Everyone loves healthy hair, regardless of gender and age. Although there are some major factors that may influence the condition of your hair, such as genetics, age, hormones, nutrient deficiencies, you’ll need to know that what you eat is one of the few things you can do to control your hair’s condition.

To have a head of healthy hair does not depend only on the outside appearance of your hair but also on how healthy you are inside. According to experts, the good health of every part of the body, which also includes your hair health, depends on what you eat. By eating nutrient-rich foods that are scientifically proven to help your hair, you can greatly influence your hair’s thickness, growth or shedding, and even its likelihood of greying since the nutrients consumed by the body will fortify the hair follicles. A balanced diet consisting of nutrients like protein, vitamins and minerals will help to supply hair with all that it needs to remain shiny, lustrous and strong. Here are the right foods that you should be eating for healthy hair.

1. Salmon

Fishes like salmon, as well as sardines and mackerel, are packed with healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Since the body cannot make these healthy fats, you will have to get them from food or supplements. These fatty acids can protect you from diseases, but your body also needs them to grow hair, keeping it shiny and full.

2. Egg

Eggs are rich in biotin, a B vitamin essential for hair growth and overall scalp health. Because our bodies make their own biotin in the intestines and it is abundant in many common foods, deficiency is very rare. However, there are some cases in which people are very ill and don’t have use of their intestines, biotin deficiency can cause hair loss. Biotin is important for hair health, but there is no need for you to take supplements as long as you eat a balanced diet that includes high-biotin foods like eggs.

3. Spinach

Spinach is iron rich and it contains sebum, which acts as a natural conditioner for hair. Like so many dark green leafy vegetables, spinach is full of amazing nutrients such as omega-3 acids, magnesium, potassium, calcium and iron. These work together for a healthy scalp and mane, keeping your hair lustrous and shiny, and most importantly moisturized so it doesn’t break.

4. Sweet potatoes

Have dry hair that’s lost its shine? Sweet potatoes are filled with a good-for-you antioxidant called beta-carotene. Your body will turn it into vitamin A, which helps to protect against dry, dull hair. It also stimulates the glands in your scalp to make an oily fluid called sebum that keeps hair from drying out. You can also find this elixir of the locks in other orange-coloured fruits and vegetables like carrots, pumpkin, cantaloupe, and mangoes.

5. Bok choy

Dermatologists treating hair loss look at the level of ferritin in your blood, because they can deduce what your body is doing with all the iron they told you to add to your diet during your initial consultation. If you’d been eating plenty of iron-rich bok choy, they would likely see a spike in your ferritin levels.

6. Barley

Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that can actually absorb damaging UV light and protect skin cells. It also repairs sun damage on the scalp, which can cause hair to thin. In one study where Tocotrienols, or different types of vitamin E supplements, were studied for eight months in patients with hair loss and the results showed that the supplemented group had a 34% improvement in hair growth. Although tocotrienols are difficult to get from diet alone, barley is a very good source.

The increase in intake of the right foods at each meal and with each meal can bring a tremendous change in our hair growth. If you follow a hair nutritious diet for at least half a year, it will definitely make your hair follicles strong and make your hair healthy and thick. So, leave aside the shampoos and conditioners, and start a healthy diet, and see the difference. You will just love yourself.

 

The food you eat can actually affect the health of your hair. Lustrous locks are a sign of good health. But it takes more than great shampoo to help your hair look its best. Just like your nails, your tresses are a window to your overall well-being.

When it comes to hair care, making sure you use the right products for your hair is important. But it is just as important to make sure you are eating the right food for healthy hair. Fortunately, there is a lot you can do to keep your scalp and hair healthy. And it starts with what is on your plate. Certain foods can wreak havoc, while others can shore up your locks.

We share with you what are some of the food you should avoid, and which ones you should consider adding to your diet for healthier hair.

Avoid: Sweets

When you eat something filled with sugar or made with refined flour like white bread, it causes your blood sugar to spike, which triggers a surge of insulin. That, in turn, causes your body to release more androgens – a hormone that can cause your hair follicles to shrink, which could potentially lead to hair loss.

Avoid: Too much animal protein

The Keto diet might work for your waistline, but not so much for your locks. Protein is essential to building strong hair, but not if you are overdoing it on the animal protein at the expense of other nutrients. Make sure you get enough cystine, the amino acid that’s a precursor to keratin, which is the main structural protein in hair. Good sources include broccoli, wheat germ, and red peppers.

Avoid: Alcohol

Beer, wine, and spirits can interfere with how your body metabolizes zinc, a crucial mineral for hair health. Too much booze can also dehydrate you, which can affect your hair. Alcohol can make your hair more dry, more brittle, and more prone to breakage.

Avoid: Greasy food

Foods that are high in saturated fats and hydrogenated oils can clog your pores, even on your scalp. That could lead to hair loss. However, you can try using an air fryer to make your favourite fried food without so much oil.

 

To keep your locks looking shiny and beautiful, you should eat more of these foods.

Eat more: Flaxseeds

Flaxseeds are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which help lubricate hair by providing moisture and hydration for your hair follicles. Go for ground flaxseeds over whole for better absorption of nutrients.

Eat more: Spinach

Spinach is a source of vitamin A, which regulates our body’s production of sebum (an oily substance secreted by tiny glands in our skin). Sebum helps to lubricate your hair and scalp. If you’re not a fan of spinach, then kale, collards and chard are alternative leafy greens that provide vitamin A.

Eat more: Nuts

Brazil nuts are one of nature’s best sources of selenium, an important mineral for the health of your scalp (and your skin and nails). If Brazil nuts aren’t for you, walnuts are another option as they contain alpha-linolenic acid which helps condition your hair.

Excess shedding of hair can be a sign of a zinc deficiency which can be easily solved by including nuts like cashews, pecans and almonds in your diet.

Eat more: Salmon

Salmon is rich in protein, which is important for hair structure because hair consists of keratin, a form of protein. Keratin forms the basic building blocks of our strands so it’s important to maintain a healthy protein intake. It is also one of the best sources of omega-3s, which is essential for healthy hair.

Eat more: Carrots

Carrots are not only good for your eyesight; they can make your hair thicker, stronger and more lustrous. The beta-carotene they contain is also helpful in protecting your hair from external factors that can cause damage, such as pollution. They prevent breakage and shedding too since they help in blood circulation.

A lot of work goes into a good hair day. And after all that time and care, sometimes your hair just isn’t where you’d like it to be. Just remember, the secret to growing healthy hair is actually in your diet. Just like any other part of your body, your hair needs certain nutrients and vitamins that hair products just can’t provide. Help your hair grow better than ever with these tips!

 

 

Healthy hair is one major indication of a person’s overall physical wellbeing. Hair takes years to grow to a long length, so the quality of your hair is a map of your lifestyle through those years. Just like the skin, the condition of your hair is an outward sign of inside health.

Enjoying a healthy diet will do wonders for your hair. Staying hydrated and eating whole, nutritious foods can make a big difference in the appearance of your hair and the rate it grows. Fill your plate with these foods to get the shiny, lustrous hair you’ve always wanted.

• Salmon

Fish like salmon, sardines, and mackerel are packed with healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Your body cannot make these healthy fats, so you have to get them from food or supplements. They help protect you from diseases, but your body also needs them to grow hair and keep it shiny and full.

• Greek Yogurt

It is packed with protein, the building block of your locks. It also has an ingredient that helps with blood flow to your scalp and hair growth, known as Vitamin B5 and may even help against hair thinning and loss. You may recognize this as an ingredient on your hair and skincare product labels.

• Spinach

Like so many dark green leafy vegetables, spinach is full of amazing nutrients. It has tons of vitamin A, plus iron, beta carotene, folate, and vitamin C. These work together for a healthy scalp and mane. They keep your hair moisturized so it does not break. Kale is another great green choice if you want to mix it up a little.

• Guava

This tropical fruit is brimming with vitamin C. It protects your hair from breaking. One cup of guava has 377 milligrams of vitamin C. This is more than four times the minimum daily recommended amount, which is an additional bonus for the body.

• Iron-Fortified Cereal

Getting too little iron can lead to hair loss. But you can find this important nutrient in fortified cereal, grains, and pastas, and in soybeans and lentils. Beef, especially organ meats like liver, have lots of it. Shellfish and dark leafy greens do too.

• Lean Poultry for Thickness

When you do not get enough protein, hair growth slows down, or even stops. Since it stops and older hairs fall out, you can have hair loss. To get protein from meat, pick lean options like chicken or turkey, which have less saturated fat than sources like beef and pork.

• Sweet Potatoes

If you have dry hair that has lost its shine, eating sweet potatoes will help you regain the shine, They are filled with a good-for-you antioxidant called beta carotene. Your body turns beta carotene into vitamin A. That helps protect against dry, dull hair. It also encourages the glands in your scalp to make an oily fluid called sebum that keeps hair from drying out. You can also find beta carotene in other orange vegetables like carrots, pumpkin, cantaloupe, and mangoes.

• Cinnamon for Circulation

Sprinkle this spice on your oatmeal, toast, and in your coffee. It helps with blood flow, also called circulation. That is what brings oxygen and nutrients to your hair follicles.

• Eggs for Growth

Your protein and iron bases are covered when you eat eggs. They are rich in a B vitamin called biotin that helps hair grow. Not having enough of this vitamin can lead to hair loss. Biotin also helps strengthen brittle fingernails.

• Oysters for Fullness

These are rich in zinc. When you do not have sufficient amounts of this mineral in your diet, you can have hair loss, even in your eyelashes. Cells that build hair rely on zinc to help them work their hardest.

In conclusion, nutrition plays a key role in hair growth and helps to fortify the hair and scalp. Always remember, to care for your hair inside out, eat a healthy and balanced diet to improve hair health. Eating the right foods for healthy hair is the way to go!