Also known as vitamin H, biotin is a water-soluble vitamin that the body can make, but it is also present in the foods you eat. You need biotin in your daily diet because it helps to convert carbohydrates into energy for the body and is necessary to maintain healthy skin and hair. Even though your body can make it, it does not store it, making taking in at least some biotin a day important. Understanding what foods contain biotin helps to ensure you get enough of the vitamin in your daily diet.
Needed Intake
Your needed daily intake for biotin depends upon your age and health status. If you are older than age 19, you need 30 mcg of biotin per day. If you are breastfeeding, you need 35 mcg of biotin per day. Americans typically take in between 40 and 60 mcg of biotin per day, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. Biotin is not known to be toxic in large amounts, and a safe upper limit has not been defined because you can typically eat biotin in large amounts. Although most people do not have difficulty incorporating enough biotin in their daily diets, signs you may not be getting enough biotin include hair loss, scaly skin or cracking in the corners of your mouth.
Foods Highest in Biotin
When you are looking for the richest sources of biotin, choose egg yolks, which contain between 13 and 25 mcg of biotin per serving. A 3-oz. serving of cooked liver contains between 27 and 35 mcg of biotin, but can be high in fat. Foods prepared with brewer's yeast, which has between 1.4 and 14 mcg per serving, also contain biotin. This means foods like one slice of whole-wheat bread have about 0.02 to 6 mcg of biotin.
Protein Sources
Several protein sources can contain biotin, including salmon, which has 4 to 5 mcg per 3-oz. serving. Other sources include sardines and soybeans. Nuts like almonds, peanuts, pecans, walnuts and peanuts also contain biotin. Protein-containing legumes like beans and black-eyed peas also are high in the vitamin.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits like raspberries contain 0.2 to 2 mcg of biotin per one-cup serving. Avocados and raw cauliflower also are high in biotin. Bananas and oranges also contain biotin. Note that food processing techniques can rob the food of biotin, meaning choosing fruits and vegetables as close to their natural state as possible will help you get the most biotin.
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