Top 10 Foods Highest in Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

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Top 10 Foods Highest in Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

Vitamin B2, or riboflavin, is an essential vitamin required for energy metabolism, immune system function, and maintenance of healthy skin, and hair. (1)

Riboflavin has also been associated with reducing the risk of cancer, and is believed to have anti-aging effects. (2)

While rare, a deficiency of riboflavin can create health problems that lead to hyperglycemia, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. (3) Further deficiency can lead to cracking and reddening of the lips, inflammation of the mouth, mouth ulcers, sore throat, and even iron deficiency anemia. (3,4)

Riboflavin is a water-soluble vitamin that is well regulated by the body, thus overdose is rare, and usually only occurs with vitamin B2 injections or supplements.

Foods high in riboflavin include beef, tofu, milk, fish, mushrooms, pork, spinach, almonds, avocados, and eggs. The current daily value (DV) for riboflavin (Vitamin B2) is 1.3mg. (5)

Below is a list of high riboflavin foods sorted by a common serving size. Use the complete nutrient ranking of all foods high in riboflavin to sort by 100 grams or a 200 calorie serving size.

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Printable list of foods high in riboflavin (B2).

Riboflavin (B2) Requirements By Age and Gender

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for riboflavin (Vitamin B2) ranges from 0.5mg to 1.3mg per day. The daily value for vitamin B2 is 1.3mg per day. (5)

Life StageRDA
Infants*
0-6 months old0.3mg
7-12 months old0.4mg
Children
1-3 years old0.5mg
4-8 years old0.6mg
Males
9-13 years old0.9mg
14-18 years old1.3mg
19-50 years old1.3mg
50+ years old1.3mg
Females
9-13 years old0.9mg
14-18 years old1mg
19-50 years old1.1mg
50+ years old1.1mg
Pregnancy
14-18 years old1.4mg
18+ years old1.4mg
Lactation
14-18 years old1.6mg
18+ years old1.6mg
*The amounts for children less than 12 months old is the adequate intake (AI) not RDA.
Source: Dietary Reference Intakes for Riboflavin.

Other Vitamin B Foods

About the Data

Data for the curated food lists comes from the USDA Food Data Central Repository.

You can check our data against the USDA by clicking the (Source) link at the bottom of each food listing.

Note: When checking data please be sure the serving sizes are the same. In the rare case you find any difference, please contact us and we will fix it right away.

About Nutrient Targets

Setting targets can provide a guide to healthy eating.

Some of the most popular targets include:
  • Daily Value (%DV) - The daily value (%DV) is a general guideline for consumption that will prevent deficiency of a particular nutrient in most people. The %DV refers to the percentage of an amount that\'s found in a single serving of a food. It also accounts for absorption factors. It is set by the U.S. FDA.
  • Recommended Dietary Allowance (%RDA) - The RDA sets an average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97.5%) healthy individuals. It\'s more specific than the daily value, and varies by age and gender. The RDA is set by the US National Institutes of Health.
  • Reference Dietary Intake (%RDI) -The reference dietary intake is similar to the recommended daily allowance, but is specific to age and gender. The RDI for amino acids is set by the U.N. World Health Organization.
  • Adequate Intake (%AI) - This value is primarily used in reference to omega-3 and omega-6 fats. The Adequate Intake is set by the U.S. Institute of Medicine. Because there is less evidence to determine the ideal targets for consumption of these nutrients, the specific amount is considered to be less reliable. Using the term Adequate Intake, rather than one of the other terms, helps to emphasize that the ideal intake of that particular nutrient has not yet been scientifically determined.

See the Guide to Recommended Daily Intakes for more information.

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View more nutrients with the nutrient ranking tool, or see ratios with the nutrient ratio tool.

Data Sources and References

  1. Shichinohe N, Kobayashi D, Izumi A, Hatanaka K, Fujita R, Kinoshita T, Inoue N, Hamaue N, Wada K, Murakami Y. Riboflavin Deficiency J Biol Chem. 2022 Dec;298(12):102640. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102640. Epub 2022 Oct 27. 36309091
  2. Riboflavin: The Health Benefits of a Forgotten Natural Vitamin
  3. Riboflavin and health: A review of recent human research
  4. Mydlik M, Derzsiova K. Recurrent aphthous ulceration: vitamin B1, B2 and B6 status and response to replacement therapy Miner Electrolyte Metab. 1992;18(2-5):293-4. 1465078
  5. U.S.FDA - Daily Value on the New Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels
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