When it comes to the essential nutrients for humans, biotin is one that you cannot ignore. Also known as vitamin H, biotin belongs to the B class of vitamins. It is primarily important for your hair, skin, and nails and makes them strong and healthy. It would be right to say that it has a key role to play in making your look youthful and beautiful. But there is much more you will come to know about this nutrient if you scratch the surface.
Essentially, biotin is responsible for sending protein to the hair, skin, and nails. The human body also requires it for accessing the energy stored in fats, carbohydrates and amino acids. Considering the myriad benefits, it is one nutrient that you would not want to be deficient in. So knowing about the foods high in biotin and making them a part of your diet would give you an advantage. Here are some biotin-rich foods that you should absolutely consume.
Egg Yolk
Egg yolks give you a rich supply of this vital nutrient, with as much as 10 mcg coming from a single whole cooked egg. It is best to consume cooked eggs because avidin, the protein in raw egg whites binds to biotin and prevents it from being absorbed. However, biotin separates from avidin once you cook the egg and gets easily absorbed in the digestive tract. Not only do eggs give you a hefty supply of the nutrient but they are easy to include in your everyday diet as well.
Liver and other meats
Since biotin is chiefly stored in the liver, consuming animal liver is the best way to increase its intake. Surprisingly, only a 3-ounce serving of beef liver can give you 30 mcg of biotin. Organ meats are also high in biotin, though the supply is considerably less than that in the liver. If you are experiencing symptoms of biotin deficiency, the best way to deal with it is by eating liver and organ meats every day.
Almonds
You need not worry about pepping up your biotin intake if you are a vegan or vegetarian because there are options for you as well. Nuts and legumes are known for giving you a hefty supply of the vitamin and almond emerge as the best source. Besides giving you a biotin boost, a fistful of almonds can also add to your protein and vitamin E intake. Other biotin-rich nuts and legumes include walnuts, pecan nuts, peanuts, soybeans, and green beans.
Sweet potatoes
When it comes to biotin-rich vegetables, sweet potatoes sit on the top spot. Besides giving you plenty of this vitamin, sweet potatoes are high in beta carotene as well. If you want healthy and radiant skin, this is a great combination you should add to your daily diet. The best part is that this veggie makes it easier to boost your intake. Just mash them up or bake them, sprinkle some sea salt and you have a tasty snack ready in minutes.
Dairy products
Increasing your intake of dairy products is another effective way to have more biotin. Considering what it can do for you, there is a need to look for boosting the intake of this key nutrient and having more dairy foods is perhaps the easiest. Milk, yogurt, and cheese contain the nutrient in varying amounts. Blue cheese and Camembert cheese are the richest sources. So you must not miss on your daily dairy intake at any cost.
Yeast
An unusual but excellent source of biotin is yeast and you can find it in both nutritional yeast and brewer's yeast. Nutritional yeast refers to the inactive variant that adds a nutty or cheesy flavor to food. Brewer's yeast, on the other hand, is active yeast which is used for making bread and beer. Both types of yeast are great sources of biotin and you can trust them for preventing deficiency of this vitamin.
Cauliflower
If you are looking for an easily available source of biotin, cauliflower is just the right alternative for you. Only a cupful of raw cauliflower gives 4 mcg of biotin. If you are not sure about how to consume it in the raw form, you can simply fine chop it in a food processor and add it to your salads. Considering the hefty dose of biotin it offers, the vegetable makes a good way to sneak in the nutrient in your daily diet.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms contain a good amount of biotin, which provides them natural defense against predators and parasites as they grow in the wild. You can easily add them to your everyday dishes by sautéing them or even consuming them in salads. Sliced mushrooms mixed with almonds and hard-boiled egg yolks make an excellent recipe with a high content of biotin and protein.
Spinach
When it comes to leafy green vegetables, spinach scores the highest on the biotin content. A single serving of chopped spinach provides 7 mcg of biotin. The best part is that you can have it fresh or frozen, which means that you can simply chop and refrigerate it for subsequent use. When you want a dose of biotin, just take it out, toss a salad with some raw veggies and you are good to go. Still, it is best to have the vegetable in the fresh form.
Salmon
Another good source of biotin that you can add to your daily diet is salmon. This fatty fish also offers a rich supply of omega 3s and protein, which together with biotin make your skin healthier and hair amazingly stronger. A 3-ounce cooked serving of salmon contains up to 5 mcg of biotin.
The recommended daily dose of biotin is around 30 mcg, which may not be fulfilled by food sources alone. Besides relying on the food sources of biotin, you can also start taking it to supplement form to address the deficiency quickly and effectively. While you can take them in oral form, there are also some innovative forms like biotin skin patches that you can try for making up the deficit.
