How to Feed Your Hair

Do you hear the talk that biotin is the answer to all your needs to make your hair grow faster and fuller? Well my friend that is not the only thing you should take and I would say it is the least important.

Our bodies are made to work like an engine to create all the amazing things we see on the outside. But often we do not realize how important it is to ensure that we are giving that engine the full power to do it properly. The American diet is often processed foods, little hydration and for many yo-yo diets. And we wonder why our bodies are not doing its job to its highest potential. Also a little side fact, your hair grows around 1/2 an inch per month, and 6 inches per year. How fast it grows depends on factors like age, health, genetics and diet. We can not help how our genetics affect our hair. But we can work on the diet.

So what do we need to feed our body to ensure the happiest and strongest hair? Let’s dive in…

Eggs

Eggs are a great source of protein and biotin, two nutrients that may promote hair growth. Which may be one of the reasons my hair has always grown so fast. This girl will eat at least 2 eggs every morning.

Consuming a normal amount of protein is important for hair growth because hair follicles predominantly built of protein . Not enough protein in the diet has been shown to exasperate hair loss (1).

Eggs are also a great source of zinc, selenium and other hair-healthy nutrients. This makes them one of the best foods to consume for optimal hair health (4).

Berries

Berries are loaded with beneficial compounds and vitamins that may promote hair growth. This includes vitamin C, which has strong antioxidant properties. Antioxidants can help protect hair follicles against damage from harmful molecules called free radicals. These molecules exist naturally in the body and the environment (5, 6). This is why so many hair companies use berries and their compounds in all of our products in the salon industry. Not only are they healthy to consume they also can be used topically to reform and restore the natural health of our hair.

Also, the body uses vitamin C to produce collagen, a protein that helps strengthen hair to prevent it from becoming brittle and breaking (8, 9). And girl I am going to say if that if berries can help with my collagen production I am having 2 handfuls today!

Spinach

Spinach is a healthy green vegetable that’s loaded with beneficial nutrients like folate, iron, and vitamins A and C, all of which may promote hair growth. Vitamin A helps the skin glands produce sebum. This natural oil helps moisturize the scalp to keep hair healthy (12, 13).

Spinach is also a great plant-based source of iron, which is essential for hair growth. Iron helps red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body to fuel your metabolism and aid growth and repair (14). Who know that just adding this power packed leafy green could so so much good!

Fatty Fish

Fatty fish like salmon, herring and mackerel have nutrients that may promote hair growth. They are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been linked to hair growth.

A study in 120 women found that taking a supplement containing omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids as well as antioxidants reduced hair loss and increased hair density (15). Another study found that taking a fish oil supplement significantly reduced hair loss and increased hair growth in women with thinning hair (16). Fatty fish is also a great source of protein, selenium, vitamin D3 and B vitamins, nutrients that may help promote strong and healthy hair (17).

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a great source of beta-carotene. The body converts this compound into vitamin A, which is linked to good hair health. A medium sweet potato (about 114 grams) contains enough beta-carotene to provide more than four times your daily vitamin A needs (18). Research has shown that vitamin A promotes the production of sebum, which helps keep hair healthy. What’s more, vitamin A could also speed up the rate of hair growth and encourage the growth of thicker hair, all while preventing other hair follicles from regressing (19, 20).

Avocados

Avocados are delicious, nutritious and a great source of healthy fats. And another one of my favorite foods! Avacado Toast is the best invention since sliced bread!

They are also an excellent source of vitamin E, which may promote hair growth. One medium avocado (about 200 grams) provides 21% of your daily vitamin E needs (21). Like vitamin C, vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps combat oxidative stress by neutralizing free radicals.

In one study, people with hair loss experienced 34.5% more hair growth after taking a vitamin E supplement for eight months (22).

Vitamin E also protects areas of the skin, like the scalp, from oxidative stress and damage. Damaged skin on the scalp can result in poor hair quality and fewer hair follicles (23, 24).

What’s more, avocados are a great source of essential fatty acids. These fats cannot be produced by the body, but are essential building blocks of your cells. A deficiency in essential fatty acids has been linked to hair loss (25).

Nuts

Nuts are tasty, convenient and contain a variety of nutrients that may promote hair growth. What’s more, they also provide a wide variety of B vitamins, zinc and essential fatty acids. A deficiency in any of these nutrients has been linked to hair loss (9).

Nuts have also been linked to a wide variety of other health benefits besides hair growth, including reduced inflammation and a lower risk of heart disease (27). And inflammation can also be a cause of hair loss or at least additional shedding. This makes nuts an excellent and easy addition to your diet.

Seeds

Seeds deliver a massive amount of nutrients with relatively few calories. Many of these nutrients may also promote hair growth. These include vitamin E, zinc and selenium. What’s more, certain seeds like flaxseeds and chia seeds also provide omega-3 fatty acids. In order to get the widest variety of nutrients, it’s best to consume a mixture of seeds.

Sweet Peppers

Sweet peppers are an excellent source of vitamin C, which may aid hair growth. Did you know, one yellow pepper provides nearly 5.5 times as much vitamin C as an orange (30).

Vitamin C helps promote collagen production, which can help strengthen your hair strands. It’s also a strong antioxidant, which can protect hair strands against oxidative stress.

What’s more, sweet peppers are also an excellent source of vitamin A. Which may help speed up hair growth while stimulating the production of sebum, which helps keep hair healthy.

Oysters

Oysters are one of the best food sources of zinc (31). And my least favorite of all the amazing animals in the sea.

Zinc is a mineral that helps support the hair growth and repair cycle (32). A lack of zinc in the diet may promote excessive shedding which happens when the body is under stress (33).

Studies have shown that taking a zinc supplement can reverse the effects of hair loss caused by a zinc deficiency (34, 35). However, taking too much zinc could also promote hair loss. That’s why getting zinc from foods like oysters may be better than taking supplements, since foods provide zinc in small but healthy doses (36). This is one case where to much of a good thing really can do damage.

Shrimp

Shrimp are rich in many nutrients that have the potential to promote hair growth. For example, shrimp are a great source of protein, B vitamins, zinc, iron and vitamin D.

Despite being very low in fat, shrimp also provide a small amount of omega-3 fatty acids. Diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids have been linked to improved hair growth (16, 37). So while this little critter may be small they pack a big punch in your daily nutrient needs.

Beans

Beans are a great plant-based source of protein, which is essential to hair growth. Like oysters, beans are a good source of zinc, which aids the hair growth and repair cycle. They also provide many other hair-healthy nutrients, including iron, biotin and folate (41).

On top of all these benefits, beans are highly versatile and inexpensive, which makes them an easy addition to the diet.

Soybeans

Studies have shown that compounds in soybeans may promote hair growth. One of these compounds is spermidine, which is abundant in soybeans (42).

For example, a study of 100 healthy people found that a spermidine-based nutritional supplement prolonged a phase of active hair growth called the anagen phase. The longer a hair follicle stays in the anagen phase, the longer it will grow (43).

However, the research on spermidine and hair growth is fairly new, so more studies are needed before health experts can make recommendations on spermidine intake.

Meat

Meat is a staple in many people’s diet and is rich in nutrients that can aid hair growth. The protein in meat aids growth and helps repair and strengthen hair follicles. Red meat, in particular, is rich in a type of iron that’s easy to absorb. This mineral helps the red blood cells deliver oxygen to all cells in the body, including hair follicles (14)

Summarizing

What you eat can have a huge effect on the health of your hair. And if you are noticing a change in your hair and want to see if your missing any nutrients your hair needs this is a good list to go through.

If you are missing the right nutrients including vitamins A, C, D and E, zinc, B vitamins, iron, biotin, protein and essential fatty acids may slow down hair growth or even cause hair loss.

But hey all the foods listed are actually good for you so let’s avoid the hairloss train and try adding some of the above foods to your diet.