Riboflavin – Vitamin B2

Riboflavin (also known as vitamin B2):

Riboflavin, vitamin B2, food sources and possible symptoms of deficiency.

Deficiencies of other B vitamins can cause a deficiency of riboflavin and vice versa. Riboflavin is involved in the metabolism of vitamin B6, niacin, folic acid and iron.  Riboflavin is also needed for metabolism of drugs and toxins and is essential for releasing energy from food.

Alcoholics, anorexics, and people low in other B vitamins are at risk of deficiency but otherwise deficiency is rare.  Riboflavin is in many foods.

Deficiency symptoms may include decreased red blood cell count with normal sized red blood cells; sore throat; magenta/red inflamed tongue, mouth, and throat; sore cracks at the sides of the mouth; and skin rashes.  Deficiency may increase risk of pre-eclampsia and age related cataracts.  Supplemental riboflavin was found helpful for preventing migraines.

Food Sources of Riboflavin (B2) include:

Fortified flour & cereal, whole grains, meats, fish, milk, eggs, meat, fish, beans, nuts, and seeds, nutritional yeast flakes, asparagus, broccoli, yellow summer squash, spinach.

Risks of overdose for water soluble B vitamins and vitamin C are rare:

B vitamins and vitamin C are water soluble, so overdose is rare.  Deficiency is more common because the nutrients are not stored like the fat soluble nutrients:  A, D, E, and K; and water soluble vitamins are not conserved by the kidneys like the electrolyte minerals:  calcium, sodium, magnesium, and potassium.

Riboflavin is a bright yellow nutrient and when taking higher doses in supplements may cause a bright yellow colored urine – it is non-toxic and would be less noticeable, a paler shade of yellow, when plenty of water is also being drunk throughout the day. Any time dehydration is present the color of the urine will be a darker shade and is a good reminder to try to drink plenty of water – 6-10 glasses roughly depending on body size, and amount of exercise performed and the level of heat or humidity in the environment.

REFERENCE USED FOR FOOD SOURCES & SYMPTOMS OF Riboflavin DEFICIENCY:

Disclaimer: Opinions are my own and the information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes.

Other References:

  1. [dietandfitnesstoday.com/riboflavin-in-beans.php]
  2. https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/45194432?fgcd=&manu=&format=&count=&max=25&offset=&sort=default&order=asc&qlookup=nutritional+yeast&ds=&qt=&qp=&qa=&qn=&q=&ing=
  3. https://draxe.com/top-10-vitamin-b2-riboflavin-foods/
  4. http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/definition-riboflavin-6444.html
  5. https://www.swansonvitamins.com/blog/lindsey/types-of-squash-health-benefits

Sumac tea was a lemony drink used by Native Americans

Sumac is  a shrubby tree that grows easily in many areas of the U.S. and other countries. Types with reddish berries/seed clusters are safe for tea or use as a ground spice while a type with whitish berries is not safe. As a plant it is considered an invasive species because it grows so easily it can be difficult to remove from an area. It grows wild in patches along highways in some areas such as Iowa for example:

Sumac growing wild along U.S. Highway I-80 in Iowa during the winter season. when no leaves are present but last years seed clusters can still be observed on the top branches

Why care about Sumac? I bought a jar at a Middle Eastern grocery store of the plant prepared as a ground dried spice to sprinkle on foods during cooking or at the table. The jar I bought was imported from Lebanon. I paid $3.99 for a little less than a half pound size container so it isn’t a high profit margin spice but on the other hand I would be happy to by Sumac that was harvested in Iowa or Oklahoma or Michigan – all places where it grows wild.

One species that is safe for use is known to grow in all 48 contiguous states. Early in the spring the newly sprouted shoots can be eaten as a salad like vegetable. the lemony flavored tea can also be made into a jelly or candy: (http://www.eattheweeds.com/sumac-more-than-just-native-lemonade/)

Research performed with the plant in other nations regarding its medicinal benefits have found the spice or extracts to have a wide range of benefits.  More information about medicinal benefits are in an earlier post on the topic and are also listed with summertime images of the red seed clusters in an article Sumac: Nutritional Properties: https://iowaherbalist.com/tag/sumac-nutritional-properties/ and one about Sumac Tea: https://allnaturalideas.com/sumac-tea/.

The spice or tea can have significant diuretic properties similar to drinking coffee or alcoholic beverages so having smaller amounts earlier in the day along with plenty of water throughout the day can help the body cleanse toxins early in the day without waking you in the middle of the night. Overly acidic urine may cause an extreme urge to urinate but then produce only a small amount – which means the body is working hard to remove acidity without adequate water to dilute it – so drink plenty of water and acidity and toxins will be readily removed in the more dilute urine. Diuretic medications are often given to patients who are retaining excess water with a goal to help the body remove the excess water and salt from edematous areas between organs and outside of blood vessels. https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/tips-for-taking-diuretic-medications  They are different but similar in effect to a diuretic beverage such as coffee or alcoholic beverages.

The acidic and antimicrobial properties of sumac have also been studied in food preparation of raw chicken to reduce the risk of salmonella and other food pathogens: The Effect of Water Extract of Sumac (Rhus coriariaL.) and Lactic Acid on Decontamination and Shelf Life of Raw Broiler Wings,  https://academic.oup.com/ps/article/85/8/1466/1524938

Gallotannins are one of the phytonutrients in sumac with medicinal benefits and is concentrated enough that the plant can be a source for extracting the substance, gallotannins and sumac. While the active phytonutrients in pomegranate peel extract and sumac extract are slightly different they both exhibit antifungal properties that may be beneficial for commercial, agricultural use: Chemical Characterization of Different Sumac and Pomegranate Extracts Effective against Botrytis cinerea Rots http://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/20/7/11941/htm

To connect the dots for those who don’t see the bigger picture in the same way that I do – one easy to grow crop that grows across the nation could be used to flavor anything lemon flavored for possibly less cost that lemons cost.  The lemon flavor is from the terpene content, it contains the same type as lemon and limes: limonene. Sumac could be used for a variety of products for direct use by humans and might also be useful as a medication for humans or for animals. It also might have industrial and agricultural uses for its antimicrobial and antifungal properties. One negative side effect that has become more apparent in agriculture is that pathogenic fungal strains seem more prevalent in soil that has had a buildup of Roundup/glyphosate. Hard to treat fungal illnesses in humans may also becoming more common. A lemony drink or food that treats hard to treat diseases in humans or farm animals and which can be grown very inexpensively could be useful if it was recognized as useful instead of simply an invasive weed.

The seed clusters left over from last fall could likely be harvested now, before spring growth occurs, and used for agricultural experiments this season, instead of waiting for the next new crop of seed clusters that would be ripe at the end of next summer, approximately in August.

The pomegranate peel leftover from making pomegranate juice is currently also being wasted when it might be useful as a medicine or food substance or even as an agricultural antifungal treatment.

Disclaimer: Opinions are my own and the information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes.