Biotin, otherwise known as Vitamin B7, is an essential vitamin. Most people know it contributes to helping a person have healthy hair and nails, but it does so much more than that.
Biotin is vital for healthy brain function, liver function, and eye health.
Since your body doesn’t store biotin, you need to provide yourself with a steady stream of it to use.
Of course, you can take a supplement, but natural sources are always more readily absorbed by the body. This means that you should try to get as much biotin as possible from the food you eat.
Which foods are highest in biotin? This list is the answer.
Beef or Chicken Liver
Considering that most biotin stores in the liver, eating beef or chicken liver would certainly deliver a good boost of biotin to your body.
One serving of beef liver gives you more than you need in a day, while a serving of chicken liver will provide you with enough for four days worth of biotin.
Beef and chicken liver are also a good source of iron. Which is necessary for the production of hemoglobin and myoglobin, two proteins that oxygenate the body.
The thing about liver is you either love it or hate it. If you want biotin and iron, you should learn to love it.
Try this classic liver pate recipe and spread it on crackers, in sandwiches, or on toast. It’s great for special occasions, or just to help you have shinier hair and stronger nails.
Eggs
Eggs, specifically the yolk, are a great source of biotin. One cooked egg delivers about ⅓ of the recommended daily intake of biotin. If you eat a three-egg omelet for breakfast, you’ve successfully gotten your daily biotin.
To get the most biotin, make sure you cook the egg because there is a protein in the egg white that makes biotin uptake harder. Cooking separates the white from the yolk, allowing your body to absorb the biotin in the yolk easier.
Not to mention, cooking your eggs protects you from food poisoning.
Eggs also provide a healthy dose of selenium, vitamin D, and other B vitamins other than biotin.
Egg whites are the purest form of lean protein, so make sure you eat enough to pack on the muscles.
Sunflower Seeds
Biotin is known for its benefits to your hair and nails. If you want to improve your hair health, you should add sunflower seeds to your diet.
Not only does a handful of sunflower seeds provide plenty of biotin, but it is also rich in vitamin E. This doubles the health benefits you get from these seeds for hair and nails.
Sunflower seeds are a tasty snack that is a good source of fiber, protein, and healthy antioxidants. You can sprinkle them on salads or just eat them by the handful.
A quarter of a cup of sunflower seeds gives you 2.6 mcg of biotin.
Salmon
A great source of biotin and omega 3s, this fatty fish is delicious and so good for your health. It is packed full of vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Salmon is good for your brain, for regulating healthy blood pressure, and is an anti-inflammatory.
A three-ounce salmon filet contains 5 mcg of biotin. This biotin pairs nicely with the healthy fats that salmon contains. You’ll notice your skin is more supple, and your hair is stronger and falls out less after eating this fish regularly.
Salmon is a food that should be in everyone’s diet. This is an excellent choice for seafood that is low in mercury. Of course, not all salmon are equal.
When shopping for the healthiest salmon, look for pacific wild-caught salmon. Atlantic salmon is generally farmed and contains more saturated fats than their wild cousins.
Wild-caught Pacific salmon eat zooplankton and other small fish as they grow and deliver a higher amount of vitamins and minerals.
Peanuts and Other Legumes
Many legumes are low-fat and high fiber, making them a great addition to any weight loss diet. Although they aren’t exactly low fat, peanuts are definitely high in biotin and full of fiber. One ounce of peanuts gives you 5 mcg of biotin.
Legumes include beans, lentils, dried peas, and chickpeas. They are all high in vitamins and minerals, making them great for your health.
This article gives you a good outline of all the tremendous health benefits provided by legumes and the science behind it.
You’ll also find some delicious recipes to make at home that will help you increase your legume intake.
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are one of those sought after complex carbs that deliver long-lasting energy without the crash.
Sweet potatoes also happen to be one of the best veggies for biotin intake. They get their bright orange color from being rich in the antioxidant carotenoid.
Carotenoids are phytochemicals that help fight against cancer, cardiovascular disease, and inflammation. Naturally, they are great for the immune system and for keeping a healthy weight.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms contain about a fifth of your daily biotin needs in a cup of chopped fresh ones. These fungi also have good antioxidants that fight age-related mental issues such as dementia or Alzheimer’s.
Mushrooms are a good source of vitamin D and other B vitamins to provide plenty of energy.
You can add mushrooms to salads, pasta dishes, and they’re a great pizza topping. This stuffed mushroom recipe is a great appetizer to add to your weeknight menu.
Conclusion
You can successfully provide enough biotin for your body’s needs by eating a diet full of these healthy foods.
Try to incorporate at least one serving of one of the foods on this list every day. You will notice the difference on the outside, but you’ll also know you’re doing a world of good for the inside of your body.
Susie is our General Manager and has been with Copper Beech for ten years! Susie is a huge asset to our team. In Susie’s spare time she enjoys spending time with her family, her three boys, and her dog Gunner.