Vitamin B2: Sources & Supplements

Food sources
Most plant and animal derived foods contain at least small quantities of riboflavin. Wheat flour and bread have been enriched with riboflavin (as well as thiamin, niacin, and iron) since 1943 in the U.S. Data from large dietary surveys indicate that the average intake of riboflavin for men is about 2 mg/day and for women is about 1.5 mg/day, well above the RDA. Intake levels were similar for a population of elderly men and women. Riboflavin is easily destroyed by exposure to light. Up to 50% of the riboflavin in milk contained in a clear glass bottle can be destroyed after two hours of exposure to bright sunlight. Some foods with substantial amounts of riboflavin are listed in the table below along with their riboflavin content in milligrams (mg). For more information on the nutrient content of foods you eat frequently, search the USDA food composition database.

Food	Serving	Riboflavin (mg)
Fortified cereal	1 cup	0.59 to 2.27
Milk (nonfat)	1 cup (8 ounces)	0.34
Cheddar cheese	1 ounce	0.11
Egg (cooked)	1 large	0.27
Almonds	1 ounce	0.24
Salmon (broiled)	3 ounces*	0.13
Halibut (broiled)	3 ounces	0.08
Chicken, light meat (roasted)	3 ounces	0.10
Chicken, dark meat (roasted)	3 ounces	0.18
Beef (cooked)	3 ounces	0.19
Broccoli (boiled or steamed)	1/2 cup chopped	0.09
Asparagus (boiled or steamed)	6 spears	0.13
Spinach (boiled or steamed)	1/2 cup	0.09
Bread, whole wheat	1 slice	0.07
Bread, white (enriched)	1 slice	0.09

*A 3-ounce serving of meat is about the size of a deck of cards.

Supplements

The most common forms of riboflavin available in supplements are riboflavin and riboflavin 5'-monophosphate. Riboflavin is most commonly found in multivitamin and vitamin B-complex preparations.