Vitamin B1 is also known as thiamine, thiamin or aneurine and is an important member of the B-vitamin family, because of its role in the prevention of Beriberi. Actually the word “beriberi” has its roots in the Indian sub-continent. It is derived from a sinhalese word meaning weakness. This shows its importance in health and strength. Thiamin plays a very important role in the metabolism of carbohydrates, alcohol, and branched chain amino acids. Thiamine is required by the body, for growth and development, nerve function and appetite. Also thiamine is required for digestion of starches and sugars and their conversion to glucose, plus the production of digestive juices
Thiamine is a water soluble vitamin. It was first isolated in 1926 from rice polishings. Thiamine is quickly absorbed in the upper and lower small intestine. Unfortunately thiamine can only be stored in very small quantities in the body (about 30 mg- 30 times the daily nutrient requirement) and deficiency starts after about a month, on a thiamin free diet and therefore a rugular supply through food is essential for normal health. But an added advantage of this poperty of thiamine and most other water-solublw vitamins is that if a person has excess vitamin B1, then it is excreted by the body, and there is no known toxicity to this vitamin. The requirements are proportional to the non-fat energy intake. The two main diseases due to thiamin deficiency are beriberi and Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome.
Vitamin B1 gets partially destroyed during cooking, frying, roasting and braising. But it is totally destroyed by alkalis such as baking powder or baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). Vitamin B1 is also destroyed by sulphites such as sulphur dioxide and avidin (avidin is found in raw egg white)
Sustained deficiency of thiamine can result in the disease beriberi. The symptoms of beriberi include damage to the nervous system as well as to the heart and other muscles. Figure 10-2 presents one of the symptoms of beriberi. No adverse effects have been associated with excesses of thiamin; no Upper Level has been determined.
Vitamin | RDA | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sedentary Work | Moderate Work | Hard Work |
| Vitamin A (Retinol) | 600 mcg | 600 mcg | 600 mcg |
| Vitamin A (Beta-Carotene)(Precursor of Vit-A) | 4800 mcg | 4800 mcg | 4800 mcg |
Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) (Also written as:Thiamine) | 1.2 mg | 1.4 mg | 1.7 mg |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | 1.4 mg | 1.6 mg | 2.1 mg |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) (Also called: nicotinic acid and vitamin PP) | 16 mg | 18 mg | 21 mg |
| Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) | 5 mg | 5 mg | 5 mg |
| Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) | 2 mg | 2 mg | 2 mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 1 mcg | 1 mcg | 1 mcg |
| Beta Carotene (Precursor of Vit-A) | NA | 600 mg | 600 mg |
| Biotin | 30 mcg | 600 mg | 600 mg |
| Folic acid (In the form of Diatary Folate) | 200mcg | 200mcg | 200mcg |
| Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) | 40 mg | 40 mg | 40 mg |
| Vitamin D | 600 IU | 600 IU | 600 IU |
| Vitamin E | 22 IU | 22 IU | 22 IU |
| Indian Food item | Thiamine Vitamin B1 per 100 g. % of RDA |
|---|---|
| Til (Sesame Seeds) | 1.01 mg67.3 % of RDA |
| Moongphalli (Groundnut, Peanut) | 0.9 mg60 % of RDA |
| Soyabean (White) Seeds | 0.73 mg48.7 % of RDA |
| Charoli, Chirongi (Piyal Seeds) | 0.68 mg45.3 % of RDA |
| Pista (Pistachio Nut) | 0.67 mg44.7 % of RDA |
| Rai (Mustard) | 0.65 mg43.3 % of RDA |
| Kaaju (Cashew) | 0.63 mg42 % of RDA |
| Halim (Garden Cress Seeds) | 0.59 mg39.3 % of RDA |
| Simlamirchi (Capsicum) | 0.55 mg36.7 % of RDA |
| Chavli (Cow Peas) | 0.51 mg34 % of RDA |
| Doodh (Milk) Powder (Skimmed) | 0.5 mg 33.3 % of RDA |
| Chana (Bengal Gram) Daal | 0.48 mg32 % of RDA |
| Moong (Green Gram) Daal | 0.47 mg31.3 % of RDA |
| Moong (Green Gram) (Whole) | 0.47 mg31.3 % of RDA |
| Peas (Dry) | 0.47 mg31.3 % of RDA |
| Arhar, Tuar (Bengal Gram) Daal | 0.45 mg30 % of RDA |
| Matki (Moth Beans) | 0.45 mg30 % of RDA |
| Akrod (Walnut) | 0.45 mg30 % of RDA |
| Genhoo (Wheat) | 0.45 mg30 % of RDA |
| Masur (Lentil) | 0.45 mg30 % of RDA |
| Kulthi (Horse Gram) | 0.42 mg28 % of RDA |
| Udad (Black Gram) Daal | 0.42 mg28 % of RDA |
| Ragi (Finger Millet) | 0.42 mg28 % of RDA |
| Maka (Maize) | 0.42 mg28 % of RDA |
| Moongphalli (Groundnut) (Roasted) | 0.39 mg26 % of RDA |
| RDA For ThiamineB1 is 1.5 mg | |
