Biotin Rich Vegetarian Foods in India: 20 Foods Ranked by Biotin per 100 g (IFCT 2017)
Of the 20 vegetarian foods ranked here from IFCT 2017, linseeds have the most biotin per 100 g (21.25 µg), then paneer (21.04 µg) and khoa (20.39 µg). The ranking uses the biotin (vitamin B7) column of Table 2 of the ICMR-NIN Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (IFCT 2017), raw food per 100 g, and the page also shows where everyday foods such as almonds, groundnuts, milk, spinach and atta sit. It reports the raw food, not what is left after cooking or how much the body absorbs, which IFCT does not report.
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Join the NYUS waitlistWhat IFCT 2017 measures for biotin
IFCT 2017 reports biotin (vitamin B7, BIOT) in Table 2, Water Soluble Vitamins, in µg per 100 g edible portion, as the mean printed in the book. The book measured biotin by a U-HPLC and LC-ESI-IT-MS method (PDF page 25), and the table note on PDF page 71 says a blank cell means below the detectable limit.
20 vegetarian foods ranked by biotin per 100 g
By IFCT 2017 Table 2, per 100 g of the raw food, of the 20 foods ranked here, linseeds (21.25 µg), paneer (21.04 µg) and khoa (20.39 µg) are the top three, and green capsicum (4.59 µg) is the 20th. Our reading: the table compares rows, it does not say how much of any food to eat, and the values are means of 5 or 6 regional samples.
| # | Food (IFCT row) | Biotin µg per 100 g | Regions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Linseeds (alsi, flaxseed) (H014) | 21.25 | 6 |
| 2 | Paneer (L003) | 21.04 | 6 |
| 3 | Khoa (L004) | 20.39 | 6 |
| 4 | Pine seed (chilgoza) (H017) | 18.46 | 5 |
| 5 | Safflower seeds (kusum seeds) (H019) | 17.37 | 5 |
| 6 | Walnut (akhrot) (H021) | 13.05 | 6 |
| 7 | Bean scarlet, tender (scarlet runner bean) (D003) | 12.26 | 5 |
| 8 | Colocasia leaves, green (arbi leaves) (C018) | 12.10 | 6 |
| 9 | Pistachio nuts (pista) (H018) | 11.82 | 6 |
| 10 | Parwar (parwal) (D060) | 9.86 | 6 |
| 11 | Garden cress, seeds (halim, garden cress) (H008) | 8.66 | 5 |
| 12 | Onion, stalk (spring onion greens) (D058) | 6.99 | 6 |
| 13 | Samai (little millet) (A016) | 6.03 | 6 |
| 14 | Bitter gourd, jagged, teeth ridges (karela) (D004) | 5.76 | 6 |
| 15 | Cluster beans (gavar) (D039) | 5.35 | 6 |
| 16 | Fenugreek leaves (methi leaves) (C020) | 4.82 | 5 |
| 17 | Tomato, green (green tomato) (D074) | 4.74 | 6 |
| 18 | French beans, country (French beans) (D049) | 4.71 | 5 |
| 19 | Beet greens (chukandar leaves) (C009) | 4.66 | 6 |
| 20 | Capsicum, green (shimla mirch) (D033) | 4.59 | 6 |
This is a selection: the 149 vegetarian rows measured in 5 or 6 regions with a biotin value printed, without spices and condiments, ranked, and the top 20 shown, not every row in the book. Spices and condiments, such as green cardamom (G020, 4.94 µg, 6 regions), are eaten in grams, so they are left out like seasonings. Eggs are left out because this is a vegetarian list. Rows measured in fewer than 5 regions are not ranked.
Where everyday foods sit
Most everyday foods are outside the top 20. Each row below is measured in 5 or 6 regions, and the last column is its rank among the 149 rows described above.
| Food (IFCT row) | Biotin µg per 100 g | Regions | Rank of 149 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spinach (palak) (C033) | 4.14 | 6 | 26 |
| Gingelly seeds, black (kala til) (H009) | 3.06 | 6 | 37 |
| Cashew nut (kaju) (H005) | 2.58 | 6 | 44 |
| Almond (badam) (H001) | 2.39 | 6 | 56 |
| Milk, whole, Buffalo (buffalo milk) (L001) | 2.16 | 6 | 62 |
| Milk, whole, Cow (cow milk) (L002) | 1.98 | 6 | 66 |
| Ground nut (moongphali) (H012) | 1.61 | 6 | 78 |
| Ladies finger (bhindi) (D056) | 1.58 | 6 | 80 |
| Rice, raw, brown (brown rice) (A013) | 1.38 | 6 | 90 |
| Wheat, whole (gehun) (A020) | 1.03 | 6 | 107 |
| Coconut, kernal, dry (sukha nariyal) (H006) | 1.01 | 6 | 108 |
| Ragi (nachni) (A010) | 0.88 | 5 | 111 |
| Bengal gram, dal (chana dal) (B001) | 0.81 | 6 | 113 |
| Wheat flour, atta (atta) (A019) | 0.76 | 6 | 118 |
| Soya bean, brown (soybean) (B024) | 0.73 | 6 | 122 |
| Green gram, dal (moong dal) (B010) | 0.65 | 6 | 127 |
| Rice, raw, milled (white rice) (A015) | 0.60 | 6 | 131 |
What a serving holds, with weights we chose
IFCT lists foods per 100 g, so a serving needs a weight, and each weight below is ours. Each figure is the value per 100 g times the grams, divided by 100, to the nearest 0.01 µg. These are raw-food values, not what is left in a cooked dish.
| Serving | Biotin µg |
|---|---|
| 10 g linseeds (H014) | 2.13 |
| 50 g paneer (L003) | 10.52 |
| 30 g walnut (H021) | 3.92 |
| 30 g pistachio nuts (H018) | 3.55 |
| 30 g almonds (H001) | 0.72 |
| 200 g whole cow milk (L002) | 3.96 |
| 100 g raw spinach (C033) | 4.14 |
| 30 g raw groundnuts (H012) | 0.48 |
| 40 g raw wheat flour (atta) (A019) | 0.30 |
What the numbers say
- Seeds and nuts fill 5 of the top 10. Linseeds 21.25 µg, pine seed 18.46 µg, safflower seeds 17.37 µg, walnut 13.05 µg and pistachio nuts 11.82 µg per 100 g, with garden cress seeds at 8.66 µg just outside the top 10.
- Paneer and khoa are the two dairy rows in the top 3. 21.04 and 20.39 µg per 100 g, against 1.98 µg for whole cow milk and 2.16 µg for whole buffalo milk.
- Green leaves and vegetables follow. Tender scarlet bean 12.26 µg, colocasia leaves 12.10 µg and parwar 9.86 µg per 100 g, and spinach is further down at 4.14 µg.
- Wheat, rice and dals are low. Per 100 g wheat flour (atta) 0.76 µg, raw milled rice 0.60 µg and chana dal 0.81 µg, so none of them is in the top 20. Samai (little millet), 6.03 µg, is the one cereal in the top 20.
What this page leaves out
- Absorption and cooking: IFCT 2017 reports the raw food, not how much the body takes up or what is left after cooking, and we did not read a source that gives this for Indian foods.
- Hair, skin and nails: this page makes no claim about them.
- Supplements, requirements and doses: none is quoted here.
- Eggs and non-vegetarian foods, rows with fewer than 5 regions, cooked dishes with no IFCT row, and packaged foods.
- Whether you have enough of any nutrient: only a doctor or registered dietitian can tell you that.
A note on health
This article is general educational content, not medical advice. It does not say that any food prevents or treats hair loss or any condition. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, follow a restricted diet, take medicines or supplements, or have been told a nutrient is low or high, talk to a doctor or registered dietitian.
For other B vitamins and nuts from the same book, see B1, B2 and B3 rich vegetarian foods, vitamin B6 rich vegetarian foods, folate-rich vegetarian foods, the dry fruits and nuts nutrition chart and the vegetarian nutrient guide.
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Join the NYUS waitlistFrequently asked questions
Which vegetarian foods have the most biotin?
Of the 20 vegetarian foods ranked here from IFCT 2017 Table 2, per 100 g of raw food, linseeds (H014) have the most biotin at 21.25 µg, then paneer (L003) at 21.04 µg, khoa (L004) at 20.39 µg, pine seed (H017) at 18.46 µg and safflower seeds (H019) at 17.37 µg. The ranking uses 149 vegetarian rows measured in 5 or 6 regions, without spices and condiments. This is a selection, not every row.
How much biotin is in paneer, khoa and milk?
Per 100 g, IFCT 2017 lists paneer (L003) at 21.04 µg of biotin, khoa (L004) at 20.39 µg, whole buffalo milk (L001) at 2.16 µg and whole cow milk (L002) at 1.98 µg, each measured in 6 regions. By our arithmetic, 50 g of paneer holds about 10.52 µg and 200 g of cow milk about 3.96 µg. This page does not say whether that is enough for anyone.
How much biotin is in almonds, groundnuts, cashews and walnuts?
Per 100 g, IFCT 2017 Table 2 lists walnut (H021) at 13.05 µg of biotin, cashew nut (H005) at 2.58 µg, almond (H001) at 2.39 µg and groundnut (H012) at 1.61 µg. By our arithmetic, 30 g of walnut holds about 3.92 µg and 30 g of almonds about 0.72 µg. The serving weights are ours, and these are raw-food values, not what is left after roasting or cooking.
How much biotin is in a serving of linseeds, spinach or atta?
By our arithmetic from IFCT 2017 Table 2, 10 g of linseeds holds about 2.13 µg of biotin, 100 g of raw spinach 4.14 µg and 40 g of wheat flour (atta) 0.30 µg. The serving weights are ours, and these are raw-food values, not what is left after cooking.
Does this page say biotin helps hair, skin or nails, or how much I need?
No. This page lists how much biotin IFCT 2017 reports in foods per 100 g. It makes no claim about hair, skin or nails, gives no requirement, no dose and no supplement advice, and it does not say whether you are getting enough. If you are worried about hair loss or take biotin supplements, ask a doctor or registered dietitian.
Why are eggs and spices not in the ranking?
Eggs are left out because this is a vegetarian list. Spices and condiments, such as green cardamom and coriander leaves, are in IFCT 2017 with biotin values but are eaten in grams, so they are left out of the ranking like seasonings.
Sources
- ICMR-NIN, Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (IFCT 2017). Table 2 (Water Soluble Vitamins), Biotin (B7, BIOT) column in µg per 100 g edible portion, mean values as printed, rows opened and read from the PDF on 25 Oct 2026: PDF pages 71, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 85, 86, 87 for the 20 ranked rows, PDF pages 71 to 89 for all other rows, PDF page 87 for paneer, khoa and the milk rows, PDF page 71 for the table note on blank cells. Analytical methods table, PDF page 25.
The serving weights, the ranks and the serving figures are NYUS's own arithmetic, and every sentence starting "Our reading" is NYUS opinion, not from a study. Names in brackets are our matching to the IFCT row names.