Are you on the B list?

The B group of vitamins comprises thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (nicotinic acid), folate (folic acid), vitamin B6, vitamin B12, biotin and pantothenic acid.

Thiamin (B1)
Function: Thiamin is needed to help release energy from carbohydrates in foods, alcohol and fats.

Sources: Thiamin is found in both animal and vegetable foods. Good sources include milk and dairy foods (except butter), offal, pork, eggs, vegetables and fruit, wholegrain cereals, pulses nuts, beans, peas and fortified breakfast cereals. As thiamin is water soluble, large amounts can be easily lost when vegetables, for example, are cooked in water and the excess is discarded. Adding bicarbonate of soda to water used for cooking foods rich in thiamin will result in almost the entire vitamin being destroyed.

B1 content of selected foods in mg per 100g of food

Recommended intake: requirement for this vitamin is related to the amount of energy or calories gained from your diet, but for adults it is 0.4mg per 1,000kcal.

Deficiency: Beri beri is a disease that can result from a diet rich in carbohydrates or alcohol and poor in vitamin B1.

Toxicity: long-term intake of more than 3g vitamin B1 a day may have adverse effects on the body.