What are the benefits of vitamin B1?
Vitamin B1, also known as thiamine, is a vital nutrient that plays a critical role in energy production, nerve function, and brain health. By ensuring you get enough thiamine through a balanced diet, you can support your overall well-being and prevent the potentially serious consequences of deficiency.
Vitamin B1 (thiamine) is a B-complex vitamin that helps convert food (carbohydrates) to energy (glucose), also metabolize fats and protein, and supports healthy heart, skin, hair, eyes, nervous system, and brain function. It is the first B vitamin discovered, is known as an "anti-stress" vitamin due to its potential to strengthen the immune system and improve stress resilience, a trait shared with other B-complex vitamins.
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for men ages 19 and older is 1.2 mg daily, and for women in the same age range 1.1 mg daily. For pregnancy and lactation, the amount increases to 1.4 mg daily. This water-soluble vitamin cannot be stored in the body, making it necessary to replenish it daily through our diet.
Where Can You Find Vitamin B1?
Which foods provide significant amounts of Vitamin B1 (thiamine)? Let's explore the diverse range of dietary sources that can help you meet your daily thiamine requirements and support your body's vital functions.
Whole Grains: whole wheat bread, brown rice, oats, breakfast cereals.
Legumes: black beans, lentils, kidney beans, soybeans.
Nuts and Seeds: sunflower seeds, macadamia nuts, pistachios.
Others: pork loin, green peas, asparagus, organ meats (liver), nutritional yeast.
According to the USDA database, a 3.5-ounce (100-gram) raw portion provides the following nutritional information:
1. Granola: 0.548mcg vitamin B1
2. Corn: 0.155mcg vitamin B1
3. Green Pea: 0.266mcg vitamin B1
4. Potato: 0.021mcg vitamin B1
5. Asparagus: 0.143mcg vitamin B1
6. Pork: 0.732mcg vitamin B1
7. Salmon: 0.08mcg vitamin B1
8. Oyster: 0.067mcg vitamin B1
9. Mussel: 0.16mcg vitamin B1
10. Brown Rice: 0.413mcg vitamin B1
11. Kiwifruit (green): 0.027mcg vitamin B1
12. Avocado: 0.067mcg vitamin B1
13. Orange: 0.087mcg vitamin B1
14. Pomegranate: 0.067mcg vitamin B1
15. Banana: 0.031mcg vitamin B1
