Want Healthy Hair? Eat These 5 Foods

Thanks to models with unrealistically beautiful tresses in the hair oil and shampoo ads, it is easy to forget that healthy hair is mainly determined by your diet and not just the products you use externally.

To make sure that your daily diet consists of the essential nutrients which your hair needs in order to stay healthy, here are five foods that you need to start eating more frequently.

Eggs

food-breakfast-egg-milk
Breakfast, egg yolk, cherry tomatoes; image source: pexels.com

Eggs are widely considered to be one of the best sources of natural protein and therefore, fitness enthusiasts are very much aware of the poultry item’s multiple health benefits.

However, did you know that eating eggs can be good for your hair too? Firstly, eggs directly contribute to healthy hair because of the high protein content in them, as keratin (what all our hair is made up of) is a protein. Secondly, eggs are also a great natural source of biotin, which is a vitamin B complex that’s essential for healthy keratin formation, alongside protein.

Spinach

spinach
Spinach; image source: pexels.com

Spinach may not give you forearms like Popeye, but it definitely can help in growing a head full of healthy hair. Primarily, spinach is rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid and iron, all of which are essential for healthy hair growth.

Iron deficiency is directly related to hair loss as insufficient iron in the red blood cells hinder their ability to carry and supply oxygen to various parts of the body, including the scalp. By including spinach in your daily diet, you can increase the blood supply to your scalp, which in turn, results in healthier, stronger hair growth.

Vitamin A on the other hand, encourages sebum production in the scalp, which is necessary to keep your hair moisturized and shiny.

Nuts

brazil-nuts
Brazil nuts; image source: pipingrock.com

Nuts have a high content of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been proven to be responsible for thick, healthy hair growth. If you don’t eat enough fish or if you do not take any omega-3 supplements on a daily basis right now, you will likely experience the benefits of including almonds and walnuts (even flaxseeds will do) to your diet within weeks, as our bodies are incapable of forming these healthy fats on our own.

Avocado

avocado
Avocado; image source: pexels.com

Avocadoes have multiple benefits and although they are primarily known for their efficiency in keeping the heart healthy due to the monounsaturated fat content, eating avocados is great for hair as well. The vitamin E content in avocados has the following benefits in relation to hair:

  • The antioxidant properties keep hair from becoming dry and brittle
  • It replenishes the natural shine of hair from the inside
  • Prevents overproduction of oil and helps to maintain pH balance

Carrots

carrot-kale-walnuts-tomatoes
Healthy food; image source: pexels.com

Carrots are extremely rich in vitamin A and we have already discussed how vitamin A helps with maintaining healthy hair. However, carrots can also have another effect on human hair that very few people know about; regular consumption of carrots can delay the onset of gray hair, which is a major sign of aging. There are ways to use carrots directly on your scalp and hair as well, if you think that the dietary consumption alone is not enough.

It is important to remember that the foods we just mentioned will only work to promote healthy hair naturally if there isn’t any disorder, disease or other external factor plaguing your scalp in the first place. A dry, itchy scalp is often a sign that something is wrong and it’s important to understand the cause and get it treated first.

The problem could be as simple as an allergic reaction to a hair product you are using, or it could be something much more complicated which may lead to massive hair loss. The key to healthy hair is in leading a healthy lifestyle with a proper diet and regular haircare, which includes taking care of any underlying scalp issues as well.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here