| DBM COMMENTWe DO NOT as a rule recommend supplementation. It has to be determined that there is a deficiency before we suggest anything other than a clean, whole-food-plant-based diet as a source of all nutrients. |
There are two forms of biotin found in living cells: free and protein-bound. The latter is just what it sounds like—biotin bound to protein. It’s mostly found in bacteria and animal cells. Free biotin, which is not bound to a protein, is more common in plants.
The human body can use both forms of biotin, but free biotin is more immediately bioavailable. With protein-bound biotin, your body must break the bond to convert biotin into a form it can use. Free-biotin doesn’t require this step—it’s easily absorbed and utilized in the body. Due to their high free biotin content, plant-based foods are generally better dietary sources of the vitamin than animal-based foods.
Protein-Bound Biotin Sources
Many foods contain some biotin, but the concentration in most is negligible from a nutritional standpoint. Although egg yolks have a high concentration of biotin, they also contain a chemical that interferes with biotin absorption. A diet high in egg whites can actually lead to biotin deficiency.
Plant-Based Biotin Foods
Although many types of animal-sourced food contain biotin, it’s protein-bound biotin. Plants contain free biotin, which is more bio-available. This means that getting enough biotin from a vegan diet is achievable. Considering the multitude of other health benefits associated with a plant-based diet, it’s also the healthiest choice.
As we’ve only recently begun to understand the importance of biotin. Nutritional experts are still refining accurate methods for measuring biotin concentration in food. As such, estimates of biotin content vary greatly for some foods and are completely lacking for many others. After exhaustive research, we’ve compiled a list of the best biotin foods below:
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