Foods: Vitamin & Mineral Project

Biotin

  Biotin, sometimes known as Vitamin H, is part of the group of nutrients known as the B-vitamins (vitamin B₇.) Like all B-vitamins, Biotin is needed by the body to metabolize fats and amino acids, which are the basic components of proteins. They also help in the breakdown of complex carbohydrates into glucose. There is also some evidence that it is a strengthening agent in hair and nails (keratin.)

  The need for Biotin increases as one grows. Infants need the least of it, with only 5 or 6 mcg per day required in the first year of life. Children between 1 and 3 need 8 mcg, while children between 4 and 8 need 12 mcg. Children who are older than 9 need 20 mcg. Teenagers generally need about 25 mcg, and all people older than 19 need 30 mcg. Breastfeeding women require at least 35 mcg a day.

  Biotin deficiencies are rare, and it can be found naturally in such foods as cooked egg yolk, brewer’s yeast, sardines, tree nuts and legumes, nut butters, cauliflower, bananas, mushrooms, Swiss Chard, Yogurt, and whole grains. Biotin can be destroyed through processing; raw or minimally processed foods are more likely to contain Biotin, with the exception of eggs, which contain more when cooked.

Iodine

  Iodine is an element of the Halogen group. It generally appears as a silvery bluish-black solid that sublimes directly to a deep purple gas. It is an essential substance that your body needs to produce Thyroid hormones, which help your body grow and develop. 70%-80% of the Iodine in your body is concentrated in your Thyroid glands. An Iodine deficiency is called hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism is often characterized by a greatly enlarged Thyroid gland, or goiter. It is rare in first-world countries where Iodine is often added to salt and to soil as fertilizer; In third-world countries it is more common.

  The amount of Iodine one needs varies widely as one ages. In the first six months of one’s life one needs about 2,200 micrograms of Iodine every day. Between 7 and 12 months, however, one only needs 130. Children younger than 8 only need about 90 micrograms a day. If one is between 9 and 13, though, one needs 120 micrograms per day, while people who are 14 and older need about 150 micrograms a day. Women who are pregnant and breastfeeding need more, though; 220 per day for pregnant women, and 290 for those who are breastfeeding.

  Iodine can be found in a variety of foods, perhaps most obviously in salt. Iodine is deliberately added to table salt as a supplement. It is also found in most types of Seafood, such as shellfish, deepwater fish with white meat, and many types of seaweed (such as kelp and bladderwrack) are often rich in Iodine. Other good sources of Iodine are garlic, Swiss Chard, lima and soy beans, squash, sesame seeds, spinach, and turnip greens. Sometimes a baker will also add Iodine to bread, to help as a stabilizing agent.

RECIPE #1: Turkish Poached Eggs with Yogurt (Çılbır)
Pronounced "Chilber," this recipe contains both Biotin and Iodine. The Biotin is concentrated in the yolk of the eggs and the yogurt- The Iodine comes from the garlic. I suppose I enjoyed this recipe- It was really exceptionally easy to make, and the taste was not half bad. I think my favourite part of making the stuff was watching the interesting patterns the paprika butter made in the yogurt. The taste, though really rather boring, was still quite good. If I was in need of a fancy but easy dish to make I would likely make this again.

2 Eggs
2 tbsp Vinegar
5 cups Water
1/2 cup Plain Yogurt
1 tsp Paprika
1/2 tbsp Butter
Chopped Fresh Mint
Pinch Salt
1 clove Garlic, Minced

Bring to boil water, vinegar, and salt in a medium size pot. When it starts boiling, turn it down to medium heat. Break eggs one at a time in a small bowl, and glide them, one by one, in to the very hot but not boiling water. (If the water is boiling vigorously when you pour the eggs, you cannot have a homogeneous cooking or keep the egg together.) Do not cook more than 2 eggs at a time. If an egg starts going messy in water, try to pull it together with a spoon. Cook them for 3-4 minutes for medium soft yolk. For a hard yolk, you need to cook them at least for 5 minutes. While they are cooking, mix the yogurt with a clove of chopped garlic. Use a slotted spoon to move the eggs from the water to a plate. Pour the Yogurt over the eggs
On a skillet heat butter. When it sizzles add paprika. Stir for half a minute or less (just don't let it burn) and pour it on top of eggs and yogurt. Sprinkle mint on top and serve.

RECIPE #1: Banana Yogurt Dip & Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
The Banana Dip recipe was one of my very own invention. It is rich in Biotin, containing both yogurt and bananas. The cookie recipe adds a bit of iodine with the iodized salt it uses. I must say I much preferred this recipe over the other one. It was harder to make, as cookies tend to be, but in terms of exciting taste it was far superior. The banana recipe was so easy I had it done in three minutes, and it went with the cookie bars far better than I expected. Had we thought to put some chopped mint in with the dough, we would have done that, too.

Banana Yogurt Dip

1 Banana

4 tbsp Plain Yogurt

1 tbsp Granulated Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla

dash Nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in blender, then serve by dipping cookie bars in it.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
2 cups Butter
2 cups Granulated Sugar
1 cup Brown Sugar
4 Eggs
4 tsp Vanilla
4 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
4 cups Chocolate Chips

Combine butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla in one bowl. In another bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry and mix thoroughly. Roll the dough into bars about 1 cm wide and 5 cm long and place on ungreased baking sheet or silicon mat. Cook for 14 minutes. Cool and serve with Banana Yogurt Dip.

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/vitamin-h-000342.htm

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/iodine-000308.htm