Which foods contain biotin and beta-carotene?

November 24, 2025 •

4 min read

Most people can get all the biotin they need from a balanced diet, as deficiency is rare. Learning which foods contain biotin and beta-carotene is essential for promoting overall health, particularly for skin, hair, and eye function. These key nutrients are found in a wide variety of both animal and plant-based foods, making them accessible for most dietary preferences.

Quick Summary

Both animal-based and plant-based foods are excellent sources of the essential nutrients biotin and beta-carotene. A balanced diet incorporating items like eggs, sweet potatoes, and leafy greens is key for metabolic function, healthy skin, and good vision.

Key Points

Top Biotin Sources: Egg yolks, beef liver, legumes, and nuts are some of the richest sources of biotin.
Best Beta-Carotene Foods: Sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, and bell peppers are packed with beta-carotene.
Enhance Absorption: Cook eggs to increase biotin availability and consume beta-carotene foods with healthy fats for better absorption.
Combined Nutrients: Some foods, like sweet potatoes, contain both biotin and beta-carotene, offering multiple benefits in one package.
Diet Over Supplements: A balanced, varied diet typically provides sufficient biotin and beta-carotene for most healthy individuals.
Vegan Options: Vegans can find ample biotin in nuts, seeds, legumes, and nutritional yeast, along with beta-carotene in colorful vegetables.

Understanding Biotin and Beta-Carotene

Before diving into specific food sources, it’s important to understand what biotin and beta-carotene are and why they are vital for health. Biotin, also known as vitamin B7, is a water-soluble B-vitamin that plays a crucial role in metabolism, helping the body convert food into energy. It is also essential for maintaining the health of skin, hair, and nails. Beta-carotene is a carotenoid, a type of antioxidant found in plants, which the body converts into vitamin A. Vitamin A is critical for good vision, a strong immune system, and healthy skin.

Foods Rich in Biotin

Biotin is found in a range of foods, with some sources providing a more concentrated amount than others. Because it is water-soluble, the body does not store it, so regular dietary intake is necessary.

Egg Yolks: One of the richest sources of biotin. A single cooked egg provides a significant portion of the daily value. It is important to cook eggs thoroughly, as raw egg whites contain avidin, a protein that can block biotin absorption.
Organ Meats: Beef liver is particularly high in biotin, offering well over the daily recommended amount in a single serving.
Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, peanuts, pecans, and sunflower seeds all contain varying amounts of biotin and also offer healthy fats and protein.
Legumes: This category includes peas, beans, and lentils. Soybeans and peanuts are particularly good sources of biotin.
Yeast: Both nutritional yeast and brewer's yeast are excellent sources of biotin. Nutritional yeast is often used in vegan cooking for its savory, cheese-like flavor.
Sweet Potatoes: This root vegetable offers a good dose of biotin, along with being rich in fiber and antioxidants.
Mushrooms: A surprisingly good source of biotin, especially button mushrooms.

Foods Rich in Beta-Carotene

Beta-carotene is responsible for the red, yellow, and orange pigmentation in many fruits and vegetables, though it is also found in dark leafy greens. For better absorption, consuming beta-carotene with a source of fat is recommended, as it is fat-soluble.

Sweet Potatoes: Known for their vibrant orange color, sweet potatoes are one of the best sources of beta-carotene.
Carrots: A classic source of beta-carotene, famously associated with eye health.
Dark Leafy Greens: Don't be fooled by the green color; vegetables like spinach and kale contain high levels of beta-carotene. The green chlorophyll just masks the orange pigment.
Bell Peppers: Red and yellow bell peppers are excellent sources of this antioxidant.
Butternut Squash: A versatile vegetable rich in beta-carotene that can be roasted or pureed into soups.
Apricots and Mangoes: These yellow and orange fruits contain a good amount of beta-carotene.
Broccoli: While not as high as orange vegetables, broccoli still contributes a decent amount of beta-carotene to your diet.

A Comparison of Nutrient-Rich Foods

Some foods are excellent sources of one nutrient, while others provide a beneficial combination. This table highlights some key differences and overlaps.


Food Source	Primary Nutrient Contribution	Key Benefit	Notes
Sweet Potato	High Beta-Carotene, Good Biotin	Skin, vision, energy	Versatile vegetable.
Beef Liver	High Biotin	Metabolism, hair, nails	Excellent single-source of biotin.
Carrots	High Beta-Carotene	Vision, immune support	Best absorbed with fat.
Eggs (cooked)	High Biotin	Metabolism, hair, nails	Ensure eggs are fully cooked.
Spinach	High Beta-Carotene	Vision, antioxidants	Raw or cooked source.
Almonds	Good Biotin	Skin, hair, nails	Also provides vitamin E and healthy fats.

How to Incorporate These Foods Into Your Diet

Integrating these foods into your daily meals is simple and can be delicious. For breakfast, scramble cooked eggs with spinach, or have oatmeal topped with almonds and seeds. A satisfying lunch could be a salad featuring roasted sweet potatoes, bell peppers, and sunflower seeds. For dinner, consider a salmon fillet served with a side of steamed broccoli or a hearty lentil stew. Snacks can include handfuls of nuts, fresh carrots with hummus, or a side of avocado. These simple substitutions and additions can make a significant difference to your nutritional intake.

The Combined Power of Biotin and Beta-Carotene

Combining foods rich in both nutrients can offer synergistic benefits for your health. For instance, sweet potatoes are an excellent source of both biotin and beta-carotene, making them a powerful food for hair, skin, and energy. Adding healthy fats like those in avocados or nuts to beta-carotene-rich foods further improves absorption. For more on biotin's metabolic functions, see the NIH Health Professional Fact Sheet.

Conclusion

Making conscious food choices to include a variety of biotin and beta-carotene sources can effectively support your health from the inside out. With options ranging from animal products like eggs and liver to plant-based choices like sweet potatoes, spinach, and nuts, it is easy to find foods that fit your dietary needs. By prioritizing these nutrient-dense foods, you contribute to better metabolic function, healthier skin, and improved vision without relying solely on supplements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, it is possible to get enough biotin and beta-carotene from a well-planned vegan diet. Excellent vegan sources include legumes, nuts, seeds, nutritional yeast, sweet potatoes, and leafy greens.

Cooking eggs is important because raw egg whites contain a protein called avidin that binds to biotin and prevents its absorption by the body. Heating the eggs denatures avidin, allowing for proper biotin absorption.

Since beta-carotene is fat-soluble, it is best absorbed when consumed with a source of fat. Adding a little olive oil to a salad with carrots or pairing sweet potatoes with avocado can maximize absorption.

While often marketed for hair and nail health, evidence is limited and inconclusive for healthy individuals. Supplements are most beneficial for those with a confirmed biotin deficiency or specific underlying conditions.

The Adequate Intake (AI) for biotin for adults is 30 micrograms per day. For beta-carotene, there is no official Daily Value (DV), but experts recommend a diet rich in fruits and vegetables to ensure adequate vitamin A conversion.

Since biotin is water-soluble, excess amounts are typically excreted by the body. However, very high doses can interfere with certain lab tests, particularly those for thyroid hormones.

Sweet potatoes are a fantastic example of a food rich in both biotin and beta-carotene, along with other beneficial nutrients like fiber and antioxidants.