The Top Foods for Keeping Your Hair Healthy Through Nutrition

Curling irons, straightening irons, gels, mousses, and fancy blow dryers are all great. However, the biggest tool you have for creating healthy-looking, gorgeous hair may be on your dinner plate!

We all tend to focus on what we keep in the bathroom cabinets to craft our coif, but it turns out that when it comes to hair health, we really should be focusing on what’s in our kitchens. You can actually improve the state of your hair through nutrition. Check out the six foods that can help you get healthier hair one bite at a time. 

In this article:

1. Why Good Nutrition Is Linked to Healthy Hair
   • The Life Cycle of Hair
2. The Six Best Foods for Healthy Hair
3. Getting Healthy Hair From Food

Why Good Nutrition Is Linked to Healthy Hair

It’s important to talk about why some foods are important for hair health before we dive into revealing the foods that can give you a beautiful mane. You probably already know that staying hydrated and eating well can improve your overall health and the appearance of your skin. However, few of us ever stop to think about the ways our diets could be impacting our hair. The reality is that our hair is constantly growing out and being replaced with new hair.

The Life Cycle of Hair

Our hair follicles pull from the nutrients in our bodies to revive our manes on a constant basis. Of course, our follicles can only take what we put in! That’s why what we eat matters for our hair. What are some of the essential things our hair needs to grow and look healthy and strong? Here are the key dietary factors for hair health:

• Good fats
• Proteins
• Vitamins
• Minerals

It’s important to remember that our hair isn’t just growing constantly. It’s also shedding constantly. In fact, the American Academy of Dermatology estimates that most of us lose between 50 and 100 hairs per day! You might be clutching your mane at that news.

However, it’s not scary at all. It’s pretty much impossible to detect that lost hair if you are eating a healthy diet that can sustain constant hair renewal. The typical person can grow around 6 inches of hair per year.

The Six Best Foods for Healthy Hair

Which foods are full of the good stuff that creates good hair? Luckily, the foods on our list are all easy to find, relatively inexpensive, and pretty yummy. Take a look!

1. Fish

Go under the sea to find the best nutrients for the top of your head. Fatty fish is a wonder food when it comes to follicles. Fish is full of healthy omega-3 fatty acids that are credited with everything from better hair to healthier hearts. A study from 2018 found that consuming fish oil extract actually had a direct impact on boosting hair growth. Other research has found that fish oils can help to reduce hair loss. Which type of fish should you eat for healthy hair? Most types will do the trick. However, salmon is typically seen as the best option when you’re eating specifically for the benefit of hair growth. Sardines in the canned form can also work if you’re looking for an easy, no-cooking-required option.

2. Eggs

You might be able to make your hair healthier just by sitting down for breakfast. That’s because eggs are known to promote hair health. Eggs are very rich in something called biotin. You may have heard of people taking biotin treatments for brittle nails and other conditions. However, eggs can deliver a natural, healthy dose of biotin. Eggs also contain a mix of other compounds that are known to promote hair growth. The list includes vitamin D, L-lysine and essential minerals.

3. Pumpkin

Pumpkin is great for your hair because it is full of vitamin C and vitamin E, which can repair cell damage. You don’t necessarily have to eat fresh pumpkin to get the benefits. You can use canned pumpkin to create soups and purees.

4. Tomatoes

Tomatoes are known to be very good for your hair. That’s mostly due to the fact that they are full of vitamin C. This vitamin plays a big role in forming collagen, which helps to strengthen skin and hair.

5. Cinnamon

Here’s a really easy way to enjoy a hair-healthy diet. Delicious, fragrant cinnamon helps to improve circulation and deliver more oxygen to your hair follicles. Adding more cinnamon to your diet is as simple as sprinkling some on your morning yogurt or coffee.

6. Greek Yogurt

This last one might just be the best one. The protein in Greek yogurt is no doubt great for helping to build strong hair. However, Greek yogurt also offers an indirect benefit that could hold the secret to making your hair strong, shiny and resilient. Greek yogurt is full of probiotics. This good form of bacteria makes it easier for your body to absorb nutrients from everything you eat. That means that eating Greek yogurt will boost the power of all of the other hair-helping foods you eat.

Getting Healthy Hair From Food

Keep in mind that nutritional deficiencies, stress, poor diet, age, certain surgeries, certain medications, and hormonal issues can lead to brittle hair, thinning hair and hair loss. It’s not a bad idea to ask your doctor about being tested for a vitamin deficiency if your hair suddenly seems thin or if you’re losing more hair than usual.

Of course, it’s also important to remember that diet won’t completely reinvent your hair. The goal is to optimize the type of hair you have and avoid thinning or dullness that can be caused by skipping nutrient-dense foods.

Do you want to get more beauty on the brain? Keep reading because there’s more waiting for you in our other articles!