It’s almost everyone’s dream to have strong and shiny hair. Of course, it’s important to keep the scalp healthy to have such beautiful hair, but it’s also critical to pay attention to the diet. Eating a balanced diet with the right nutrients can help promote hair growth, especially in the case of hair loss due to poor nutrition. Here are some nutrients and foods to help promote hair growth. These nutrients in your diet may enhance healthier and stronger hair.
Vitamin A: Vitamin A helps the skin glands produce sebum. This oily substance helps moisturize the scalp to keep hair healthy. What’s more, vitamin A could also speed up the rate of hair growth and encourage the growth of thicker hair, all while preventing other hair follicles from regressing. Foods rich in vitamin A are carrots, sweet potatoes, tuna, cantaloupe, spinach, kale, sweet peppers, broccoli and grapefruit, to name a few.
Vitamin C: Vitamin C has strong antioxidant properties, which can help protect hair follicles against damage from harmful molecules called free radicals. Hair loss and the graying of hair may occur when free radicals overwhelm the body’s antioxidant defense system. Also, Vitamin C helps promote collagen production, which can help strengthen hair strands and prevent hair from becoming brittle and breaking. Foods loaded with vitamin C are beets, dates, sweet yellow peppers, spinach, berries, kale, kiwis, broccoli, lemons, lychee, papayas, oranges, and so on.
Vitamin E: Vitamin E improves the blood circulation and helps the follicles work more efficiently to promote hair growth. It also maintains the oil and PH levels balance which if exceeds can clog the hair follicles and stop hair growth. Vitamin E also protects areas of the skin, like the scalp, from oxidative stress and damage. Damaged skin on the scalp can result in poor hair quality and fewer hair follicles. Foods that have lots of vitamin E include sesame, avocados, nuts, sunflower seeds, almonds, peanuts, avocado, kiwis, mango, blackberries, apricots, raspberries, etc.
Biotin: Biotin is essential for the production of a hair protein called keratin, which is why biotin supplements are often marketed for hair growth. Research has also shown that consuming more biotin can help improve hair growth in people with a biotin deficiency. Foods that are high in biotin include whole grains, liver, nuts, salmon, avocados, sweet potatoes and so forth.
Protein: Eating adequate protein is important for hair growth because hair follicles are made of mostly protein. A lack of protein in the diet has been shown to promote hair loss. Foods that are rich in protein include eggs, almonds, milk, broccoli, lean beef, tuna, fish, shrimp, peanuts, and so on.
Iron: Iron is essential for hair growth. Iron helps red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body to fuel metabolism and aid growth and repair. When the body is running low on iron, oxygen and nutrients are not getting transported to the hair roots and follicles adequately. This can inhibit hair growth, make hair strands weak and may cause hair loss. Foods high in protein are dates, spinach, whole grains, shellfish, liver, legumes, red meat, broccoli, to name a few.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Omega-3 fatty acids cannot be produced by the body, but are essential building blocks of cells. They can nourish the hair and support thickening. A deficiency in these fatty acids has been linked to hair loss. Since the body cannot produce these healthy fats, they need to be derived from the diet. Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids include avocado, almonds, walnuts, salmon, oysters, flax-seeds, soybeans, and so on.
What you eat can have a huge effect on the health of your hair. A lack of the right nutrients may slow down hair growth or even cause hair loss. Fortunately, correcting a deficiency in any of these nutrients may help treat hair loss and promote the rate of hair growth.