The right shampoo or hair conditioner isn’t always the key to strong and luscious hair. The secret lies in your plate and the food you consume. As the saying itself suggests “You are what you eat”. So, try to fill in your plate with the following 8 essential nutrients and very soon you will get the hair you have always wished for- strong, lustrous and gorgeous hair that everyone around you will be jealous of.
- Zinc
This trace mineral is especially important for protection of the scalp. The zinc deficiency can lead to dry and flaky scalp, thinning hair and eventual hair loss. The best sources of zinc are beef, eggs, whole grains, oysters and fortified cereals.
- Iron
Iron is one of the crucial minerals for the hair health. As the blood carries nutrients to hair roots and follicles, anemia may occur if iron levels in the blood drop at a certain level. It is so because it disrupts the supply of nutrients to the follicles, affecting the hair growth cycle and leading to eventual hair loss.
The best sources of iron are the animal products, such as fish, poultry and red meat. Iron found in these products has a high bioavailability, or they are readily available for use in the body. People who don’t consume meat products (vegans) can increase their iron intake by consuming dried beans, lentils and dark leafy greens, such as kale, salad greens and spinach. Nonmeat products that are rich in vitamin C, such as lemon or orange, can increase the iron absorption up to 6fold.
- Protein
It is really important to make sure you are getting enough protein in your diet because protein is essential for maintaining a strong, healthy hair. It is so because the hair strands are made up of protein. If you aren’t getting sufficient amount of protein, your hair will weaken and become dry and brittle. Foods that contain low levels of protein may eventually lead to hair loss.
Adult men are recommended to consume 56 grams of protein on daily basis, while adult women are advised to consume 46 grams of protein a day. Moreover, it is of vast importance to get protein from varied food sources. Plant sources of protein are peas, nuts, dried beans, seeds, grains, tofu and some fruits and vegetables. When it comes to animal sources, one of the best ones are the milk, eggs, fish, poultry and red meat.
- Biotin
Biotin, also known as vitamin H or coenzyme R, is a water-soluble B-vitamin. This bcomplex vitamin promotes hair growth and it prevents hair dryness as well. In addition, it increases the elasticity of the hair`s cortex, helping to minimize and prevent hair breakage.
Deficiency in biotin may lead to brittle and dry hair as well as to hair loss. This vitamin is found in many foods, such as eggs, nuts, beans, whole grains, mushrooms, halibut, carrots, eggs, wheat products, milk and some vegetables and fruits.
- Omega 3- fatty acids
Omega-3 fats have long been appreciated for their numerous health benefits, such as protection against heart diseases, stroke, autoimmune diseases and cancer. The body needs these acids in order to perform its normal functions, including blood clotting and building cell membranes in the brain as well as building healthy and strong hair. The omega-3 fatty acids are found in the cells that line the scalp and they provide the hair with the needed oils in order to stay moisturized.
Being essential nutrients, these acids cannot be produced by the body itself but they must be obtained from food instead. There are two types of omega-3 fats. The first type is known as alphalinolenic acid (ALA) and it is mainly found in some vegetable oils, such as flaxseed oil and canola oil, as well as in soybeans and walnuts. It can be found id some green vegetables as well, such as kale, salad greens, Brussels sprouts and spinach. The second type of omega-3 fatty acids is known as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic (EPA). They can be found in fatty fish, including sardines, salmon, mockarel and tuna.
- Vitamin A
This vitamin is crucial when it comes to the health and growth of all cells in the body, including scalp and hair. Vitamin A is also important for sebum production, an oily substance produced by the sebaceous glands. This substance acts as a natural conditioner for the scalp. Vitamin A deficiency may result in decreased sebum production, which in turn leads to itchy scalp and dry and brittle hair.
Vitamin A can be found in two basic forms and both of them provide powerful health benefits. Retinoids are found in animal foods while carotenoids are found in plant foods. The best sources of vitamin A are sardines, shrimp, cheese, beef, salmon, eggs, chicken, yogurt and milk. In addition, many yellow-orange colored fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of vitamin A as well as the watermelon, kale, chili peppers, papaya, broccoli, tomatoes, spinach, asparagus, and collard greens.
- Vitamin E
Vitamin E is extremely beneficial nutrient and some of its benefits are the prevention of hair loss and promoting hair growth by stimulating the growth of capillaries that nourish the scalp and the hair itself. This vitamin is a powerful antioxidant which prevents premature graying as well. Being an antioxidant, it has the ability to protect the cells from damaging effects of the sun, the most common cause for premature aging.
Vitamin E can be found in many food sources, such as nuts, green leafy vegetables like mustard greens, spinach, Swiss chards, kale, avocados and fruits as papaya and kiwi.
- Vitamin C
Apart from enhancing iron absorption, this vitamin is also crucial element for the collagen production. What makes collagen so important for hair health, growth and strength is its ability to strengthen the capillaries that supply nutrients to the hair soft.
Plant foods are the best sources of vitamin C. Good examples would be the oranges, grapefruit and lemons, while the best noncitrus sources are raspberries, papaya, kiwi, strawberries and pineapple. Basically, most fresh fruits are excellent sources of vitamin C. On the other hand, the best vegetable sources of vitamin C are the following:
- Cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage
- Dark leafy greens like kale and spinach
- Sweet potatoes, potatoes.
