Vitamin B2, also known as Riboflavin, is essential for energy and antibody production, as well as normal cellular function, growth and development [1]
The most dense sources of Riboflavin are meat and dairy products which vegans don’t consume. So vegans must take care to ensure that sufficient alternative sources are included in their diet
Fortunately for vegans a balanced diet including fortified foods will provide enough Riboflavin without the use of supplements.
While rare, a deficiency of riboflavin can create health problems that lead to hyperglycemia, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. [2]
Adults are recommended to take in about 1.3µg (micrograms) of Riboflavin daily [1] The required amounts differ by age.
Note that Riboflavin is soluble in water, so more Riboflavin will be lost when preparing food by boiling compared to other cooking methods such as steaming or microwaving.
The following are good sources for vegans
Fortified soya milk 0.76µg per 200ml serving
Fortified breakfast cereals
Mushrooms per 100g 0.5µg
Cooked Beet Greens, 1 cup, 0.4µg
An 80g serving of tempeh contains 0.3µg of Riboflavin
Cooked Soya beans, 100g, 0.3µg
Spinach per 100g, 0.2µg
Almonds, per 20g, 0.2µg
Avocado 100g, 0.1µg
A whole Avocado could contain three times as much as this
Other sources
Yeast extract (Marmite/Vegemite), nutritional yeast, quinoa [3]
[1] https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Riboflavin-HealthProfessional/#h8
