There are many products that boast of being biotin-rich but instead, we can invest in a better diet.
The different array of lotions, masks, professional shampoos, and conditioners for hair and skin can pinch our pockets. If you are looking for effective ingredients to make your skin and hair healthier, you don't have to look far from your grocery list. Instead of investing in multiple products, we can invest in a better diet, which will benefit us in the longer run.
If we want good hair and skin, then we need to focus on getting the right amount of biotin, a B vitamin, in our diet. It is an essential nutrient that is naturally present in some foods. It can be consumed as a dietary supplement as well. It helps to convert food into energy. This vitamin is also called vitamin H or vitamin B7.
Biotin is also necessary for the health of our eyes and for brain function, according to Healthline. It's a water-soluble vitamin and our body doesn't store it. We need to consume it regularly to maintain the right level in our bodies. It is rare for someone to have biotin deficiency. The Daily Value (DV) for biotin is typically around 30 mcg per day for adults, according to the National Institutes of Health. This vitamin is absolutely essential for pregnant women since it helps with embryonic development.
If you don't care about consuming biotin as a supplement, here are six foods that can give you the vitamin:
Sweet potatoes are rich in minerals, vitamins, fiber, and carotenoid antioxidants. They are also ideal as a vegetable source of biotin. Around 125 gm serving of cooked sweet potatoes contains 2.4 mcg of biotin, or 8% of the daily value, writes Healthline. You can bake or microwave them until soft. Sweet potatoes can also be consumed by boiling or mashing them. If you are vegetarian or vegan, this is the best way to get biotin in your diet.
Mushrooms, which are nutrient-rich fungi, have ample biotin, which also protects them from parasites and predators in the wild. They have even more biotin content than sweet potatoes since only 120 gm of canned button mushrooms are nearly 10% of how much of the vitamin we should consume each day. We can add mushrooms to many recipes like noodles, pizzas, sauces and gravies, among others. It brings a rich flavor to our recipes and adds a smooth texture to them as well.
Bananas are nutritious in many ways and 100 grams of them can give us 0.2 mcg of biotin, which is 1% of the daily value. These fruits also contain vitamin B6, vitamin C, and the minerals manganese, potassium, and magnesium, as per WebMD. You can eat this popular fruit on its own or add it to your smoothies, breakfast bowls, or toast.
Eggs are important for keeping us healthy because they are full of B vitamins, protein, iron, and phosphorus, writes Healthline. The yolk is one of the best sources of biotin. A whole, cooked egg can give us as much as 10 mcg of biotin, or approximately 33% of daily intake. There are many ways to eat an egg but it is recommended that you cook it fully to avoid the risk of Salmonella poisoning and improve biotin absorption.
While organ meats, like chicken or beef liver, can be high sources of biotin, they are not commonly liked. Chicken or beef liver can give us more than the necessary daily requirement, for instance, 75 grams of cooked beef liver provides nearly 31 mcg of biotin, or 103% of the daily value. 75 gm of cooked chicken liver can give us 460% of the daily value. Livers are rich sources of biotin because we store the vitamin in our liver.
This is one of the most popular fruits that has a lot of nutritional value. They are an ideal source of folate and unsaturated fats as well as biotin. Just 200 grams of it can give us almost 1.85 mcg of biotin, or 6% of the daily requirement. They can be eaten in salads or can be mashed onto toasts, make up a delicious guacamole, and go well with burritos. Unfortunately, avocados aren't the most affordable option but it's great to include this fruit for some variety.
References:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/biotin-rich-foods
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Biotin-HealthProfessional/
https://www.webmd.com/diet/foods-high-in-biotin
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Disclaimer : This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
