vitamin by children, since insufficient consumption leads to growth retardation, memory impairment, and distracted attention.
Best Herbal Sources
Despite the fact that riboflavin is a rather “animal” vitamin, it is also found in sufficient quantities in plants. Vegans do not have to take additional supplements to get enough of the substance. You just need to add foods with a high concentration of vitamin B2 to your diet:
| Product | Content (mg) |
| Porcini | 2,45 |
| Boletus | 0,45 |
| Cashew | 0,22 |
| Pine nut | 0,2 |
| Dried apricots | 0,2 |
| Brussels sprouts | 0,2 |
| Oyster mushroom | 0,35 |
| Split peas | 0,18 |
| Buckwheat | 0,14 |
| Walnut | 0,12 |
| Oatmeal | 0,11 |
| Peanut | 0,11 |
| Pears | 0,1 |
| Prunes | 0,1 |
| Pearl barley | 0,06 |
| Rice | 0,04 |
| Semolina | 0,04 |
| Lentils | 0,21 |
Products with B2 include most cereals, as well as dried fruits and mushrooms. Therefore, it is enough to eat more side dishes of rice, buckwheat, pearl barley or lentils containing riboflavin to forget about vitamin deficiency.
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More details
Overdose and deficiency of vitamin
Lack of vitamin B2 can lead to anemia.
Negative consequences can occur with insufficient intake of vitamin B2. Its deficiency can manifest itself as follows:
- Loss of strength, weakness;
- Conjunctivitis;
- Unexplained weight loss, lack of appetite for a long time;
- Visual impairment;
- Manifestations of angular stomatitis;
- Seborrhea of the nose and mouth;
- Inflammation of the oral cavity;
- Pain in the eyes;
- Dermatitis, early mortality of hair follicles;
- Stunted growth and slowed brain reactions.
An overdose is almost impossible, since our body cannot accumulate this vitamin. The slightest excess is excreted in the urine. If you eat large amounts of foods that contain vitamin B2, your urine may turn bright yellow.
Important to remember! Women are recommended to take 1.2 mg per day, men – 1.6. In this case, the consumption of riboflavin should be increased to 3 mg for women during pregnancy and for persons who consume large amounts of meat and protein products.
Even injection of the drug does not lead to negative consequences: the maximum that can be expected in this case is itching, burning or slight numbness, which disappears in the shortest possible time.
What is B2 used for?
Vitamin B2 is part of many redox substances that take part in most processes occurring in the body. They promote the oxidation of fatty acids and neutralize some toxic substances. In addition, riboflavin:
- plays a major role in the production of red blood cells;
- participates in the production of hemoglobin;
- normalizes the functioning of the nervous system and brain.
Riboflavin has a great influence on reproductive function and regulates the functioning of the thyroid gland. The vitamin is important for maintaining vision, so ophthalmologists prescribe it for the prevention of eye diseases.
The condition of the skin, hair, and nails depends on the amount of vitamin B2, so it is considered the vitamin of beauty and youth. In childhood, a lack of vitamin B2 leads to disruption of normal development and stunts the child’s growth.
Indications for use
If you have Botkin's disease, you need to take vitamin B2.
Riboflavin is needed by any healthy body. In addition, there are cases when its use must be strictly controlled or even used additionally. That is why it is important to know how much vitamin B2 you should consume per day, what foods contain it, and when it is especially important:
- Aribo- and hypoflavinosis;
- Eye diseases;
- Radiation sickness;
- Hemeralopia;
- Insufficient blood circulation;
- Asthenia;
- Wounds that do not heal for a long time, ulcers;
- Thyrotoxicosis;
- Hepatitis and colitis that have become chronic, enterocolitis;
- Rheumatism;
- Intestinal dysfunction;
- Working with toxic elements or salts of heavy metals;
- Botkin's disease.
Whatever the reasons why additional intake of vitamin B2 is necessary, this must be done in full, otherwise its deficiency can lead to dire consequences.
Dear women, always be healthy and beautiful!
Almond
100 g of almonds contain 0.65 mg of vitamin B2
Almonds are a stone fruit, although they are often classified as nuts. There are three varieties of almonds: bitter, sweet and brittle. Bitter is not recommended for children, and adults only after careful processing and in small quantities.
Almonds are a plant source of protein, which it contains up to 30%. It also contains minerals important for strong bones - manganese, magnesium, phosphorus and calcium.
The seeds contain proteins, sugars and fatty oils, enzymes, vitamins B and E.
Almonds are good for stomach disorders, kidney pain and dysfunction. Bitter seeds contain amygdalin, which gives an “almond” smell and bitter taste. Sweet almonds serve to cleanse internal organs, improve vision, and are used with sugar for asthma, intestinal ulcers, and also improve memory.
Rose hip
100 g of rose hips contain 0.3 mg of vitamin B2
A wild plant, which is popularly called wild rose.
Rose hips contain proteins, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, free organic fiber, vitamins B, K, PP, E, C; minerals – magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, molybdenum, copper, potassium, sodium, iron, chromium, cobalt, manganese; tannins, citric acid, carotene, Riboflavin, phytoncides, essential oils, sugars.
When properly processed, the plant is used to cleanse the blood, improve metabolism, and treat scurvy, anemia, kidneys, liver, and bladder. Rosehip tincture is used as a tonic, strengthening agent that has an effect on the immune system.
A decoction of the fruit is a choleretic, multivitamin diuretic, improves appetite and lowers blood pressure.
