Nutrition, Vitamins, and Supplements
Good for hair

Hair strands begin from inside your body, taking vitamins and minerals from the food you eat. The right nutrients support hair growth tissues and much more, including skin and nail cells. Learn about the relationship between hair and diet: the key nutrients, how they work, the foods that contain them and great recipes for growing healthy hair.

How Can Food Influence Hair Growth?

Maintaining healthy hair is more than just using the right shampoos, conditioners and styling products. Like most tissues in your body the state of your hair is closely related to your overall physical health, which in turn is affected heavily by your diet and lifestyle. Diet in particular is a major factor when it comes to maintaining healthy hair, hair growth, and the condition of your scalp.

As with other cells in your body, your hair is directly impacted by the food you eat – without the correct balance of nutrients, hair will appear noticeably duller, thinner and more brittle over time. The right diet for healthy hair should include important vitamins and minerals like biotin, iron, zinc and vitamin A, which all help to keep not just hair, but also skin and nails in great condition.

What Are The Best Foods For Hair Growth?

Salmon

Salmon is packed with healthy fats and omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids feed the oil glands around the hair follicle, ensuring that hair retains shine and luster. Eating food sources high in omega-3 is important as your body cannot produce these healthy fats, which means it’s only possible to get them from food or supplements. Without omega-3 your hair may start looking dull and lose its natural shine. Other fish full of essential omega-3 include sardines, mackerel, and cod.

Blueberries

Blueberries are a natural source of vitamin C and rich in antioxidants. These antioxidants can help protect the scalp, while vitamin C is important for protecting cells, maintaining healthy skin and improving the production of collagen, which in turn strengthens capillaries that feed the hair shaft. If blueberries aren’t to your taste, other foods high in vitamin C include guava, kiwi fruits, papaya, strawberries, and sweet potatoes.

Spinach

High in folic acid, vitamin A and C, beta carotene, and most importantly iron, spinach is a truly powerful food for hair growth. A normal level of iron encourages hair growth and prevents it from becoming brittle and weak. If you have an iron deficiency, your body is unable to grow and repair the cells, including those that affect hair growth. Spinach, at 6mg of iron per serving, is an excellent way of boosting iron levels and encouraging hair growth. Other iron-rich vegetables include kale, broccoli and lentils.

Shellfish

Shellfish can be a good source of hair-friendly nutrients. For example, shrimp is packed with protein, B vitamins, zinc, iron and vitamin D—all vitamins your hair needs for staying healthy.

Oysters are also great due to their high zinc content—a mineral that aids in the process of cell reproduction, hormone regulation, and nutrient absorption. Because there is a link between zinc deficiency and hair loss, oysters are a great way to combat thinning hair; they contain up to 5.3mg per medium-sized oyster. Other zinc-rich foods include beef, fortified cereals and baked beans.

Avocados

foodie favorite, avocados are an excellent source of over twenty vitamins and minerals including vitamins B, C, E and K, as well as beta-carotene, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, potassium, magnesium, and folic acid. Incorporating avocados into your diet may be an easy way towards shiny, well-nourished hair and is easily one of the best foods for hair growth.

Pumpkin

Along with carrots and sweet potatoes, pumpkin is an excellent source of vitamin A – crucial for the production of sebum. Sebum is secreted by certain glands in our scalp and skin, the secretion lubricates skin, scalp and hair and prevents our body from dehydration. It’s important to maintain a sebum balance; too much sebum may result in oily hair while too little – caused by a lack of vitamin A – could cause a dry scalp and dull-looking hair.

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