20 Foods High in Vitamin B2 for Energy and Antioxidants

Riboflavin, or vitamin B2, is the B vitamin responsible for the bright yellow-green fluorescence that gives urine its distinctive color after taking B vitamin supplements, a harmless sign that excess riboflavin is being excreted. It functions in the body as a component of two critical coenzymes: flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), which serve as electron carriers in the mitochondrial respiratory chain and in dozens of oxidation-reduction reactions across cellular metabolism. Riboflavin is essential for the breakdown of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins into ATP energy, for the activation of other B vitamins including B6 and niacin that require FAD and FMN as cofactors, and for the regeneration of glutathione, one of the body’s most important intracellular antioxidants. The National Institutes of Health identifies riboflavin as essential for growth, development, cellular function, and the metabolism of fats, drugs, and steroids, with deficiency causing ariboflavinosis characterized by oral sores, inflamed tongue, seborrheic dermatitis, and a normocytic anemia.

The recommended dietary allowance for riboflavin is 1.3 mg per day for adult men and 1.1 mg for adult women, rising to 1.4 mg during pregnancy and 1.6 mg while breastfeeding. Unlike some B vitamins, riboflavin is not widely stored in the body and requires consistent daily intake. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health notes that dairy products, lean meats, eggs, and green vegetables are the most reliable riboflavin sources, with organ meats providing the highest concentrations of any food category. Riboflavin is sensitive to light, meaning food stored in transparent packaging exposed to fluorescent or natural light loses riboflavin content over time.

The 20 foods below represent the richest riboflavin sources available across all food categories.

Jump to: Beef Liver | Beef Kidney | Clams | Plain Low-Fat Yogurt | Low-Fat Milk | Almonds | Mackerel | Eggs | Lean Beef | Fortified Cereal | Salmon | Spinach | Cottage Cheese | Chicken Liver | Tempeh | Soybeans/Edamame | Pork | Mushrooms | Nutritional Yeast | Greek Yogurt | FAQ

20 Foods With the Highest Riboflavin Content

1. Beef Liver: The Most Riboflavin-Dense Food Available

A 3-ounce serving of cooked beef liver provides approximately 2.9 mg of riboflavin, more than double the daily requirement in a single serving and the highest riboflavin concentration of any commonly available food. The liver’s extraordinary riboflavin density reflects its central role in the oxidative metabolic reactions where FAD and FMN are most heavily consumed.

Beef liver is the richest dietary riboflavin source available, and organ meats in general provide B vitamins at concentrations that make other food categories appear modest by comparison.

Best eaten: Sauteed quickly with onions and balsamic vinegar; limit to once weekly due to very high vitamin A and copper content.

Per 3 oz cooked. Limit to once weekly.

2. Beef Kidney: An Organ Meat With Outstanding Riboflavin

A 3-ounce serving of cooked beef kidney provides approximately 2.4 mg of riboflavin alongside vitamin B12, iron, and selenium. Kidney tissue concentrates riboflavin at levels comparable to liver because both organs are heavily involved in the oxidative metabolic reactions that consume and depend on FAD and FMN cofactors continuously.

Best eaten: Braised slowly in liquid to tenderize; used in traditional kidney pie or stew preparations; limit to once weekly alongside beef liver due to high vitamin A content.

Per 3 oz cooked.

3. Clams (Cooked): A Shellfish With Exceptional Riboflavin

A 3-ounce serving of cooked clams provides approximately 0.4 mg of riboflavin alongside extraordinary vitamin B12, zinc, iron, and selenium. While clams’ riboflavin is modest compared to organ meats, their exceptional multi-mineral profile including the highest B12 content of any food makes them a nutritionally productive shellfish for comprehensive B vitamin intake.

Best eaten: Steamed in white wine and garlic, in clam chowder, or tossed with linguine and olive oil.

Per 3 oz cooked.

4. Plain Low-Fat Yogurt: The Most Riboflavin-Rich Dairy Food

One cup of plain low-fat yogurt provides approximately 0.5 mg of riboflavin, nearly half the daily requirement for adult women, alongside calcium, protein, B12, and probiotics. Dairy products are among the most consistent everyday riboflavin sources because riboflavin is naturally present in milk at meaningful concentrations that persist through yogurt fermentation.

Dairy products including yogurt and milk are the primary riboflavin sources in the American diet, contributing more riboflavin than any other single food category to total population intake.

Best eaten: Plain daily as a breakfast or snack staple; used as a smoothie base or in dips and dressings.

Per 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt.

5. Milk (Low-Fat): The Universal Daily Riboflavin Contributor

One cup of low-fat milk provides approximately 0.4 mg of riboflavin alongside calcium, vitamin D, B12, and complete protein. Milk is one of the most widely consumed foods globally and the most consistent everyday riboflavin contributor for people who drink it daily. Its riboflavin is sensitive to light: milk stored in opaque containers retains significantly more riboflavin than milk stored in transparent glass or plastic exposed to light.

Milk is one of the primary riboflavin food sources, and the practice of storing milk in opaque cartons and containers was partly developed to preserve riboflavin content that would otherwise degrade under light exposure.

Best eaten: As a standalone drink, in oatmeal, smoothies, and coffee; store in opaque containers away from light to preserve riboflavin content.

Per 1 cup low-fat milk.

6. Almonds: The Most Riboflavin-Rich Common Nut

One ounce of almonds provides approximately 0.3 mg of riboflavin, the highest riboflavin content of any common tree nut, alongside vitamin E, magnesium, and calcium. Almonds are a particularly useful riboflavin food for people who avoid dairy, providing a meaningful plant-based contribution from a practical everyday snack.

Best eaten: As a daily snack, sliced over oatmeal and yogurt, or as almond butter on whole-grain toast.

Per 1 oz (28 g).

7. Mackerel (Cooked): A Fatty Fish With Strong Riboflavin

A 3-ounce serving of cooked Atlantic mackerel provides approximately 0.4 mg of riboflavin alongside omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, B12, and selenium. Fish in general are solid riboflavin sources, with oily fish like mackerel providing more riboflavin per serving than lean white fish.

Best eaten: Grilled, smoked, or baked; choose Atlantic mackerel over king mackerel for lower mercury.

Per 3 oz cooked.

8. Eggs: A Whole-Food Riboflavin Source

One large egg provides approximately 0.2 mg of riboflavin concentrated primarily in the egg white, where riboflavin gives raw egg whites their faint yellow-green tint. Two to three eggs contribute 0.4 to 0.6 mg of riboflavin, a meaningful daily addition alongside their choline, vitamin D, and complete protein content.

Best eaten: Scrambled, poached, or hard-boiled; the white contains more riboflavin than the yolk, unlike most other nutrients concentrated in the yolk.

Per 1 large egg.

9. Lean Beef: A Dependable Everyday Riboflavin Meat

A 3-ounce serving of cooked lean beef sirloin provides approximately 0.2 mg of riboflavin alongside zinc, iron, B12, and creatine. While lean beef provides less riboflavin per serving than organ meats or dairy, its widespread daily consumption as a primary protein makes it a consistent background riboflavin contributor.

Best eaten: Grilled or pan-seared; choose lean cuts like sirloin or extra-lean ground beef.

Per 3 oz cooked lean sirloin.

10. Fortified Breakfast Cereal: A Convenient Riboflavin Top-Up

Many fortified breakfast cereals provide 25 to 100 percent of the daily riboflavin requirement per serving. Riboflavin fortification was introduced in enriched grain products alongside thiamine, niacin, and folic acid to replace B vitamins removed during milling.

Best eaten: With low-fat milk for a riboflavin-compounding breakfast; check label for riboflavin percentage; choose whole grain with minimal added sugar.

Per 1 serving; values vary by brand.

11. Salmon (Wild-Caught): A Fatty Fish With Riboflavin

A 3-ounce serving of cooked wild-caught salmon provides approximately 0.4 mg of riboflavin alongside omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, B12, and selenium. Salmon’s riboflavin content is comparable to other oily fish and contributes a consistent addition alongside its more prominent cardiovascular and brain health nutrients.

Best eaten: Baked, grilled, or pan-seared; wild-caught varieties provide more consistent riboflavin than farmed.

Per 3 oz cooked wild-caught sockeye.

12. Spinach (Cooked): A Leafy Green With Meaningful Riboflavin

One cup of cooked spinach provides approximately 0.4 mg of riboflavin alongside folate, iron, magnesium, and vitamin K. Spinach is one of the few vegetables with a truly meaningful riboflavin contribution per serving, making it one of the most riboflavin-productive leafy greens in the diet.

Best eaten: Sauteed with garlic and olive oil, wilted into soups and pasta, or blended into smoothies.

Per 1 cup cooked.

13. Cottage Cheese: A High-Protein Dairy Riboflavin Food

One cup of low-fat cottage cheese provides approximately 0.4 mg of riboflavin alongside 25 grams of protein and calcium. Cottage cheese delivers riboflavin in a high-protein, relatively low-calorie dairy format that works well as a daily snack or meal component.

Best eaten: As a snack with fruit, stirred into smoothies, or used as a high-protein base for savory bowls.

Per 1 cup low-fat.

14. Chicken Liver: An Accessible Organ Meat With Strong Riboflavin

A 3-ounce serving of cooked chicken liver provides approximately 1.8 mg of riboflavin, more than the full daily requirement, alongside B12, folate, and iron. Chicken liver provides nearly the same extraordinary riboflavin density as beef liver in a milder-flavored, more approachable organ meat format.

Best eaten: Sauteed with onions and thyme, blended into smooth pâté; limit to once or twice weekly due to high vitamin A content.

Per 3 oz cooked. Limit to once or twice weekly.

15. Tempeh: A Fermented Soy Food With Riboflavin

A 3-ounce serving of tempeh provides approximately 0.4 mg of riboflavin alongside 19 grams of complete plant protein, calcium, and iron. Tempeh’s fermentation process increases riboflavin content compared to unfermented soybeans, making it a more riboflavin-productive soy food than tofu.

Best eaten: Sliced and pan-seared until golden, marinated in soy sauce and ginger, or crumbled into grain bowls.

Per 3 oz (85 g).

16. Soybeans (Edamame): A Plant Protein With Riboflavin

One cup of cooked edamame provides approximately 0.2 mg of riboflavin alongside complete plant protein, folate, and magnesium. As with most B vitamins, soybeans outperform other legumes in riboflavin content, making edamame the most riboflavin-rich legume in fresh form.

Best eaten: Steamed and lightly salted as a snack, tossed into grain bowls and stir-fries, or added to salads.

Per 1 cup cooked, shelled.

17. Pork (Lean): A B2 and B1 Powerhouse Meat

A 3-ounce serving of cooked pork tenderloin provides approximately 0.3 mg of riboflavin, making it the best everyday meat for combined thiamine and riboflavin coverage, as pork leads all meats in thiamine and provides meaningful riboflavin alongside it.

Best eaten: Roasted or grilled; the most nutritionally complete everyday meat for B vitamin density across thiamine, riboflavin, B6, and B12 simultaneously.

Per 3 oz cooked pork tenderloin.

18. Mushrooms (Crimini, Cooked): A Riboflavin-Rich Vegetable

One cup of cooked crimini mushrooms provides approximately 0.5 mg of riboflavin, the highest riboflavin content of any vegetable per cup and comparable to a cup of dairy milk. Mushrooms are unique among plant foods in their riboflavin density, reflecting the role of FAD and FMN in the respiratory metabolism of the fungal organisms.

Mushrooms are one of the better plant-based riboflavin sources, making them particularly valuable for vegetarians and vegans seeking riboflavin outside of dairy and eggs; see this whole-foods plant-based grocery list for more options.

Best eaten: Sauteed with garlic and olive oil, roasted, or added to soups and grain bowls; cooking concentrates riboflavin per cup as volume reduces.

Per 1 cup cooked crimini mushrooms.

19. Nutritional Yeast (Fortified): A Vegan Riboflavin Champion

Two tablespoons of fortified nutritional yeast provide approximately 1.6 mg of riboflavin, more than the full daily requirement, alongside B12, thiamine, and niacin. Fortified nutritional yeast provides all primary B vitamins in a single condiment serving, making it the most nutritionally efficient B vitamin food for plant-based eaters.

Best eaten: Sprinkled on popcorn, pasta, and grain bowls; stirred into soups and sauces; check labels specifically for fortified varieties.

Per 2 tbsp fortified; values vary by brand.

20. Greek Yogurt: A High-Protein Dairy Riboflavin Source

One cup of plain low-fat Greek yogurt provides approximately 0.5 mg of riboflavin alongside 20 grams of protein, calcium, and probiotics. Greek yogurt provides comparable riboflavin to regular yogurt despite its straining process, making it an equally effective riboflavin source in a higher-protein, thicker format.

Best eaten: Plain with fruit and seeds, used as a smoothie base, or stirred into sauces and dips; choose unsweetened varieties.

Per 1 cup plain low-fat.

Summary: Top 20 Riboflavin Foods at a Glance

Tips for Getting the Most Riboflavin From Food

Protect dairy and riboflavin-containing foods from light. Riboflavin is more sensitive to light than to heat, meaning milk stored in transparent containers in a bright refrigerator loses significantly more riboflavin than milk in opaque cartons. Store dairy in opaque or dark containers and avoid prolonged light exposure for riboflavin-rich foods.

Include mushrooms as a plant riboflavin strategy. For vegetarians and vegans who do not eat dairy, eggs, or organ meats, crimini and portobello mushrooms provide the most riboflavin of any plant food per serving. Including a cup of cooked mushrooms several times per week is the most effective single plant-food riboflavin strategy available.

Dairy provides riboflavin most efficiently. A single cup of yogurt, milk, or cottage cheese provides roughly a third of the daily riboflavin requirement at minimal caloric cost. For people who eat dairy consistently across breakfast, lunch, and dinner components, meeting the daily riboflavin requirement is nearly automatic without any deliberate planning.

Riboflavin enables other B vitamins. FAD is required to convert tryptophan to niacin and B6 phosphates to their active coenzyme forms. Riboflavin deficiency therefore impairs the function of niacin and B6 even when those vitamins are adequately supplied through food, making riboflavin a foundational B vitamin whose adequacy is prerequisite to the full function of several other B vitamins.

Fortified nutritional yeast is the most efficient vegan riboflavin source. Two tablespoons provide more riboflavin than a glass of milk, more B12 than most fortified plant milks, and meaningful thiamine and niacin alongside, making it the single most riboflavin-productive condiment for any plant-based eating pattern.

Frequently Asked Questions About Riboflavin-Rich Foods

What does riboflavin (vitamin B2) actually do in the body?
Riboflavin is essential for converting food into usable energy, supporting normal cell function and growth, and regenerating glutathione, one of the body’s most important antioxidants.

How much riboflavin do I need daily?
Adult men need about 1.3 mg daily and adult women need about 1.1 mg, rising to 1.4 mg during pregnancy and 1.6 mg while breastfeeding.

Can I get enough riboflavin on a vegetarian or vegan diet?
Yes. Almonds, mushrooms, fortified nutritional yeast, soybeans, tempeh, and fortified cereals all provide meaningful riboflavin without any animal products.

Does cooking destroy riboflavin?
Riboflavin is fairly heat-stable but is sensitive to light, which is why milk stored in clear containers loses more riboflavin over time than milk kept in opaque cartons.

What are the signs of a riboflavin deficiency?
Cracked lips and corners of the mouth, a sore or inflamed tongue, skin irritation, and eye sensitivity to light are common early signs, though true deficiency is uncommon in people eating a varied diet.

The Bottom Line

Riboflavin is a B vitamin so thoroughly embedded in dairy products, organ meats, and mushrooms that most people who consume any of these foods regularly are unlikely to fall short. Its critical role in energy metabolism, glutathione regeneration, and the activation of other B vitamins makes it foundational rather than supplementary in the B vitamin family. For omnivores, the combination of daily dairy, occasional organ meat, and regular consumption of mushrooms, eggs, and leafy greens provides reliable riboflavin coverage. For plant-based eaters, fortified nutritional yeast and crimini mushrooms are the most effective riboflavin strategies, ideally combined with fortified cereals and plant milks that contribute riboflavin alongside calcium and B12.

Nutrition data sourced from the USDA FoodData Central database. Individual values may vary based on food preparation, storage, and light exposure. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.

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