Omega-3 fatty acids help nourish the scalp\u2019s hair follicles, enabling them to grow strands that are strong and resistant to damage. This nutrient also helps hydrate dry and brittle hair, making it shinier, more elastic and less apt to break and split. However, our bodies can\u2019t make our own omega-3 fatty acids, so, it\u2019s up to us to load up on it when we eat. The best sources of omega-3 come from the sea: salmon, lake trout, albacore tuna and sardines are all particularly high in this nutrient. If seafood isn\u2019t an option for you, try walnuts, chia seeds, winter squash, or omega-3 enriched eggs instead.<\/p>\n
Dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, swiss chard, and beet greens are all packed with iron, a notoriously hard-to-come-by nutrient that is essential for healthy hair growth. A lack of iron (especially when it reaches anemic levels) can trigger hair loss, while being flush in iron stimulates hair follicles and encourages productive growth. Other good sources of iron include: lean beef, oysters, lentils, quinoa, and fortified cereals. Bonus: Most dark green leafy veggies are also high in folic acid, a B vitamin that encourages the production of red blood cells, the vehicles that take oxygen to the scalp, keeping it (and thus future hair growth) in tip-top shape.<\/p>\n
Hair is made up of a type of protein called keratin that makes strands strong and resistant to breakage. However, each hair is created with a finite amount of protein and, therefore, the reserves must be regularly replenished to maintain a strand\u2019s strong structure. Lean meats, such as skinless chicken and turkey, pork, or lean ground beef are especially good sources of protein. You can also find protein in plant-based sources, such as legumes, dairy, tofu, nuts, nut butters, and eggs. One caveat: Protein is excellent for building strength, but you can<\/em> eat too much of a good thing. There is some evidence that eating a very high-protein diet, especially when most of the sources of protein are meat (and all that meat is limiting your intake of other necessary nutrients), can have an adverse effect on hair, taking it from strong to brittle. Thus, be sure to vary your sources of protein, mixing both meat and plant-based options \u2014 and balance it by eating plenty of veggies.<\/p>\n Frequently heralded for its anti-virus and antioxidant properties, vitamin C is also excellent at increasing hair\u2019s elasticity, making it less prone to snapping and tearing. You\u2019re most-likely aware that citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruits are high in vitamin C, but you can also find it abundantly in strawberries, kiwi, guava, broccoli, brussel sprouts and bell peppers.<\/p>\n Sprinkling your foods with certain zesty spices, such as cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and ginger, has been shown to boost blood flow and accelerate the rate at which the circulatory system delivers nutrients to your scalp. The result: an increase in nutrients for existing hair and healthier growth for future strands.<\/p>\n A deficiency in this mineral has been shown to cause hair loss\u2014even in brows and eyelashes. Why? Zinc is directly responsible for maintaining the cells that produce new hair so, when you\u2019re lacking in this nutrient, those cells don\u2019t work as hard\u2026or may stop working altogether. You can find zinc in grass-fed beef, chicken, oysters, chickpeas, kefir or yogurt, and mushrooms. It\u2019s also frequently found in fortified cereals.<\/p>\n Vivid, orange fruits and veggies, such as sweet potatoes, mango, pumpkin, and squash, are full of beta carotene, which promotes a healthy level of the scalp\u2019s sebum production, keeping hair moisturized and lustrous.<\/p>\n While we\u2019re on the topic of hair health and diet, it\u2019s also worth mentioning that when it comes to how diet affects your hair, what you don\u2019t eat can improve hair health too. Specifically, refined sugar, the kind found in white bread, pasta and candy, can cause an overproduction of androgen, a hormone notorious for shrinking hair follicles and triggering hair loss. Alcohol (beer, wine, spirits) can also have negative implications for the hair, as it inhibits the way we process zinc\u2014and we now know zinc is good for the hair. Alcohol is also dehydrating and can cause hair to become dull and lank.<\/p>\nPrevent breakage with vitamin C<\/h2>\n
Speed up hair repair with spices<\/h2>\n
Temper hair loss by loading up on zinc<\/h2>\n
Boost hydration with bright colors<\/h2>\n
Maintain nutrition by scaling back on sugar<\/h2>\n