Nutrient table · IFCT 2017 · ICMR-NIN 2020
Thiamine (vitamin B1) content of Indian foods
Per 100 g, pistachio is the richest thiamine source in IFCT 2017 at 0.98 mg, followed by poppy seeds at 0.87 mg, safflower seeds at 0.85 mg and quinoa at 0.83 mg. Soya bean, peanuts, dried peas and whole wheat carry between 0.46 and 0.59 mg. ICMR-NIN 2020 sets an adult man's thiamine need at 1.8 mg a day and a woman's at 1.7 mg.
What thiamine (vitamin b1) does, and where Indian diets stand
Thiamine, vitamin B1, helps the body turn carbohydrate into usable energy, and it keeps nerves and the heart working normally. Because the brain runs mostly on glucose, it depends heavily on thiamine. The body holds only small stores, so a steady daily supply matters, and needs rise with a diet high in carbohydrate.
India knows the effects of thiamine deficiency well. Beriberi was once common where people ate mostly polished rice, because thiamine sits in the bran and germ that milling removes. Parboiling, which drives the vitamin into the grain before milling, was one traditional answer. Today low thiamine is seen with heavy alcohol use, very monotonous rice diets, and in some breastfed infants of deficient mothers.
This table ranks the 239 foods in IFCT 2017 with a thiamine value, per 100 g. Nuts and oilseeds lead, with quinoa, soya, peanuts and dried peas close behind. Whole wheat and atta make the top 25, while polished rice does not. Leafy greens and most fruit sit at the bottom, at around 0.01 mg.
All 239 foods ranked by thiamine (vitamin b1)
Per 100 g of the edible portion, highest first. The last two columns show the share of an adult's daily need that 100 g covers.
Values per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad. Daily needs: ICMR-NIN 2020 recommended dietary allowances for a 65 kg man and a 55 kg woman doing sedentary work (brief note).
Cite this page
NNWA Nutrition and Wellness Academy. Thiamine (vitamin B1) content of Indian foods. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/nutrients/thiamine/
The top vegetarian sources of thiamine (vitamin b1)
| Food | Group | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Pistachio | Nuts and oilseeds | 0.98 mg |
| Poppy seeds | Spices, herbs and condiments | 0.87 mg |
| Safflower seeds | Nuts and oilseeds | 0.85 mg |
| Quinoa | Cereals and millets | 0.83 mg |
| Asafoetida (hing) | Spices, herbs and condiments | 0.82 mg |
| Cashew nut | Nuts and oilseeds | 0.61 mg |
| Soya bean | Pulses and legumes | 0.59 mg |
| Sunflower seeds | Nuts and oilseeds | 0.59 mg |
| Peanuts (groundnut) | Nuts and oilseeds | 0.57 mg |
| Dried peas | Pulses and legumes | 0.56 mg |
| Mustard seeds | Nuts and oilseeds | 0.55 mg |
| Cloves | Spices, herbs and condiments | 0.53 mg |
| Cumin seeds | Spices, herbs and condiments | 0.52 mg |
| Garden cress seeds (halim) | Nuts and oilseeds | 0.52 mg |
| Niger seeds | Nuts and oilseeds | 0.46 mg |
Thiamine (vitamin B1) requirements for Indians
ICMR-NIN 2020 sets the recommended thiamine intake at 1.8 mg a day for a 65 kg man and 1.7 mg a day for a 55 kg woman. The estimated average requirements for thiamine are 1.5 mg and 1.4 mg. Needs are tied to energy intake, so people doing heavy work or eating large amounts of carbohydrate need more.
No single food in the table reaches a full day's thiamine in 100 g; even pistachio supplies a little over half the adult man's figure. Thiamine therefore comes from many foods eaten across the day, with whole grains and pulses doing most of the work.
From a table to a plate
These thiamine values are for 100 g of raw food. Thiamine dissolves in water and is damaged by heat and by alkali, so washing rice many times, draining its cooking water, and adding baking soda to dal or chana to soften them all cut what reaches the plate. Grains are listed raw; a roti or a bowl of cooked dal carries less per 100 g than the figure shown, but still a useful share of the day.
- Prefer chakki atta, whole wheat dalia and millets to maida and polished rice for daily meals.
- Use hand-pounded or parboiled rice rather than highly polished white rice when you can.
- Do not add baking soda when cooking dal, chana or rajma; soak them overnight instead to soften them.
- Wash rice once or twice rather than many times, and cook it by absorption rather than draining.
- Add peanuts, soya chunks, dried peas or a few pistachios to meals and snacks.
- Anyone who drinks alcohol heavily should talk to a doctor about thiamine, since alcohol interferes with how it is absorbed and used.
What people ask about thiamine (vitamin b1)
Which Indian foods are high in thiamine?
In IFCT 2017, pistachio leads at 0.98 mg per 100 g, then poppy seeds at 0.87 mg, safflower seeds at 0.85 mg and quinoa at 0.83 mg. Cashew, soya bean, sunflower seeds, peanuts and dried peas are useful everyday sources.
What is the daily thiamine requirement for adults?
Adult men need 1.8 mg of thiamine a day and adult women 1.7 mg, according to ICMR-NIN 2020, with average requirements of 1.5 mg and 1.4 mg. Whole grains and pulses at every meal usually meet it.
Why is polished rice low in thiamine?
Most of the thiamine in rice sits in the bran and germ, which milling removes to make white rice, and washing and draining remove more. Parboiled and hand-pounded rice keep a larger share. Whole wheat, at 0.46 mg per 100 g, carries far more than polished rice.
What are the signs of thiamine deficiency?
Early signs are vague: tiredness, poor appetite, irritability and tingling in the feet. Severe deficiency causes beriberi, which affects the nerves or the heart, and a brain disorder seen with heavy drinking. These need urgent medical care, not diet changes alone.
Related reading and tables
Vitamin B Complex Tablets: What Is Inside, and Who Needs Them
From the NNWA journal.
Calories (energy) content of Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g.
Protein content of Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g.
Dietary fibre content of Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g.
Total fat content of Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g.
Carbohydrate content of Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g.
Calcium content of Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g.
Iron content of Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g.
Zinc content of Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g.
Magnesium content of Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g.