Biotin is known as one of the most important vitamins for healthy hair. Here are our favorite biotin-rich foods to help you get the hair you want, naturally.
Vitamin B7, also known as biotin, is one of the most important vitamins for healthy hair, nails, and skin. In fact, it is so well known for its hair benefits that it is sometimes known as vitamin H (from the German “Haar und Haut” meaning hair and skin).
Biotin plays a vital role in cell growth and protein synthesis. This includes the production of the protein keratin, a major component of hair. One of the keratin’s main functions is keeping the hair strong and protecting it from damage. So if you are suffering from hair loss or dry, brittle hair, you may need to consider including more biotin-rich foods in your daily diet.
Biotin deficiency can result in symptoms such as dry skin and rashes as well as thinning hair or hair loss. Biotin deficiency is relatively rare in the developed world. However, there are certain people who might need to increase their intake of biotin foods to ensure that they are getting the recommended daily allowance of 50 mcg/day. These include pregnant women, smokers and those with certain medical conditions.
But how much biotin is in your food? And what are the best food sources of biotin?
We’ve put together this list of the top 10 biotin foods for you to include in your easy diet to improve the health of your skin, nails, and hair:
1. Liver
Liver is one of the best foods available for boosting your biotin intake. Chicken livers contain the most biotin, followed by beef. Other organ meats such as kidneys are also a good biotin food source, but liver definitely comes out on top with an impressive 40 mcg of biotin per 100g.
If the idea of eating liver does not appeal to you, other meats such as pork and chicken are also higher in biotin than many other foods, but if you have never tasted liver then give it a try. You may be pleasantly surprised!
2. Eggs
Eggs, especially egg yolks, are another great food source of biotin coming in at 25 mcg per 100g. That’s around 10 mcg of biotin per egg!
It doesn’t matter how you cook your eggs. Boiled, scrambled or fried is fine, just avoid eating them raw. This is because raw egg whites contain a protein called avidin which interferes with biotin’s ability to be absorbed by the body.
3. Cheese
All dairy products are good biotin foods, but cheese is definitely the best. Blue cheeses and Camembert have the highest biotin content, with Camembert containing a substantial 6 mcg of biotin per 100g.
The really great thing about cheese is that it combines so well with other biotin-rich foods. A cheese omelet, cheese sandwich or cauliflower cheese makes a tasty meal to benefit your hair as well as your hunger.
4. Salmon
Salmon contains around 5 mcg of biotin per 100g. It is also packed with a whole host of other vitamins including A and C, minerals such as iron, and omega 3 fatty acids which are all great for your health as well as your hair.
If fresh salmon is not available, frozen or tinned is also fine. This makes it an ideal choice for one of your recommended two portions of fish each week.
5. Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds make a healthy snack with plenty of biotin hair benefits. Almonds, walnuts, pecans and sunflower seeds are some of the best. Although peanuts are not technically a nut, they also provide a good food source of biotin with almost 5 mcg per 28g serving.
Nuts and seeds make a convenient snack when you are on the go or can be added to cereal, salads or desserts for an extra biotin boost.
6. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are one of the best all-around foods for strong and healthy hair. Not only do they contain a considerable amount of biotin, but they are also rich in beta-carotene. In the body, beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A, one of the most important vitamins for hair growth.
Because B vitamins are water-soluble, you should pay close attention to your cooking methods. Avoid boiling your sweet potatoes as this will cause most of their biotin to leach into the water and be lost. Baking, roasting or barbecuing them is a much healthier option and also brings out their naturally sweet flavor.
7. Mushrooms
Mushrooms are one of the most nutritious foods available. Rich in vitamins C, D, B6, and biotin for hair growth, they are also low calorie, low fat and high in fiber making them a truly healthy choice.
To preserve your mushroom’s biotin content, it is best to eat them raw. Slice them thinly and use a simple marinade to improve their texture and taste.
8. Cauliflower
Another biotin rich vegetable is cauliflower. Other cruciferous vegetables like broccoli are a great choice too. These vegetables are also full of vitamin C which has antioxidant effects and plays a vital role in healthy hair growth.
To preserve the vitamin content, avoid boiling your cauliflower. Try roasting or stir-frying instead, or simply enjoy raw cauliflower, finely chopped into your salad.
9. Avocado
Avocado is another great food for promoting healthy hair growth. They are rich in biotin along with a wealth of other essential vitamins and minerals; vitamins A, B6, C, iron, and potassium to name just a few.
Avocados have a reputation for being a high-fat food, but the fats in avocado are actually good for you. These healthy fats and other nutrients have to lead to avocado’s status as a “superfood” which is great not only for your hair but your general health too.
10. Bread
Bread has made it onto our biotin foods list as it contains not one but two great biotin food sources – yeast and wheat.
Wholemeal bread is the best, containing around 1.5mcg of biotin per slice, or you could choose a seeded variety to bump up your bread’s biotin content even more.
Including more of these fantastic, biotin-rich foods in your diet is a great way to boost your hair growth naturally. But the benefits of biotin stretch far beyond stronger hair, skin, and nails. By increasing your daily biotin intake, you will be improving your general health and well-being too!