No matter what type of hairstyle you like to wear, everyone wants their hair to be as healthy and strong as possible. Though many factors out of our control can affect the health and appearance of hair over time, such as age, illness, genetics, and many more, there are a few factors that people do have control over.
One of these factors is your diet, which plays a larger role in your hair health than you might think.
Why Is Your Diet Important for Healthy Hair?
Your scalp sheds old hair follicles and replaces them with new ones according to a growth cycle. Like all of the processes occurring in your body at all times, your hair growth cycle needs the support of proper nutrition to work optimally.
Additionally, deficiencies in certain vitamins that we typically get from our diets have been linked to hair thinning and hair loss.
Eating a more balanced diet can help reverse some hair loss, especially if your diet was significantly lacking in certain nutrients before. However, including nutrient-rich foods in your diet can also help prevent future hair loss for those with healthy, strong hair.
Additionally, if you’re unsatisfied with the rate at which your hair grows, varying your diet might help to speed up your hair growth rates.
Foods to Include for Better Hair Growth
Not sure what foods to include in your diet for healthy, gorgeous hair? Many of these foods have plenty of health benefits outside of their effects on hair growth and maintenance, so you’ll be improving your overall health from the inside out while boosting hair growth and preventing loss.
Berries
Berries are more than just a delicious snack on their own or a sweet topping for other dishes. Berries of all kinds are packed with various beneficial nutrients for hair health, including vitamin C, which helps protect the hair follicles from free radical damage thanks to its powerful antioxidant properties.
Additionally, the vitamin C in berries can help with iron absorption, which allows the body to collect as much iron as possible from the other foods you eat. The more iron your body absorbs, the less likely you are to develop conditions like anemia, which has been directly linked to hair loss.
Fish
Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, and sardines contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. These compounds are great for overall health for many reasons but are specifically linked to optimal hair growth.
Fish is also a great protein source, providing an essential macronutrient that helps the body to allocate energy for non-essential processes like hair growth and maintenance. Other nutrients found in fish include B vitamins, selenium, and Vitamin D3, a deficiency of which has been linked to thinning hair.
Eggs
Eggs are a popular protein source among meat eaters and vegetarians alike, and high protein intake is linked to various desirable outcomes, including healthier hair.
However, unlike some other protein sources, eggs are also packed with biotin. This nutrient supports the natural production of keratin, a compound that is necessary for healthy hair as well as the health of the skin and nails.
Avocado
Avocados haven’t earned the title of “superfood” for nothing. Not only is avocado a delicious addition to various dishes, but it’s also one of the best sources of healthy fats, which can help support a productive hair growth cycle.
Avocados are also plentiful in vitamin E, which has antioxidant properties similar to vitamin C and actively reduces oxidative stress in the body. Specifically, vitamin E is known to protect the scalp and other areas of the skin from free radical damage, which helps to support stronger hair.
Rosemary
Most foods that prevent hair loss and keep your hair looking healthy and strong need to be included as part of your diet to work. However, did you know that you can use some foods topically to achieve similar results?
Rosemary is a great example of this phenomenon. When combined with other health-boosting compounds such as essential oils and aloe vera, rosemary can boost circulation to the scalp, helping stimulate the hair follicles and support more productive hair growth cycles.
Additionally, rosemary has been linked to reduced scalp itchiness when used topically.
Spinach
It’s no surprise that leafy greens like spinach are good for your health, but most people aren’t aware of how much the regular inclusion of spinach in your diet can support healthy hair.
Spinach is packed with various vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A and C, which are directly linked to increased hair growth. Additionally, spinach is rich in iron, which helps the red blood cells properly oxygenate the body and prevent unwanted side effects of low iron levels, such as anemia.
Beans
Beans are an excellent source of protein that can be included in a variety of diets, whether you eat meat or prefer plant-based. Beans are also high in zinc, a crucial nutrient that can support a fruitful hair growth cycle.
Other nutrients found in beans that support healthy hair include biotin, iron, and folate, which support sustained cell production and, therefore, prevent excessive hair loss over time.
Red Meat
Some people leave red meat out of their diets for a variety of reasons, but if you choose to partake, you can reap multiple benefits, including higher protein levels and healthy amounts of iron. These nutrients are crucial in supporting continued hair growth and preventing hair loss.
Other Ways to Support Healthy Hair Growth
Now that you’ve learned how to keep your hair healthy and even increase its growth using your diet, it’s important to consider the other lifestyle factors that could also play a role in your hair health.
Significant mental and physical stress can affect the hair growth cycle, so it’s important to mitigate stress levels with physical activity, time spent with loved ones, and mindfulness. Additionally, getting the proper amount of sleep each night will allow your body to repair and rebuild to its fullest extent.
