Food Data Chart - Vitamin B-1 (thiamin)



	Using the food charts

	Important basics

	Fat-soluble vitamins

	Water-soluble vitamins

	Elements

	Others

- Water-Soluble Vitamins -

16: VITAMIN B-1
(thiamin)

Whether there is a thiamin deficiency or not can depend not only on the amount of thiamin ingested, but on the presence of thiamin antagonists in food.

For example, an enzyme (a natural substance that speeds up a chemical reaction), called thiaminase, occurring in raw fish can break down thiamin, and cause beri-beri in some people. One of the most significant losses of thiamin from food occurs in the milling of cereals. But thiamin is also water soluble and can be lost in cooking water. It can also be destroyed on heating and is sensitive to air or oxygen and also to alkaline conditions. In addition, alcohol can reduce the availability of thiamin to the body. For these various reasons, in both developing and developed countries, thiamin deficiency can be a problem.

Thiamin is involved in the action of certain enzymes in the body, especially one that enables carbohydrate to be used as energy. Thus, with thiamin deficiency, a number of important body functions can be disturbed. They include brain function, nerve function (especially of the legs), and heart function; these three impairments are called Wernicke-Korsakoffs psychosis', dry beri-beri and wet beri-beri, respectively.

VITAMIN B1 INTAKE

The requirement for thiamin relates to the amount of energy, especially carbohydrate, consumed.

Recommended daily dietary intake of thiamin (Australia):

Infants:
Children:

Adult men:

Adult women:

Pregnancy:

Lactation:
0.2-0.4 milligram

0.5-1.2 milligrams

0.9-1.1 milligrams (dependent on energy intake, the requirements for which decline with advancing years)

0.7-0.8 milligram (dependent on energy intake, as above)

1.0 milligram

1.2 milligrams


	Water-Soluble Vitamins

		Vitamin B-1 (thiamin)
	-	Vitamin B-2 (riboflavin)
	-	Niacin
	-	Vitamin B-6
	-	Vitamin B-12 (cyano-cobalamin)
	-	Folacin
	-	Pantothenic acid
	-	Biotin
	-	Vitamin C