Thiamine, also known as vitamin B1, is essential for enzymatic reactions in the body and cannot be produced by the body. Sources include lean meats, nuts, and eggs, and fortified grains. The recommended daily intake is 1.1-1.2mg for adults, and thiamine supplements are available but a varied diet is recommended.
The B vitamin thiamine is an essential component of certain enzymatic reactions in the body. A human must get their thiamine from food sources as the body cannot produce it. Sources of thiamine include lean meats, nuts, and eggs, although fruits and vegetables also contain some of the vitamin.
Thiamine is also known as thiamine and used to be called vitamin B1 or aneurin. It is soluble in water, and is present in the body in four forms. These are free thiamine, thiamine monophosphate (TMP), thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP), and thiamine triphosphate (TTP). These forms of thiamine work within cells to help release energy from carbohydrates. The healthy functioning of the muscles and the circulatory and nervous systems also depend on sufficient thiamine.
According to the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), the recommended daily intake for thiamine is 1.1 milligrams (mg) for women age 19 and older and 1.2 mg for men age 14 and older. Children need less, and preteens require less than 1 mg. per day. Pregnant and lactating women need more than the average adult.
Meat is one of the many dietary sources of thiamine. According to the Linus Pauling Institute in the United States, 3 ounces (about 85 grams) of lean pork contains 0.72 milligrams of thiamine. Organs and eggs also contain thiamine, although large eggs only contain 0.03 mg of thiamine each. By contrast, one cup (about 240 milliliters, or mL, by volume) of milk provides 0.10 mg of thiamine.
Basic carbohydrates in many developed countries contain less thiamine than occurs naturally in the plant. This is due to grain processing, which removes the outer layer and polishes or refines the grain. Therefore, white rice and products such as pasta and bread made from white flour are commonly fortified with the vitamin.
A slice of whole wheat bread may contain 0.10 mg of thiamine, while a slice of artificially fortified white bread may provide 1.1 mg. One cup (about 240 ml) of unfortified cooked white rice contains just 0.04 mg compared to 0.26 mg for the same serving of fortified rice. Fortified cereal may contain anywhere from 0.5 mg to 2.0 mg per cup (approximately 240 ml). Wheatgerm breakfast cereal is one of the richest sources of thiamine and can provide 4.47 mg per cup (approximately 240 ml).
Legumes like peas and lentils also provide thiamine. Half a cup (about 120 ml) of cooked peas contains 0.21 mg of thiamine, and the same serving of lentils has 0.17 mg. Nuts such as Brazil nuts and pecans provide approximately 0.17 mg of thiamine per ounce (approximately 28 grams).
Vegetables and fruits are not particularly rich in thiamine by volume, but thiamine sources accumulate over a day. For example, an orange contains 0.10 mg, and half a cup (approximately 120 ml) of spinach offers 0.09 mg. Thiamine supplements are also available, but the NIH recommends a varied diet as the best way to get adequate thiamine.
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