Grains are a good source of thiamine.
Thiamine, or vitamin B1, is part of the B family of vitamins. Thiamine is not stored in the body; because it is water soluble, it is eliminated through the urine. That means means enough of it must be obtained daily from diet. Because Vitamin B1 is a key part of the process of generating energy from carbohydrates, a deficiency results in muscular and mental fatigue. An extreme case of vitamin B1 deficiency is beriberi.
Whole-Grain Foods
Cereals, whole-grain bread and other unprocessed foods are one of the best sources of thiamine. They were not cooked with water, which would have washed away the vitamin B1. Replacing white bread with whole-grain bread can significantly increase your thiamine intake. Brown rice is also a thiamine-rich food, and a cup of it contains between 15 percent and 20 percent of the recommended daily intake. Yeast and yeast extract are two of the most concentrated sources of vitamin B1.
Raw Vegetables and Fruits
Fruits such as pineapples and oranges, and vegetables such as lettuce, tomato and spinach, are thiamine-rich foods. Because thiamine is used to transform carbohydrates into energy, the amount of vitamin B1 available for other foods is often higher than from other thiamine-rich foods with a higher calorie content. Asparagus is also high in vitamin B1, offering up to 14.7 percent of the daily recommended dose per serving.
Meat and Fish
Lean meat provides higher amounts of thiamine than any other meat because of a positive balance between caloric and vitamin content. Liver and pork meat are also specially high in thiamine, but chicken and beef liver are also significant sources of the vitamin. Fish such as salmon and tuna offer about 0.3 milligrams of vitamin B1 per serving. Soup made with vegetables and lean meat is also rich in vitamin B1, since it dissolves into the water during cooking.
Beans and Nuts
Soybeans, pinto beans, pecans, and Brazil nuts are naturally high in thiamine and are also sources of protein for people who do not obtain vitamin B1 from meat. Lima beans are especially high on thiamine, offering on average 20 percent of the daily recommended doses even after cooking. Sesame seeds contain an average of 18 percent of the daily recommended dose per serving. Lentils are also a good source of both iron and thiamine.
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