Just the thought of strong hair that does not break and is shiny and looks healthy is satisfying. Having such hair is a dream come true for most people. Even though shampoo and conditioner commercials suggest that they are the complete solution for all your hair problems, they alone cannot give you healthy hair. To get those terrific tresses, you have to include in your diet superfoods that are beneficial for hair. Choose a shampoo and a conditioner that suit your hair but offer them the nutrition that serves as the foundation for a good head of hair and a healthy body. Here are some superfoods for hair health.
Carrots
(IBAN: B0040PSQ2U)
Carrots are super rich in Vitamin A and offer your hair a thick and healthy look. They prevent the growth of grey hair and improve blood circulation, boosting the nutrition absorption of hair and making them long and strong. The dryness of the scalp is often caused by a potassium deficiency, and carrots are full of the hydrating element potassium. The use of carrot oil for hair growth is also gaining popularity at a fast rate.
Milk and Yogurt
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Calcium hugely benefits hair. Yogurt and milk are loaded with calcium as well as zinc, vitamin B12, and biotin (Vitamin B7) that fight hair loss. These minerals promote hair growth and increase its volume. Many shampoos, conditioners, hair moisturizers, and other hair products contain milk and yogurt, and people apply yogurt masks on their hair as well for increased growth.
Oysters
(IBAN: B000FEH73E)
Oysters are one of the best superfoods for hair health due to the high amount of zinc present in them. Zinc is a powerful antioxidant that repairs and renews hair cells and prevents them from damage. Zinc also encourages the production of hormones that help hair growth. Many kinds of nuts, lamb meat, and beef also contain zinc in rich quantities.
Whole Grains
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Whole grains contain selenium which is an antioxidant that is excellent for keeping the skin hydrated. A dry scalp can lead to dandruff and increased hair loss, but whole grains fight it and keep the hair healthy and strong. Selenium can convert into selenoproteins as well that promote the growth of hair. Whole grains also contain high amounts of fiber that cleanses the internal body, organs, and bloodstream of harmful toxins and radicals that damage our hair along with other parts of the body as well.
Furthermore, whole grains contain zinc and magnesium. Magnesium absorbs calcium and keeps its quantities in the body in check. An abundance of calcium can sometimes cause follicle-clogging, which can lead to hair loss. Include fortified whole-grain cereals and whole-wheat bread in your diet and watch your hair get luxurious and free-flowing.
Eggs
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The nutrients present in glossy and strong hair are the same that are found in gorgeous golden egg yolks. The frazzled locks fear eggs as they can swiftly do away with them. Folate, biotin, vitamin E, and vitamin A all render hair thick and healthy. Egg yolk is rich in healthy fats that give the hair a shiny and sleek look. Eggs replenish the moisture in the hair and make them strong and better equipped to fight off the damage that heat and sunlight threaten them with.
Our hair is 80% protein, but with styling, pollutants, and application of certain chemicals, start to lose their main mineral component. Eggs are a protein-rich superfood and can easily restore the lost protein. Furthermore, it is not only the hair that extracts the benefits out of eggs. The scalp reaps its advantages as well. Eggs infuse the follicles of the hair with minerals and vitamins and nourish the scalp to encourage the growth of a new set of hair that is less prone to shedding and breakage. Many serums, hair masks, shampoos, conditioners, and hair tonics contain egg yolk or whole eggs for better hair growth.
Poultry
(IBAN: B079KPNY1H)
Turkey and chicken do not have hair themselves, but they easily qualify as superfoods for hair health. Their meat is rich in proteins, and, as mentioned earlier, our hair is 80% protein. The main component of hair, protein, is the building block of hair and offers hair benefits like no other mineral, and poultry contains protein in adequate quantities.
Protein deficiency encourages the hair to enter a resting phase of growth in which the hair stops absorbing the protein present in the bloodstream. It is a natural mechanism of the body to prevent depletion of protein in the other (more important for survival) parts and organs of the body. The resting phase of hair is called the telogen phase, and experiences accelerated shedding of hair. Therefore, including poultry in your diet can keep your body from getting low on protein, consequently preventing your hair from being vulnerable.
Nuts
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Almonds, pecans, cashews, and walnuts are rich in zinc that makes the hair healthy, thick, long, and strong. However, walnuts are a superfood that contains omega-3 fatty acids as well as alpha-linolenic acid that combine to serve the hair as a natural conditioner and supplement. Brazil nuts and cashews are full of selenium that replenish your scalp and make it strong. In general, nuts have iron, phosphorus, copper, zinc, and vitamin C that are all minerals that not only offer your hair a sun-kissed glow but promote their growth and prevent them from damage as well as premature greying. Applying oils of many nuts also provides your hair and scalp with much-needed and desired-for benefits.
Beans, Legumes, and Lentils
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Brittle hair caused by biotin deficiency does not stand a chance against a diet that consists of lentils, legumes, and beans. They contain iron, zinc, and protein as well, making them superfoods for hair health. They promote the growth of cells and are a great meat alternative for vegetarians. There are no other plant food sources that offer protein in such generous amounts as lentils, legumes, and beans. They contain folate, fibers, and other beneficial nutrients as well that are crucial for healthy hair.
Dark Green Vegetables
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Dark green vegetables are vital for hair health as they provide it with nutrients that nature has designed to maintain healthy hair. They contain Vitamin C in enriched quantities that is an antioxidant that shields the hair from free radicals that can make your hair brittle. Dark green veggies also offer Vitamin A that our bodies need to produce sebum which hair follicles excrete to keep the scalp and hair moisturized. The other hair health benefits of Vitamin A include strengthening of the scalp’s protective tissues, prevention of hair loss by enhancing the mind’s ability to handle and manage stress and flushing out of harmful toxins from the body and bloodstream.
Oily Fish
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The types of fish that have oil around their gut and in their tissues are exceptional in offering their consumers healthy hair. These fish include anchovies, sardines, herring, mackerel, trout, and salmon. The oil in these fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids that our bodies cannot produce themselves. They are also rich in protein and other vitamins and minerals. An omega-3 deficiency can lead to dull and lifeless hair and a dry scalp. Oily fish can also restore the shine in our tresses. For people who base their diets on vegetative food, ground flaxseed is a good alternative for oily fish.
Berries
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Superfoods for hair health include berries that are rich in Vitamin C and compounds that are beneficial for hair. They have strong antioxidant properties, offering protection against damaging molecules present inside one’s body and the external environment.
Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, and raspberries all enable the body to produce collagen that is a protein that prevents the hair from breaking and getting brittle and makes it strong and healthy. Berries prevent anemia as well by providing our bodies with adequate amounts of Vitamin C that leads to higher iron absorption from other food sources. Anemia can be caused due to low amounts of iron in the body and can trigger hair loss.
Sweet Potatoes
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Beta-carotene offers amazing benefits to the hair as our bodies convert it into Vitamin A that consequently produces sebum. Sweet potato offers enough beta-carotene that it can produce four times the amount of vitamin A that is required in a day. Sweet potatoes are an excellent superfood that promotes healthy hair by preventing the regression of hair follicles and encouraging the growth of new hair that is stronger and thicker.
Seeds
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For people who are following a weight loss or weight control regimen, different kinds of edible seeds are superfoods for hair health that are low on calories. They contain selenium, zinc, vitamin E, and other nutrients that enhance hair health and speed up the growth of hair. Certain seeds, including chia and flaxseeds, contain omega-3 fatty acids as well. One ounce of flaxseeds offers more omega-3 fatty acid than half a fillet of salmon. Sunflower seeds are also a great source of healthy hair.
Avocados
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Avocados contain healthy fats that benefit the hair and are delicious as well. They combat oxidative stress and promote hair growth. They contain vitamins C and E that are highly beneficial for hair. In a study, people experiencing hair loss consumed a vitamin E supplement for eight months and witnessed a 34.5% growth of their hair. Avocados enable the scalp to enhance the quality of hair and develop more hair follicles.
Sweet Peppers
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A single yellow pepper contains more than five times as much vitamin C as one orange does. Sweet peppers encourage the production of collagen in the body that promotes hair growth and strengthens the hair strands. The superfood enhances the body’s antioxidant defense system and prevents the hair from growing grey. Sweet peppers are rich in vitamin A as well, resulting in increased stimulation of sebum production.
Shrimp
(IBAN: B000ET3Y8W)
Shrimps are a popular and delicious shellfish that is not as rich in omega-3 fatty acids as other oily fish but are loaded with vitamin D and can contribute to hair-loss prevention, hair growth, and stronger and healthier hair. Many studies have proven that vitamin D deficiency can lead to hair loss. Additionally, shrimps contain many other beneficial nutrients, such as iron, zinc, B vitamins, and protein, that improve the quality of the hair.
Coconut Oil
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People very commonly apply and rub coconut oil onto their hair, but studies indicate that consuming it through food offers more benefits for hair health. It can slow down and prevent damages to your hair due to physical trauma, dryness in the atmosphere, and sunlight. Coconut oil is highly rich in vitamin E.
Oats
(IBAN: B01KV4H51G)
Another hair-boosting superfood is oats. They are extremely rich in biotin that offers effective hair strength. Oats provide protection against skin flakiness and hair-thinning by shielding the cells of your hair against unwanted damage.
Cinnamon
(IBAN: B008OGCB5E)
Cinnamon is highly efficient in improving blood circulation in the body. When the scalp receives a healthy blood flow, it is better able to better extract oxygen and other nutrients, directing them towards the hair and stimulating their growth. People apply cinnamon on their scalp and hair as well as it has anti-fungal properties and is effective against dandruff caused by Malassezia. It has vitamin A, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and iron as well that offer benefits for the hair.
Some drinks that keep your hair healthy and strong include:
- Kiwi juice
- Banana, spinach, and lemon juice
- Ginger, apple, cucumber, carrot, and beetroot juice
- Honey, ginger, dried parsley leaves, raisin, and walnut juice
- Lemon, honey, cucumber, and lettuce juice
Our Final Thoughts
Experiencing thinning or loss of hair can be heartbreaking. You can apply all the oils, conditioners, moisturizers and use different shampoos to prevent your hair from breaking and falling, but without a proper diet that offers your hair the essential nutrients they require to grow strong and thick, nothing will be of much use. Incorporate the above-mentioned superfoods for hair health into your diet and watch your hair become shinier, stronger, and thicker in no time.
