Biotin Rich Foods

Biotin is one of the B complex vitamins that play an integral role in the breakdown of food into energy. Known as a water-soluble vitamin, it also plays a vital role in the growth of our hair, nails, and skin. Biotin is also referred to as vitamin H and is found in many foods such as eggs, milk, and even bananas, in small amounts. In this article, we’ll take a look at the benefits of biotin and common biotin-rich foods you can incorporate into your diet.

5 Interesting Benefits of Biotin

There are two main uses of biotin in the body. The first is that it aids in the breakdown and conversion of food into energy. More specifically, it provides support to the plethora of enzymes that are tasked with the responsibility of breaking down fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. Here are some benefits of biotin you should know:

Nails

Biotin facilitates healthy nail growth. A lack of a sufficient amount of biotin could result in an individual's nails turning brittle and breaking. If you suffer from biotin deficiency, you could benefit from prescribed supplements that have biotin in them. Additionally, you can always consume biotin-rich food.

Hair

Similar to helping healthy nail growth, biotin also plays an integral role in the good health of our hair. Biotin in food helps hair growth. If someone has a decreased amount of biotin in their body, they may experience hair loss or rashes. In case you are suffering from hair loss, you could supplement biotin with natural foods.

During Pregnancy

Pregnant women usually have a lower level of biotin, something that is unhealthy for them. Generally, due to an increased breakdown of food into energy during pregnancy, more biotin is used up by the body. As a result, biotin-rich foods and supplements are suggested by physicians and dieticians for women during pregnancy.

Regulates Blood Sugar

Consumption of a good amount of biotin is linked to better regulation of the body’s blood sugar levels.

Keeps the Nervous System Healthy

As per a medical website, biotin is also a very important nutrient that is used by the body to keep the nervous system in good health.

Top Biotin-Rich Foods

Biotin is naturally present in many foods that we consume. The most common of them are milk, eggs, meat, and certain other foods like sweet potatoes, seeds, etc. Here are a few biotin-rich foods that one can consider adding to their daily diet:

Egg Yolks

Egg yolks are packed with Vitamin B along with protein and iron and hence considered to be a high source of biotin. Within one egg yolk, one can expect to get about 10 micrograms of biotin, which is approximately 33 percent of the daily value (DV) required by an individual. However, it is advisable to cook the egg yolk well because raw egg whites contain a negatively interfering substance called avidin.

Legumes

Most legumes are great biotin-rich foods with peanuts and soybeans being the richest sources. In addition to lentils, beans, and peas, we consume a number of legumes that contain high levels of biotin. A serving of peanuts, for instance, can get you about 5 micrograms of biotin or about 17% of the daily value (DV) and 100gms of soybeans contain 19.3 micrograms of biotin, which is 64 percent of the daily value.

Livers

The livers of various foods that we consume such as chicken, pork, or beef are also a considerable source of biotin. In a serving of beef liver, for instance, you could get about 31 micrograms of biotin. Cooked chicken liver has a higher biotin percentage with a 75gm serving containing up to 138 micrograms of biotin!

Mushrooms

Biotin is one of the several benefits that mushrooms offer. In fact, in the wild, mushrooms are protected from predators and parasites because of their biotin content. In about 70 grams of mushrooms, you can get about 5.6 micrograms of biotin. Apart from being a rich source of biotin, mushrooms are also rich in selenium, magnesium, and antioxidants.

Broccoli and Avocados

There are many health benefits associated with both vegetables, including high levels of biotin. While half a cup (45 grams) of broccoli has about 0.4 micrograms of biotin, 200 grams of avocado has about 1.85 micrograms of biotin, or 6 percent of the daily value. Avocados are a biotin-rich food as well as a great source of folate and unsaturated fats.

Yeast

Yeast is also a good source of biotin which can be used in a variety of different dishes. Yeast is unexpectedly a biotin-rich food that comes in two different kinds – nutritional yeast and brewer’s yeast or active yeast. While nutritional yeast contains approximately 10-11 micrograms of biotin per tablespoon, a standard 7gm pack of active yeast (that is generally used for baking) provides 1/4 micrograms of biotin or 5 percent of the daily value.

Bananas

It is rare to find a fruit that provides biotin, but Bananas do. Apart from being a highly nutrient-dense fruit that is rich in fiber, carbohydrates, Vitamins B, copper, and potassium, Bananas are also a biotin-rich fruit. One banana contains approximately 0.2-0.4 micrograms of biotin or 1 percent of the daily value.

Sweet Potatoes

Besides being rich in biotin, sweet potatoes are also a good source of vitamins, fiber, and minerals, making them a healthy choice for daily consumption. A 125 g cup of cooked sweet potatoes contains approximately 2.4 micrograms of biotin or 8 percent of the daily value which is phenomenal.

Nuts and Seeds

A variety of nuts and seeds are high in biotin, particularly sunflower seeds and almonds. Just 20 grams of sunflower seeds have about 2.6 micrograms of biotin i.e. 10 percent of the daily value. As far as almonds go, about 30 grams serve about 1.5 micrograms or 5 percent of the daily value. Overall nuts and seeds are biotin-enriched food along with being rich sources of fiber, protein, and unsaturated fats.

Salmon and Tuna

Expect some great biotin from these food substances that are also packed with omega-3 fatty acids that are great for hair. A serving of 85 grams of salmon is packed with 5 micrograms of biotin and 85 grams of tuna contains 0.6 micrograms of biotin.

Spinach

It's also worth noting that spinach does contain a decent amount of biotin. For instance, 64 grams of boiled spinach contains 0.5 micrograms of biotin. It is also packed with a whole lot of other nutrients such as fiber, calcium, iron, folic acid, and vitamins A and C.

Dairy

Dairy items like milk, yogurt, and cheese contain small amounts of biotin. A 28-gram serving of cheddar cheese contains 0.4 micrograms of biotin, whereas the same amount of milk contains 0.3 micrograms of biotin.

Meats

Some meats are a great source of biotin-rich food that helps convert the food into some good and healthy energy for the body. Pork chops and cooked hamburger are examples of biotin-rich meats as 85 grams serving of both pork chops and cooked hamburger meats contains 3.8 micrograms of biotin, that is, 13 percent of the daily value.

How Much Biotin Do We Need?

Our bodies, the food we consume, and the system built around them are designed in a manner to support self-sustenance. Your body produces a natural amount of biotin, and when it faces a deficiency, you can turn to biotin-rich foods to supplement the deficiency. But, how much biotin do we actually need, and is there such a thing as ‘too much biotin’? For adults, the daily allowance of biotin consumption is often recommended to be between 30 to 100 micrograms. The same amount is recommended for adolescents as well. To put this into perspective, a small banana holds about 0.2 micrograms of biotin

Conclusion

As mentioned earlier, biotin plays an important role in our health and well-being. If you are suffering from a lack of biotin, biotin-rich foods and supplements are often considered a good means of making up for a biotin deficiency. Luckily, biotin is naturally present in lots of foods we commonly consume so deficiencies are very rare. However, if you want to stay healthy in the long run and keep yourself financially protected, you should look into getting health insurance for yourself and your family.

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What are the biotin benefits for the skin?

Biotin helps accelerate the growth of skin and also heals cracked and dry skin.

What are some biotin-rich fruits I can add to my diet?

Some biotin-rich fruits you can add to your diet are avocados, bananas, and most dry fruits.

Should I take a biotin supplement?

Most people do not need to take biotin supplements as long as they consume foods containing biotin. If you are still feeling the effects of biotin deficiency, it is best to consult a professional doctor.

What are the health benefits of biotin?

Here are the main health benefits of biotin:

Helps in hair, nail and skin growth.
Helps absorb nutrients into the body.
Helps manage the symptoms of diabetes and regulates blood sugar levels.

What are some foods high in biotin?

Here is a small list of foods rich in biotin:

Lean Meats
Eggs
Fish
Seeds and Nuts
Mushrooms

How can I increase my biotin naturally?

Biotin is water-soluble which means that our bodies cannot store it. So the best natural way to increase biotin naturally is via the intake of biotin-rich foods such as liver and other meats, nuts and seeds, sweet potatoes, dairy, yeast, and more.

Which fruit is full of biotin?

One fruit that is rich in biotin is Bananas. One banana contains approximately 0.2-0.4 micrograms of biotin or 1 percent of the daily value.

How can I increase biotin in my hair?

With the intake of salmon and tuna in our daily diet, we can increase the biotin in our hair. That is because both salmon and tuna are packed with omega-3 fatty acids that are great for hair growth.