Hair growth and healthy hair. It's something many of us struggle with, and you may be finding yourself endlessly researching ways you can strengthen your hair health to maximise its chances of growing. But, you don't need to fret anymore as we're here to help! We've created a free guide to provide you with information about the benefits of biotin, the best biotin rich foods for hair growth, so you can have the healthiest hair possible.
What is Biotin?
Biotin, which is also known as the water-soluble vitamin B7, plays a vital role in metabolising carbohydrates, proteins and fats, produces energy as a result and is involved in the function of our central nervous system.
What are the health benefits of biotin?
How does biotin help hair? Well, articles and research online seem conflicted over whether biotin helps with nail and skin health and hair growth, with many reporting that there is little evidence that shows its success. However, some articles suggests that there are benefits of biotin for hair loss, and some research has reported that biotin intake in the form of supplements, helped to improve hair growth in those who were deficient in this essential nutrient.
What causes biotin deficiency?
It's highly unlikely that someone would experience a biotin deficiency because biotin rich foods are typically present in an individual's daily diet. However, some medications, intestinal issues, dieting over a long period of time, as well as other reasons, may cause someone to have a biotin deficiency.
If someone was to have a biotin deficiency, they may experience hair loss.
How can I increase biotin in my hair?
It is recommended that adults consume 30 mcg of biotin per day, with pregnant women needing 35 mcg of biotin per day.
If you have alopecia, your GP might suggest taking biotin supplements or consuming biotin rich foods to negate the hair loss you're experiencing.
How can I get biotin naturally?
Arguably, the easiest way to manage your biotin levels is to take a look at your diet. You'd probably be surprised at how many of the foods you're consuming are a great source of biotin!
Which food has the most biotin?
At 30.8 mcg, beef liver has one of the highest biotin content levels. Although it isn't one of the most widely consumed foods, having cooked beef liver for your dinner means you'd be having a rich source of biotin.
Which foods contain biotin?
1. Eggs
1 whole cooked egg has 10 mcg of biotin per serving! Consuming both the egg yolks and egg whites is a great way to up your biotin intake.
2. Salmon
Salmon has 5 mcg.
3. Pork chop
A cooked pork chop has 3.8 mcg of biotin.
4. Hamburger
Surprised to see a hamburger on the list? Us too! Hamburger meat has 3.8 mcg of this B7 vitamin.
5. Sunflower seeds
A quarter of a cup of roasted sunflower seeds has 2.6 mcg of biotin.
6. Tuna
Unsurprisingly, tuna is also a source of biotin, with it containing 0.6 mcg of the nutrient.
7. Nuts
A quarter of a cup of roasted almonds contains 1.5 mcg of biotin, 12 whole almonds contain 16.6 mcg, 50g of peanuts contains 36 mcg and 28g of hazelnuts contains 21.3 mcg of the nutrient. If you're a peanut butter lover, you'll be pleased to know that this has 18.8 mcg of biotin!
8. Cheddar cheese
This one is for all of the cheese lovers! Cheddar cheese contains 0.4 mcg of this B vitamin.
Which fruit is rich in biotin?
Half of a cup of banana contains 0.2 mcg of biotin.
Which vegetables are high in biotin?
Mushrooms
A typical portion of fried mushrooms contains 5.9 mcg of B7.
Sweet potatoes
Half a cup of cooked sweet potato contains 2.4 mcg of biotin.
Spinach
Half a cup of boiled spinach contains 0.5 mcg of biotin.
Broccoli
Half a cup of broccoli contains 0.4 mcg of biotin.
8 biotin rich recipes
Eggs
Eggs can be easily incorporated into your mealtimes in a number of ways. For instance, why not cook up a delicious healthy veggie omelette? Not only does this make use of a whole egg, but it also further increases the amount of biotin you're consuming as you can incorporate other biotin rich vegetables, such as spinach.
If you don't love omelettes, why not crack a whole egg (or two!) into your very own shakshuka? This fiery healthy shakshuka recipe is packed full of flavour, designed to be a delicious lunch or dinner alternative. This dish can also be served with avocado, which contains 5.2 mcg of biotin, helping you to boost your biotin levels whilst increasing the amount of healthy fats you're getting in your diet too.
Milk, nuts and seeds
Get your biotin hit all in one with this delicious porridge recipe with honey poached plums and walnuts. As well as milk being a good source of biotin, walnuts are also high in this B7 vitamin, making it a great way to start your day! Why not go all out and also add other nuts and seeds to your porridge that are high in biotin, such as hazelnuts, almonds and sunflower seeds?
Bananas
Carrying on the breakfast theme, our kefir banana pancakes no egg recipe packs a biotin punch, with it containing whole eggs, bananas and hazelnuts! This recipe has several health benefits, with it being rich in biotin and free of refined sugar and processed ingredients.
Salmon
Switching it up to lunchtime, why not try making a green salmon pasta dish? As well as being a source of biotin, salmon also contains folic acid, making this a delicious dish to include as part of a varied diet. With our salmon pasta no cream recipe, you could add your favourite green leafy vegetable to this pasta to make this dish even tastier as well as boosting your daily vegetable intake.
Sweet potatoes
Who doesn't love the delicious sweetness of sweet potatoes?! One way to boost the amount of this sweet carbohydrate into your diet is by cooking this tofu chicken nuggets and sweet potato fries dish. If you're not a vegetarian, you could easily switch out the tofu for another protein, such as chicken.
Mushrooms
Love them or hate them, mushrooms are a great source of biotin. Cut up some delicious chestnut, shiitake or fresh button mushrooms to create a simple, yet nutritious mushroom kasha buckwheat risotto recipe - perfect for when you want that extra bit of comfort!
Cheddar cheese
Surprisingly, cheddar cheese does have some biotin in it! When I think of cheese, I immediately think of deliciously oozy Italian pasta recipes. Does it get any more Italian than a traditional whole wheat lasagne recipe? Switch out the parmesan cheese for cheddar or if you're a vegan, you can use nutritional yeast, which is fantastic source of biotin with a cheese-like flavour.
More recipes containing foods high in biotin
At Simone Thomas Wellness, we regularly update our recipe hub with new content so you can get excited about cooking healthy meals! Take a look at our range of recipes to see how you can get more biotin in your diet.
Biotin supplements: An additional way to achieve optimum hair health
As a wellness company, we pride ourselves on offering the best supplements to support your health so that you can live your best life. If you're looking for easy ways to reduce the chance of hair loss and are looking for a biotin for hair and skin supplement, take a look at Biotin Brilliance.
Biotin Brilliance is designed to help promote stronger hair, radiant skin and improved wellbeing. When looking at the science behind biotin for hair loss, we surveyed our consumers after three months of following our Biotin Hair Care Plan. We found that 85% said it made their hair stronger, 82% said their hair felt shinier and 82% said it helped them maintain the condition of their hair.
Try Biotin Brilliance for yourself today or explore our range of wellness supplements! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to us.
Sources:
https://viva.org.uk/health/vitamin-b7-biotin/
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Biotin-HealthProfessional/