Biotin in a vegan diet – natural plant sources

Biotin was identified in the first half of the 20th century, when it was observed that certain food components contained a factor essential for the normal growth of yeast and animals. In 1935, it was isolated in its pure form. A few years later, its chemical structure was determined and it was confirmed that it belongs to the water-soluble B vitamins. Today, it is known that biotin is widely found in food, including many plant-based products, although its contribution to daily intake depends primarily on the variety of the diet.

1. Biotin in a plant-based diet
2. A diet rich in biotin

Biotin in a plant-based diet

Biotin (also known as vitamin B7 or vitamin H) is a water-soluble vitamin and is required by the body in small amounts every day. The Reference Intake (RI) for biotin is 50 µg per day, whilst current dietary guidelines for the Polish population set the adequate intake at 40 µg per day for adults, 40 µg for pregnant women and 45 µg for breastfeeding women. In Polish guidelines, the values for children and adolescents increase with age, ranging from 10 µg per day for the youngest children to 35 µg per day for older teenagers.

What matters most?

In a plant-based diet, the most important foods are usually those that appear regularly and in sufficiently large portions, rather than just those with the highest content per 100 grams. Particularly useful groups include pulses, especially soya and soya products, nuts and seeds, including sunflower seeds, almonds and peanuts, as well as wholegrain cereal products. Mushrooms and yeast are not plants but belong to separate groups of organisms; however, in practice, some people following a meat-free or vegan diet include them in their daily menu as ingredients that add variety to meals and provide various naturally occurring nutrients.

Combining foods and dietary variety

For those following a vegan diet, it is beneficial to combine several different sources throughout the day, such as wholemeal bread or porridge, a portion of pulses, a handful of seeds or nuts, and vegetables and soya products. This approach ensures that biotin is supplied regularly from various plant-based foods, without the need to base the diet on animal products.

"Vitamin B7 deficiencies are not caused solely by dietary shortcomings. Digestive and absorption issues, such as inflammatory bowel disease or genetic conditions that prevent the body from utilising biotin properly, may also be to blame." Łukasz Domeracki – Dietitian

Biotin in supplements

Biotin is most commonly found in supplements as D-biotin, both in single-ingredient preparations and in B-complex vitamins, multivitamins and hair, skin & nails formulas, with typical forms of such products being primarily tablets, capsules, soft capsules, drinks and gummies. It is often combined with collagen and hyaluronic acid. In B-complex and multivitamin preparations, doses closer to the daily requirement are usually found, whereas in single-ingredient supplements and preparations targeted at skin and hair, a wider range of amounts is often encountered, from approximately 30–100 µg to 300, 1,000, 2,500 or 5,000–10,000 µg per serving.

Estimated biotin content in selected plant-based foods

A diet rich in biotin

Biotin can be obtained from daily meals based on plant-based foods, especially when the diet includes a variety of food groups. A good example is porridge made with soya milk, containing oats, peanut butter, almonds, sunflower seeds and a slice of banana or some strawberries.

For lunch, buckwheat groats or wholemeal pasta served with a lentil, chickpea or bean stew, with mushrooms, broccoli and pumpkin seeds, is a good choice. Fried tofu with vegetables and brown rice is also a good choice, especially if the dish includes sesame seeds, sunflower seeds or peanuts.

For dinner, you could have wholemeal bread with hummus, white bean spread or a tofu and avocado spread, accompanied by a salad with tomatoes, sprouts and seeds. Simple snacks worth mentioning include nut and seed mixes, plant-based yoghurts with almonds, and smoothies made with soya milk and oats.

Sources:

• Said H. M. (2012). Biotin: biochemical, physiological and clinical aspects. Sub-cellular biochemistry, 56, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-2199-9_1
• Zempleni, J., Wijeratne, S. S., & Hassan, Y. I. (2009). Biotin. BioFactors (Oxford, England), 35(1), 36–46. https://doi.org/10.1002/biof.8
• Institute of Medicine (US) Standing Committee on the Scientific Evaluation of Dietary Reference Intakes and its Panel on Folate, Other B Vitamins, and Choline. (1998). Dietary Reference Intakes for Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, and Choline. National Academies Press (US). https://doi.org/10.17226/6015