What meat is high in biotin? Your guide to the top dietary sources

December 28, 2025 •

4 min read

Many people are unaware that while true biotin deficiency is rare in healthy individuals, certain animal products are exceptionally rich sources of this vital B vitamin. For those looking to increase their dietary intake, understanding exactly what meat is high in biotin is crucial for making informed and beneficial nutritional choices.

Quick Summary

This article explores the best meat and seafood sources of biotin, highlighting organ meats like liver as the most potent, alongside popular options like salmon and pork chops, detailing their biotin content.

Key Points

Organ Meats Lead: Liver is the most concentrated meat source of biotin, with chicken liver providing exceptionally high amounts.
Seafood is a Strong Contender: Fish like salmon and tuna offer a good supply of biotin, along with beneficial omega-3 fatty acids.
Common Meats Contribute: Regular muscle meats like pork chops and hamburger patties contain moderate levels of biotin.
Cook Eggs for Absorption: The biotin in egg yolk is best absorbed when cooked, as raw egg white contains a protein that binds to it.
Diversify Your Diet: Pairing biotin-rich meats with non-meat sources like nuts, seeds, and vegetables ensures a varied and adequate intake.
Deficiency is Rare: Most people get enough biotin from a mixed diet, but focusing on rich sources can help maintain optimal levels.

The Importance of Biotin

Biotin, also known as vitamin B7, is a water-soluble vitamin essential for several metabolic functions within the body. It plays a critical role as a coenzyme for carboxylases, enzymes involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. A sufficient intake of biotin helps the body convert food into energy and supports the health of hair, skin, and nails.

Since it's water-soluble, the body doesn't store biotin, requiring regular intake through diet. While a severe deficiency is uncommon, it can lead to symptoms such as hair loss, a scaly skin rash, and brittle nails.

Organ Meats: The Ultimate Biotin Powerhouses

For those seeking the highest concentration of biotin from meat, organ meats are the undisputed champions. This is because biotin is naturally stored in the liver of animals, much like it is in humans.

Beef Liver: A 3-ounce serving of cooked beef liver contains approximately 30.8 micrograms (mcg) of biotin, which is over 100% of the recommended Adequate Intake (AI) for adults.
Chicken Liver: Cooked chicken liver is an even more concentrated source. A 3-ounce portion can pack up to 138 mcg, a whopping 460% of the DV.
Kidney: Other organ meats, such as kidney, also contain significant amounts of biotin and can be valuable additions to the diet.

Excellent Biotin from Fish and Seafood

Beyond organ meats, certain types of fish and seafood are excellent sources of biotin, offering a delicious way to boost your intake. They also provide other beneficial nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids.

Salmon: A 3-ounce serving of cooked salmon provides around 5 mcg of biotin. Salmon is also celebrated for its high content of omega-3s, which are beneficial for heart and hair health.
Tuna: Canned tuna is another convenient source. A 3-ounce serving can offer a smaller, but still notable, amount of biotin, around 0.6 mcg.
Sardines: These small, oily fish are also a great source of biotin, adding to their nutritional profile of omega-3s and calcium.

Common Muscle Meats with Good Biotin Content

If organ meats are not to your taste, you can still get a decent amount of biotin from more common cuts of meat.

Pork Chops: A 3-ounce serving of cooked pork chop provides approximately 3.8 mcg of biotin, offering a substantial boost towards your daily needs.
Hamburger Patty: A 3-ounce cooked beef patty contains a similar amount of biotin to a pork chop, around 3.8 mcg. For the highest nutrient benefits, consider grass-fed options.
Ground Beef: Similar to hamburger patties, ground beef is a solid source of biotin and can be easily incorporated into many dishes.

Comparison of Biotin Content in Meat

For a clear overview, here is a comparison of biotin levels in various meat sources based on approximate 3-ounce (85g) cooked servings:


Meat Source	Approximate Biotin Content (mcg)	Percent of Daily Value (DV)
Chicken Liver	138 mcg	460%
Beef Liver	30.8 mcg	103%
Canned Salmon (Pink)	5 mcg	17%
Pork Chop	3.8 mcg	13%
Hamburger Patty	3.8 mcg	13%
Canned Tuna (in water)	0.6 mcg	2%

Non-Meat Sources of Biotin

It's important to remember that a balanced diet includes a variety of food sources. Other notable biotin-rich foods include:

Egg Yolks: An excellent source, but it's crucial to cook eggs to deactivate avidin in the white, which can inhibit biotin absorption.
Legumes: Peanuts and soybeans are particularly high in biotin.
Nuts and Seeds: Sunflower seeds and almonds offer a good amount of biotin.
Sweet Potatoes: A great vegetable source of this vitamin.
Mushrooms: These fungi contain ample biotin and provide other health benefits.

How to Maximize Your Biotin Intake with Meat

Incorporating these biotin-rich meats into your diet doesn't have to be complicated. Here are some simple ideas:

For a biotin-packed meal, try sautéing chicken or beef liver with onions and garlic.
Add canned salmon to salads or pasta for a quick and easy biotin boost.
Swap out your regular ground beef burger for a patty mixed with minced liver to increase the biotin content without a strong flavor change.
Include grilled pork chops as a protein source in a meal with biotin-rich vegetables like sweet potatoes.

Conclusion

While a variety of foods contain some biotin, organ meats, particularly liver, are the most concentrated animal sources. Seafood like salmon and common meats such as pork chops and ground beef also make meaningful contributions. By diversifying your diet to include these rich sources, along with non-meat options like eggs and legumes, you can easily meet your daily biotin needs and support overall health. Consulting with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian can help tailor dietary changes to your specific health goals, especially before starting any high-dose supplementation.

For more detailed information on vitamin B7, refer to the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements fact sheet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Organ meats, and specifically chicken and beef liver, have the highest concentration of biotin compared to other muscle meats and seafood.

Yes, for most people, consuming a varied diet that includes biotin-rich foods such as organ meats, fish, eggs, and legumes is sufficient to meet daily requirements.

The Adequate Intake (AI) for adults aged 19 and over is 30 micrograms (mcg) per day. This increases slightly for breastfeeding women.

Cooking eggs is important because raw egg whites contain a protein called avidin, which can bind to biotin and prevent its absorption by the body. Heat denatures avidin, allowing biotin to be properly absorbed.

While some nutrients can be lost during cooking, the biotin in meat is relatively stable. However, as it is water-soluble, boiling can cause some loss into the water.

Since biotin is water-soluble, excess amounts are typically excreted from the body. There is no known toxicity level associated with consuming large amounts from food alone.

Symptoms of a biotin deficiency can include thinning hair, hair loss, a scaly red rash on the face, brittle nails, and in more severe cases, neurological symptoms like depression.