10 Top Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) Rich Foods !

Vitamin b1 is a very important vitamin and I wanted to to share the list of top vitamin b1 rich foods so we can include it in our diet regularly. Also called as aneurin and thiamine, vitamin b1 is a water soluble vitamin whose deficiency can cause nervous problems and also beri beri. Thiamine is essential for promoting growth, protecting our heart muscle and for stimulating brain action. You can read about the complete benefits of vitamin b1 here.

Daily Requirement Of Vitamin B1

The recommended daily intake for adults over 18 year old is 1.2 mg for men and 1.1 mg for women. For children the recommended daily intake is .2 mg per day and the requirement steadily increases with age. Pregnant women should increase their daily intake of vitamin B1 to 1.4 mg.

Vitamin B1 Deficiency Symptoms

Mild deficiency of vitamin b1 usually goes unnoticed. One of the first symptoms of vitamin b1 deficiency is lack of appetite which is due to lack of proper carbohydrate metabolism. Other mild symptoms include digestive problems due to defective hydrochloric acid production, leg cramps, muscular weakness, hair loss, irritability, difficulties with short term memory, depression and weight loss.

Prolonged thiamine deficiency can lead to feeling of numbness and tingling sensation like pins and needles usually accompanied by pain, constipation, scanty hair, delirium, folic acid deficiency, delusional disorder, diabetic ketoacidosis, swollen hands and feet, chest pain, vertigo, double vision, memory loss and loss of sensation in extremities. Beriberi and wernicke’s encephalopathy are the two common diseases associated with vitamin b1 deficiency.

Beriberi:

There are two types of beriberi: Wet beriberi and dry beri beri. Wet beriberi affects the heart and the circulatory system leading to heart failure. Heart failure due to cardiac enlargement is the common cause of death in beri beri. The right side of the heart fails due to odema (water retention) which leads to swelling. Dry beriberi affects the nervous system leading to diminished reflexes, depression and host of other neurological problems.

Wernicke’s Encephalopathy:

Causes lot of eye problems, altered mental states and cerebellar dysfunction.

Foods Rich in Vitamin B1

1. Cereals

In cereals, rice bran, whole wheat flour, wheat germ, barley, maize, finger millet, bajra, parboiled rice and hand pounded rice are rich sources of vitamin b1.

100 grams of rice bran has around 2700 mcg of vitamin B1, Bajra has 330 mcg, both finger millet and maize have 420 mcg, whole wheat flour has 490 mcg and wheat germ has around 1400 mcg. Both parboiled and hand pounded rice have 270 mcg of vitamin b1.

2. Vegetables

In vegetables, lotus stem, capsicum, turnips, beetroot greens, radish leaves and potatoes are all rich in vitamin b1. 100 grams of dry lotus stem has around 820 mcg of vitamin b1. Capsicum has 550 mcg, beetroot greens have 260 mcg, radish leaves around 180 mcg and potatoes have about 100 mcg.

3. Pulses and Legumes

Soya beans, bengal gram, green gram, peas, red gram, black gram are all rich in vitamin b1. 100 grams of soya beans contains 730 mcg of thiamine and same amount of bengal gram has 480 mcg, roasted peas and split green gram have 470 mcg. Split red gram has 450 mcg and black gram has 420 mcg and red gram has around 320 mcg.

4. Vegetables

In vegetables, lotus stem, asparagus, kale, cauliflower, capsicum, beetroot greens, turnip greens, radish leaves and potatoes are rich in vitamin b1. 100 grams of lotus stem has 820 mcg, capsicum has 550 mcg, turnip greens has 310 mcg, radish leaves have 180 mcg and potatoes have around 100 mcg of vitamin b1.

5. Nuts and Seeds

In nuts and seeds, groundnuts, flaxseeds, mustard seeds, cashew nuts, walnuts, almonds and pistachios are all rich in vitamin b1. 100 grams of groundnuts has 900 mcg, pistachios has 670 mcg, mustard has 650 mcg, walnuts have 450 mcg, cashews has around 630 mcg and almonds have 240 mcg of vitamin b1.

6. Fruits

Pineapple, muskmelon and dried apricots are all rich in vitamin b1. 100 grams of pineapple has 200 mcg, apricots has 220 mcg and muskmelon has 110 mcg.

7. Non Vegetarian Foods

In non vegetarian foods, pork, fish (especially salmon), mutton, beef and eggs are all rich in vitamin b1. Pork has 540 mcg, mutton has 180 mcg, beef has 150 mcg and eggs have 100 mcg.

8. Milk Products

All forms of cows milk are rich in vitamin b1 like whole milk, whole milk powder, skim milk powder and khoa. Whole milk has 310 mcg, skimmed milk powder has 450 mcg and khoa has around 230.

10 Top Vitamin B1 Rich Foods:

Lotus stem, rice bran, wheat germ, lean pork, liver, soya beans, flaxseeds, bengal gram, barley and groundnuts will top the vitamin b1 rich food list.

Who Should Consume Vitamin B1 Rich Diet?

Though all of us should get adequate amounts of vitamin b1, people suffering from loss of appetite, leg cramps, general muscular weakness, poor digestion, low stomach acid, constipation and fatigue will benefit consuming thiamine rich foods. Also people with nervous problems like anxiety, insomnia, irritability and depression will find their mood improving consuming a vitamin b1 rich diet.

If you are suffering from prolonged periods of the symptoms mentioned above, I would highly suggest you get a blood test done to determine your vitamin b1 levels and then take vitamin b1 supplements after consulting a physician till your vitamin b1 levels reach the optimum levels. Once it reaches the optimum level, you can stop taking the supplement and maintain it by just consuming vitamin b1 rich foods.

Tips To Meet Vitamin B1 Requirements

• Consume whole grains like beans, raw nuts and seeds on a regular basis.
• If possible try to consume grass fed whole milk and give the children the same.
• Lotus stem is available in many departmental stores during certain seasons, make sure to buy, cook and consume it. You can find how to cook lotus stem here.
• If you drink a lot of tea and coffee, make sure to cut back on them a little and increase your thiamine intake as both tea and coffee can deplete thiamine stores.
• Consuming adequate amount of thiamine regularly will improve our mental health, energy levels, alertness and mood.
• As we age we tend to become vitamin b1 deficient, consuming vitamin b1 rich foods will improve blood pressure, quality of sleep and energy levels in older people.
• Try to consume unpolished rice with the bran to get sufficient amount of vitamin b1.
• Cut back on maida and include whole wheat atta in your diet.