Beautiful and healthy hair is more coveted than a wardrobe full of clothes for so many people. That’s because hair is arguably the most formative part of every human’s appearance. So, you see so much investment in hair care products to keep it fine and attractive.
Without a single doubt about the potency of some of these products, too much of it can negatively affect the hair. So what should you do to keep your hair healthy instead of applying these chemical products? The answer is simple. You eat! A good diet is the best nutrition your hair can ever have, not hair care products or hairstyling patterns.
If you want to find out what food has the best nutrients for the hair, this article is for you. Here, we’ll discuss the relationship between hair and nutrition and recommend some of the best food for hair health. Keep scrolling.
Hair and Nutrition
As you already know that the human body depends on food to stay active and perform optimally; the hair also shares a similar dependence on some nutrients derived from food. So it’s a two-way street – healthy and strong hair depends on what you eat, and dull and thinning hair reflects what you’re not eating. So if you see someone with amazing natural hair, the secret is an adequate supply of nutrients in the food they eat.
For people who don’t have access to decent nutrition under medical illnesses or usage of certain medications, the effects are easily noticed on their scalp and the quality of hair on their heads. This shows how our hair depends on the nutrients we derive from food for its growth, sustenance, and development. Hence, every person who values their hair looks should also prioritize a healthy diet that has remarkable benefits on the hair and overall health.
Now that you already know the relationship between the hair and the nutrients we get from food, and you’re wondering what exactly these nutrients are, keep reading.
Best Nutrients the Hair Needs
The following are some of the nutrients the hair need:
1. Biotin
Biotin is one of the many nutrients the hair needs for its growth and density. Whenever it interacts with enzymatic cells beneath the hair follicles, it creates amino acids, creating the ever-present proteins found in the hair. Research has established how biotin deficiency can degenerate into hair loss.
However, before that happens, there are some preceding symptoms you’ll have noticed, like hair discoloration, thinning, and drop-off in texture and quality. A decent amount of biotin can save you from all these issues, so have it added to your diet. You can get it in almonds, cauliflower, walnuts, carrots, and several other foods. It’s also available in supplements, but you have to consult your doctor before taking it.
2. Protein
As you must have discovered, there’s an abundant presence of protein in the hair in the form of keratin. Without keratins, it’ll be impossible to prevent hair breakage. It essentially fortifies the hair and makes it thicker than ever. You can derive it from protein-rich food as you can’t directly find keratin in food.
That’s why when protein level is low; the body only extracts what other vital organs need for their activity with less going to the hair. Hence, hair growth is halted, hair becomes weaker, and eventually falls off. To avoid this, you should focus on protein-rich foods like chicken, eggs, dairy products, turkey, fish, beans, and so on. But, of course, you can also derive a decent amount of it in nuts and legumes, whatever tickles your fancy.
3. Iron
Iron is another significant nutrient the hair needs. It’s responsible for the supply of oxygen-derived from the red blood cells. If there’s a shortage in ferritin reserve – the iron bank in the body, it can be very detrimental to the hair. It’s established that iron deficiency leads to anemia, leading to hair loss.
As you don’t want this, you have to keep your ferritin level as high as the body needs for immediate consumption and storage for future consumption. So make iron a staple in your diets by deriving it from red meat, broccoli, apple, spinach, soybean, beetroot, etc.
4. Vitamins
With about 13 variants of vitamins, the hair needs as much as it can get. Some of these vitamins include vitamin A, B, C, E, D, etc. Most hair products are replete with vitamins due to their effectiveness in maintaining hair health and development. They are all responsible for regenerating hair cells and tissues, all of which protect the hair from the harsh ultraviolet radiation of sunlight.
Apart from this, they also assist in sebum secretion, which keeps the hair scalp oiled at all times. If you’re not getting a decent amount of vitamins, the cells that ensure the optimal activity of hair may starve, and the growth rate might reduce, which would eventually lead to hair shedding. You can find vitamins in foods which include orange, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, apricots, lettuce, avocado, nuts, sunflower oil, olive oil, etc.
5. Water
This may be a surprising addition for many people, but as you already know, the benefits water offers are far-reaching. As we noted, the hair is made of protein, and they are also made of water as much as the proteins. So it’s responsible for moisturizing the scalp and aids the transfer of other nutrients wherever they are required.
It also assists in the metabolism of food which supplies all other nutrients required. Hence, you should drink a decent amount of water daily. You can also adopt some water-rich fruits like strawberries, orange, watermelon, and vegetables to keep your mane hydrated at all times.
In Conclusion
Now that you’ve already identified the nutrients the hair needs, you must have a decent amount of each or all of them in your diet. While it’s more advisable to derive them from foods, you can also get them from supplements whose prescriptions should be solely given by your doctor.