You know how important it is to stay fit and healthy, so you must eat food rich in vitamins and minerals. We do need a vitamin supply regularly to keep a check on our health. Consumption of biotin-rich food can only help you get the maximum vitamin for your body. They are also known as Vitamin B7 and Vitamin H and are water-soluble, so you are assured that they won’t get stored in the body for a long time.
Many people consume food that is rich in biotin, while others consume supplements. Biotin is an essential vitamin our body needs to keep the nails, hair, and body healthy. It also helps in the metabolization of protein, fats, and carbohydrates. To know more about biotin and its benefits, continue reading.
What Is Biotin?
The word biotin comes from the Greek word “biotos,” which means “sustenance” or “life.” Biotin is one of the vitamin B complexes essential in our diet that helps the body convert food into energy. Biotin is an important component of enzymes in the human body that breaks down substances like carbohydrates and proteins. Many body systems also benefit from it, like the digestive tract, nerves, skin, cells, etc.
A lack of vitamins in the body or biotin deficiency can cause major hair damage, hair fall, and even cause alopecia in men. It can cause a red rash in various parts of the body, including the eyes, nose, mouth, and genitals as well. Some people with a biotin deficiency may also experience the symptoms of mood swings, hallucinations, and depression. It can cause loss of muscle control and seizures, affect the immune system, etc. This deficiency is usually sound in pregnant women, so they are always advised to consume biotin supplements.
Benefits Of Biotin
Biotin is indeed crucial for pregnant and lactating women. But even if you are not pregnant and not a woman, you must consume biotin-rich food to keep your body healthy. Here are a few biotin benefits in your diet, so continue reading.
- Biotin For Hair Loss: Hair fall is a common problem, not only among older adults but also among young people. It can be due to many reasons, one of which could be the lack of proper vitamins in your diet. If you love your hair, then biotin is the best for you. Keratin is the main protein that makes up your hair. Biotin in your body enhances the power of keratin infrastructure. This prevents hair damage and hair loss, making it smooth and healthy.
- Biotin For Nails And Skin: Many people, especially women, complain about having weak and unhealthy nails. The nails might be very brittle or won’t grow up fast, which can be problematic for women who are into grooming and having a healthy manicure. Biotin helps strengthen the durability of nails. You can consume food that is rich in biotin. Biotin, such as vitamin B, significantly improves the health of your skin by making it more glowing and smooth.
- Biotin For Pregnant Women: As you know, pregnant women are supposed to have various kinds of food rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, etc. Biotin is an essential component that can be very beneficial and healthy for pregnant women. They will derive nutrients from biotin-rich food, which can help them and the baby stay healthy. The biotin will also help in the overall development of the child. That’s why women are recommended to have foods rich in biotin or biotin supplements.
- Biotin For Neuropathy: A lot of people might have nerve damage which can cause loss of muscle control. This is commonly seen in diabetic patients and older people. In such cases, biotin can help gain muscle movement by healing nerve damage. Biotin helps lower blood sugar levels, which can treat blocked nerves. Biotin is important for pyruvate carboxylase activity, without which high levels of pyruvate might damage the nerves.
- Biotin For Multiple Sclerosis: Multiple sclerosis severely affects the body’s central nervous system, which is fatal and life-threatening. It is an autoimmune disease that can weaken the nervous system and cause many other problems. Research has proven that food products rich in biotin or high doses of biotin supplements can help treat multiple sclerosis. It can also significantly enhance the functioning of the immune system.
Sources Of Biotin
Now that you know how biotin in your diet can improve your health let us look at biotin-rich food. To enjoy the benefits, you must know where you can get biotin-rich food. Add them to your diet adequately to have a healthy and functioning body.
- Eggs: One of the primary sources of biotin can be found in eggs and egg yolks. Eggs contain a good amount of protein, and egg yolk contains a good source of protein. So, it is always recommended to have eggs for their proteins and biotin richness. You can also apply eggs as a mask on your scalp, as they can remove dandruff and make your hair smooth and silky.
- Seeds And Nuts: Seeds and nuts are extremely rich in fiber, protein, and unsaturated fat. They also contain a good amount of biotin, which can boost your immunity. You can consume flax seeds, chia seeds, and sunflower seeds. You can also have walnuts and almonds to get a good amount of biotin for the body. You can add them to your fruit salad, make a smoothie or even roast them lightly.
- Bananas: Bananas are a good source of potassium and fiber and are rich in Vitamin C and B6. It also contains other micronutrients which a body requires. Not only that, bananas are rich in biotin, so you should eat one daily to maintain a healthy body. Bananas can also be applied on the scalp for smooth and shiny hair. You can also rub banana peel to moisturize your skin.
- Sweet Potatoes: Sweet potatoes contain a good amount of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Not only that, they contain a good amount of biotin too. You can add them to your diet and have them every day. Even if you are a diabetic patient, you can have them as it controls blood sugar levels in the body. You can either roast them or boil them and eat them to get the most out of them.
- Broccoli: You already know it is a healthy vegetable since it’s green. It is also rich in various nutrients such as vitamins, iron, calcium, and fiber and contains a good amount of biotin. So you should definitely add them to your diet. There are multiple ways of consuming broccoli; you can either boil or cook it or eat it raw with hummus and dips.
Many other food products are rich in biotin and can help you maintain a healthy body. Some of them are organ meats such as kidney and liver, soybeans, cauliflower, spinach, mushrooms, blue cheese, peanut butter, etc. You can consume these food products on a daily basis.
Biotin Intake
All these foods are healthy and highly rich in biotin, but you should still consult a doctor or nutritionist. You should also know how much of an amount you should consume on a daily basis for it to be effective. People from the age of 10 should consume 30 mcg (micrograms) to 100 mcg per day. Infants till the age of 3 should get 10-20 mcg, while children ages 4-10 should get 25-30 mcg of biotin every day.
Biotin is safe; even the higher doses of it, which can be up to 300 mcg, can cure multiple sclerosis. As it is a water-soluble vitamin, excess amounts of biotin are excreted during urination.
But some people might still experience an allergic reaction which can be due to biotin side effects. This usually happens when inactive ingredients are present in biotin supplements or biotin foods. So, people who are associated with dialysis, take medicines for seizures, or are on a long-term course of antibiotics should first consult the doctor. The doctor will then suggest what biotin products and supplements you can take and how much you can take on a daily basis. Apart from that, biotin is a safe and healthy vitamin unlikely to cause any allergic reaction.
Wrapping Up
We all know how vitamins and nutrients are important for our body to grow and function well. One such component is Biotin. Biotin is an important component of our diet. It is essential for the body to function well and help enhance the growth of nails and hair and improve the skin. Biotin benefits pregnant women, their children, and other people of all age groups.
To maintain a healthy body, you must consume food rich in biotins, such as sweet potatoes, nuts, bananas, and eggs. These foods can help you heal from various illnesses as well as improve your health and well-being which is a must in today’s toxic environment. So make sure you consider adding biotin to your diet and live a healthier life while giving your body the necessary nutrients to support a healthy lifestyle.