Diet

7 Foods That Keep Your Hair Healthy and Strong

Woman Hair

Hair is essentially made up of a protein known as keratin, and in order for your hair to grow long, strong and healthy, you need to make sure that you give it the right type of ‘food’. Food for your hair simply means the food that you put into your body, because it from your body that your hair will get the nourishment that it needs. Eat junk food and not only will you notice a lot more hair on your towel and pillow, but also problems related to your skin and general wellbeing. However, eat a lot more healthy foods, such as fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains and you will start to see the kind of difference that you want to see.

Here are the 7 foods that you should definitely include in your diet, if you want to enjoy hair that is healthy and strong:

1. Vegetables

There are plenty of vegetables that can give you really healthy hair, and carrots are one of them. Carrots are rich in vitamin A, which promote hair growth and improve the density of your hair. While you can eat carrots in your salads or even raw, you could even drink a glass of fresh carrot juice every day. Carrots can also help the scalp in the production of natural sebum oil, which allow the roots to remain healthy. Avocados are rich in vitamin E, which not only improve the circulation of blood to the scalp, but also help the follicles grow better. Avocado can also help balance the natural oil and pH levels of the scalp, which will ensure that there is no clogging of the hair follicles. Green peas are filled with minerals and vitamins such as zinc, iron and vitamin B, which are all required for a healthy scalp and nourished hair. Green leafy vegetables such as spinach and lettuce are also great for healthy hair, because they provide the body with iron, which is necessary to protect the hair. When there is an iron deficiency in your body, oxygen and other essential nutrients do not reach the hair follicles, leading to hair loss. Sweet potatoes are a great source of beta carotene, which helps prevent a dull scalp and ensures proper oxygenation of the hair follicles.

2. Fruits

Hair needs Vitamin C, because it helps with proper iron absorption, which is why you need to have plenty of citrus fruits in your diet. So, it would be wise to include lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit and tangerines in your regular diet. Vitamin C also helps improve the collagen production in the body, leading to healthier hair follicles. Prunes can also help improve the texture of hair and because it is rich in iron. Regular prune consumption can also prevent hair discoloration and hair thinning.

3. Eggs

There is a reason that eggs are a popular ingredient in shampoos that are meant for damaged hair. Eggs are one of the best sources of protein, and given that your hair is made up of protein, eggs are an obvious choice for healthy hair. Eggs also have high biotin and vitamin B content, both of which are important to keep your hair and scalp healthy. As a matter of fact, it is biotin that will keep your hair looking thick and shining.

4. Fish

For years, fish has been recognised as a great ingredient to add to your diet, because it can work wonders for your skin as well as your hair. Salmon is not only a great source of protein, but also of omega 3 fatty acids, which ensure the health of the scalp and the hair shaft. The high content of zinc in oysters will protect your hair against dandruff as well as hair fall. Shrimps are rich in vitamin B12, iron and zinc and all of these help protect hair against falling and thinning. Mackerel is yet another oily fish that is high in omega 3 fatty acids, which will ensure that you have healthy and shining hair.

5. Meats

If you are a meat eater, then you might want to consider beef as a part of your diet, because beef has all the nutrients that your hair needs; from protein to vitamin B, iron to zinc! Same is the case with bacon – even bacon has all the before mentioned nutrients and if you consume a restricted amount, you can be rest assured that you will have wonderful looking hair. chicken can also provide you with the protein that your hair needs, but you need to make sure that you compliment your chicken or beef meal with some vegetables.

6. Grains

While including vegetables, fish and meats will ensure that you have healthy hair, you also need to include some sorts of grains into your diet too. Whole grains are actually a wonderful source of biotin, as well as zinc, iron and vitamin B. You could also include lentils and brown rice into your diet – while the lentils will give you protein and folic acid, brown rice will provide you with fibre and vitamins.

7. Nuts

Nuts are a great snack, but if you want healthy hair, then you would definitely want to include them in your regular diet. For instance, pumpkin seeds are overloaded with protein, omega-6 fatty acids, zinc and iron, all of which are important for healthy hair. Similarly, walnuts are great for maintenance and nourishment of hair, because they are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, biotin, vitamin E and copper.

So, these are the best ways keep your hair long and strong, and because they require only minimal dietary changes, they are also the easiest ways to ensure that your crowning glory remains that way!

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Dr. Kapil Dua, Co-Founder & Chairman at AK Clinics, has over fourteen years of clinical and teaching experience in the fields of otolaryngology & hair transplant. You can follow him on LinkedIn.

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