Preventing PMS by Eating B1 and B2 Rich Foods

PMS or premenstrual syndrome affects as many as 85 percent of women.

If you are one of them then you know all about the many symptoms that can add up to feeling just plain miserable. If you wish you could skip over that time of the month then you are not alone as many women wish for the same thing. What you need to know is that there are foods you can eat that can help to keep you as PMS-free as possible.

Researchers compared the diets of over 1,000 women who suffered from PMS regularly with those who did not. What they discovered was that high levels of vitamin B1 (thiamin) as well as vitamin B2 (riboflavin) reduced the potential for PMS symptoms by as much as 35 percent. One such food that contains high amounts of these two vitamins is spinach.

If you make spinach one of your regular foods and eat it like Popeye then you may be well on your way to not feeling so icky when the time for PMS rolls around. A cup of spinach will provide you with 15 percent of your recommended daily/dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin B1 and 25 percent of your RDA for vitamin B2. Spinach is also an excellent source of the mineral iron.

More research into the role of the B vitamins in terms of PMS relief is needed but the results obtained so far are very promising. It is believed that both vitamins B1 and B2 have the ability to increase two neurotransmitters in the brain. These neurotransmitters are known as dopamine and serotonin. It has been hypothesized that a lack of these neurotransmitters can contribute to the onset of PMS symptoms.

If you think that you can take a supplement and be done with it then that is not going to work. In studies conducted researchers noted a reduction in symptoms only when subjects consumed foods high in B1 and B2. It is also worth noting that those women who reduced their PMS symptoms by as much as 25 to 35 percent ate twice the RDA for what is currently required of these two nutrients.

Other B1 and B2 Rich Foods for PMS Sufferers:

To get more of these two B vitamins into your diet there are other foods that you should be consuming as well.

Yogurt is beneficial when it comes to supplying you with an adequate amount of vitamin B2. A serving of yogurt can give you 32 percent of the recommended daily allowance of this B vitamin. It is also high in vitamin D and calcium which are also believed to diminish PMS discomfort. Not to mention the fact that the friendly bacteria found in yogurt is good for the digestive tract.

Increasing your intake of legumes is smart if you suffer from PMS. This includes black beans, lentils, peas, navy beans and pinto beans. All of these foods contain a plentiful supply of vitamin B1. For examples, one cup of black beans will supply you with 28 percent of the recommended daily allowance for vitamin B1. Experiment with different menu ideas to incorporate more legumes into your meals.

Tuna is rich in vitamin B1. A serving of tuna will offer you 38 percent of the RDA of vitamin B1. Just make sure you do not over consume tuna as then you run the risk of taking in too much mercury.

Becca