5 Vegan Sources of Biotin for Healthy Hair

There’s a reason the Germans call biotin “Vitamin H!” The H, of course, is for hair, and biotin is great at supporting hair health while encouraging new growth by helping your body produce keratin. 

Whether you’re hoping for longer locks, or looking to support the general gorgeousness of your hair and nails, making sure you’re getting enough biotin is key.

Here are 5 great vegan sources of biotin for healthy hair.

Mushrooms

Thanks to their powerful umami levels, mushrooms are an awesome way to introduce savory flavor into an all-vegan diet.

Chopped fine and sauteed, they make a delicious swap for ground beef even the most hardened meat eater would love.

Stuffed under mashed potatoes for a cosy pot pie, or braised with red wine and onions for the most delicious mushroom bourguignon, they’re the perfect centerpiece for an autumnal vegan feast.

And, of course, they’re packed with biotin.

A cup of fresh button mushrooms contain nearly 20% of your daily biotin needs, while other varieties, such as shitake and oyster mushrooms contain even higher amounts.

Plus, mushrooms help support your gut microbiome, which is critical in supporting healthy hair growth.

Legumes

A staple of most vegans’ diets, legumes are the nutritional powerhouses of the vegetable world.

Low calorie and high fiber, legumes are low on the glycemic scale, meaning that they give you sustainable, long lasting energy throughout the day!

Low in fat and full of nutrients, including potassium, calcium, folate, phosphorus, fiber, B vitamins, iron and plant protein, legumes are also packed with hair friendly compounds like zinc and, you guessed it, biotin.

Try snacking on a half cup of roasted peanuts to get 17% of your daily recommended biotin dose, or go big with some shelled edamame, which delivers 65% of your allowance in the same volume.

Sunflower Seeds

Speaking of snacking, nothing beats the classic outdoor indulgence of a bag of roasted sunflower seeds.

And they play nice indoors, too! Thanks to the growing popularity of sunflower butter, vegans can add sunflower powder to their PB&J (or is that SB&J?) with ease.

While they’re lower in biotin than peanuts (a third of a cup has a little over 10% of your daily recommended serving), sunflowers make a great alternative for the peanut sensitive.

Plus, they’re loaded with other beneficial plant compounds, like healthy fats, linoleic fatty acid, protein, magnesium, and vitamin E.

Try sprinkling some over your salad or Buddha bowl for an easy biotin boost!

Nutritional Yeast

If you’re a longtime vegan, you’re probably already familiar with the delicious power of Nooch. It’s a serious vegan cooking powerhouse! From working as a vegan parmesan alternative to adding a delicious umami flavor to vegetable broth, there’s nothing nutritional yeast can’t do.

We especially like it sprinkled over a bowl of warm popcorn for the ultimate vegan friendly movie night. And, bonus points, nutritional yeast has the highest natural biotin levels of any vegan food.

Just a single tablespoon contains 10% of your recommended daily biotin intake, plus it’s packed with protein, B vitamins, and tons of trace minerals. 

Sweet Potatoes 

A baked sweet potato is the ultimate hands off vegan treat. All you need to do is poke some holes in the skin and toss it in the oven or microwave, and you’re on your way to a delicious and satisfying meal! And then, of course, there’s the biotin factor.

Aside from a rich buffet of antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, and fiber, there’s 8% of your daily biotin recommendation in every half cup of sweet potato.

They get bonus points for supplying high beta-carotene levels, which your body converts to vitamin A to help support sebum production, helping keep hair shiny and soft.

Try that roasted sweet potato with a vegan black bean chili stuffing for a biotin and protein packed lunch. All these foods are great ways to include hair healthy biotin in your diet, while keeping your daily meals cruelty free.

But if you’re worried that you’re not getting enough biotin on a consistent basis, you may want to try adding biotin gummies for hair growth or vitamins to ensure your hair is getting the support it needs to thrive.